Beer Braised Corned Beef with Whiskey Mustard Glaze
This low-and-slow corned beef brisket is exceptionally tender and flavorful. Finish the dish by brollilng the corned beef with an Irish whiskey, brown sugar, and mustard glaze for a festive twist on a classic.
4poundto 5-½ pound flat cut corned beef brisket, rinsed well
1large yellow onion, peeled, halved, and sliced
4clovesgarlic, peeled and lightly crushed with the back of a knife
2pintslager(nothing with heavy bitter notes)
1cupwater, plus additional (if needed)*
1tablespoonpickling spice(or use the spice packet provided with your corned beef)
GLAZE
¼cupdark brown sugar, lightly packed
2tablespoonswhole grain Dijon mustard
1tablespoonsmooth Dijon mustard
1tablespoonIrish whiskey
¼teaspoonfreshly-ground black pepper
pinch ground cloves
Instructions
Cook the Corned Beef
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Place sliced onion and garlic cloves in the bottom of a large Dutch oven (I use a 6-¾ quart round wide Le Creuset). Lay corned beef on top of onions, fat cap side up. Add pickling spices or spice packet.
Pour beer into pot, adding enough water to almost cover the brisket (see note below). Bring to a simmer on the stove. Cover tightly with the lid and cook for 3 hours in the oven, flipping the corned beef halfway through the cooking time and adding additional water to the pot, as needed, if evaporation occurs.
Glaze and Serve
When the corned beef is almost finished braising, combine glaze ingredients in a bowl.
Remove the corned beef from the braising liquid and pat dry with paper towels. (Reserve braising liquid in the pot.) If needed, trim the fat cap to a thickness of about ¼ inch, so that you have a fairly even glazing surface.
Lightly score fat side with a sharp knife in a criss cross pattern. Place in a broiler-safe pan or foil-lined rimmed baking sheet (for easy cleanup). Brush the top and sides of the brisket with the glaze.
Place the pan or baking sheet on the oven rack 6-8 inches from the broiling element. Broil 4-5 minutes, until the glaze is bubbling. Repeat the process 2 more times, glazing and broiling the brisket for 2-3 minutes each time, until the glaze is caramelized. Important: broilers can vary in terms of intensity. Watch the corned beef carefully so it doesn't burn!
Slice corned beef against the grain. If desired, strain braising liquid and spoon over sliced meat upon serving.
Notes
The amount of water you add will depend on the dimensions of your pot and the proportions of the corned beef (thicker briskets will require more liquid than longer, thinner briskets). Adjust the liquid quantity as needed. Your corned beef might look quite large when you purchase it, but will shrink as it cooks. Depending on its cooked size, you might have more glaze than you need.
To cook cabbage and potatoes with the meat:
One hour before the corned beef is finished braising, add 1-½ pounds whole baby red potatoes to the Dutch oven.With 30 minutes remaining, add 1 head of cabbage, cut into 8 wedges. (Optional: first sear cabbage wedges in a skillet with a bit of vegetable oil over medium-high heat until lightly browned, for extra flavor.)Remove cooked vegetables from braising liquid and keep warm while corned beef is being glazed. Drizzle with strained braising liquid when serving.