Corned beef is a beloved dish, especially around St. Patrick’s Day, but it’s enjoyed year-round in many restaurants. If you’ve ever wondered how restaurants achieve that tender, flavorful corned beef that melts in your mouth, you’re in the right place. Let’s explore the secrets behind cooking corned beef like a pro, from classic simmering to slow roasting and even smoking!
What Is Corned Beef?
Before diving into cooking methods, here’s a quick refresher. Corned beef is a cut of beef, usually brisket, cured in a salt brine with spices like peppercorns, bay leaves, and mustard seeds. This curing process gives the meat its pink color and distinctive flavor. The brisket is naturally tough, so it requires slow, gentle cooking to become tender and juicy.
How Restaurants Cook Corned Beef: Three Popular Methods
Restaurants often choose from several tried-and-true cooking techniques to bring out the best in corned beef. Here are the most common methods:
1. Classic Simmering (The Traditional Favorite)
This is the method many people associate with corned beef. Here’s how restaurants do it:
– First, the corned beef is seared in a hot pan or Dutch oven to brown all sides. This step caramelizes the surface, adding depth of flavor.
– Then, the meat is submerged in a flavorful liquid-water, beer, cider, or beef stock-with optional aromatics like onions, carrots, garlic, and bay leaves.
– The pot is brought to a boil, then reduced to a slow simmer for several hours. For a brisket around 2.5 pounds, this usually takes 3 to 3.5 hours; larger cuts like a 7-pound round can take 4.5 to 6 hours.
– The goal is to cook the beef until it reaches an internal temperature of about 190°F to 200°F, ensuring it’s fork-tender.
– Finally, the meat rests for about 20 minutes before slicing against the grain to maximize tenderness.
Restaurants often add vegetables like cabbage, potatoes, and carrots to the pot during the last 45 minutes of cooking to create a complete meal.
2. Slow Roasting (Low and Slow for Tenderness)
Slow roasting is another method restaurants use to get incredibly tender corned beef with a rich flavor:
– The beef is first seared to develop a caramelized crust.
– It’s then placed in a covered Dutch oven or roasting pan with liquid covering about half the meat.
– The pan is sealed with a lid or foil and cooked in a low oven, around 250°F.
– Cooking times vary: about 4 to 5 hours for a 2.5-pound brisket, and 5 to 6 hours for a 7-pound round, until the internal temperature hits 190°F to 200°F.
– This slow roasting breaks down the tough fibers, resulting in a fork-tender texture.
– Like simmering, vegetables can be added during the final hour to cook alongside the beef.
3. Smoking (A Flavorful Twist)
Some restaurants and chefs like to add a smoky dimension to their corned beef:
– After rinsing and soaking, the corned beef is dried and rubbed with spices and black pepper.
– It’s smoked at a low temperature (around 250°F) using wood like hickory or oak.
– The smoking process takes about 2 hours to reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
– Then the beef is wrapped tightly in foil, spritzed with liquid, and cooked further until it reaches about 203°F, which can take another 1 to 2 hours.
– Resting the meat wrapped for at least 30 minutes before slicing helps retain juices.
– For the best of both worlds, some restaurants smoke the beef for a few hours and then finish it in the oven wrapped in foil with liquid until fork tender.
Other Cooking Techniques Used by Restaurants
– Pressure Cooking: Some kitchens use electric pressure cookers to speed up the process. Corned beef is cooked under high pressure for about 70 to 90 minutes, then vegetables are added and cooked for a few more minutes. This method yields tender meat much faster than traditional simmering.
– Slow Cooker: For convenience, slow cookers are popular in casual dining. The corned beef is cooked on low for 8 to 10 hours with broth, water, brown sugar, onions, garlic, and bay leaves. Vegetables are added in the last 1 to 2 hours.
Key Tips Restaurants Follow for Perfect Corned Beef
– Sear the Meat First: Browning the corned beef before cooking develops richer flavors.
– Cook Low and Slow: Whether simmering, roasting, or smoking, slow cooking at low temperatures breaks down tough fibers, making the meat tender.
– Use Aromatics and Liquids: Adding spices, herbs, and flavorful liquids enhances the taste.
– Cook to the Right Temperature: Aim for an internal temperature between 190°F and 203°F for optimal tenderness.
– Rest Before Slicing: Letting the meat rest allows juices to redistribute, ensuring moist slices.
– Slice Against the Grain: This shortens muscle fibers, making each bite easier to chew.
Serving Suggestions
Restaurants often serve corned beef with traditional sides like cabbage, boiled potatoes, and carrots cooked in the same pot. The flavorful cooking liquid can also be used as a sauce or gravy base.
Wrapping Up
Restaurants cook corned beef with care, using methods that maximize tenderness and flavor. Whether simmered, slow-roasted, smoked, or pressure-cooked, the secret lies in low, slow cooking and proper seasoning. With these techniques, you can bring restaurant-quality corned beef to your own kitchen!