Crockpot Corned Beef

By Karen Waters
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Corned-Beef-and-Cabbage-3/Detail.aspx


A couple years ago, I was searching for a corned beef recipe to make for St Patty's Day. I ran across this recipe on AllRecipes.com. This is by far the BEST recipe for corned beef. It taste SO good! The only problem is that corned beef can be expensive - so I keep my eye on it and stock up when it goes on sale. It freezes nicely - although I've noticed that if I cooked from frozen, it tastes a little freezer-burnt. So thaw it out first overnight or so.

Here's the recipe - check out my tips and changes below:

INGREDIENTS
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
4 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (optional)
1 pound baby carrots (optional)
3 cups water
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (3 pound) corned beef brisket with spice packet, cut in half
1 small head cabbage, cut into wedges (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place the onion, potatoes and carrots in a 5-qt. slow cooker. Combine water, garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet; pour over vegetables. Top with brisket and cabbage. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaf before serving.

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Ok that was the real recipe and this is how I do it:

Same ingredients expect no carrots, potatoes or cabbage.
Added ingredient - about 2 Tbls brown sugar

Cut onions into wedges and place on bottom of pot. Take the brisket and all it's bloody glory and rub the brown sugar all over. **Make sure to put the sugar in a separate bowl first, then throw out whatever you don't use. Put the brisket, fatty side up, in the pot over the onions. Wash hands. :) Measure the water in a measuring cup and then add the garlic, bay leaf, sugar, vinegar, pepper and contents of spice packet. Stir it up and pour over the brisket. If the brisket isn't covered (mainly) with water, top it off with some more water. Cover and let it cook for 8+ hours on low. Serve with some mustard.

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Tips:

1. I put "optional" by the carrots, potatoes and cabbage. I do not put those in the crockpot. I've noticed that if I put all the stuff in one pot, it all tastes the same. So I just cook the beef and whip up the carrot and potatoes by themselves as a side dish.
2. I just have crushed bay leaves -- not whole. So I put in a good teaspoon or two. It works just fine.
3. I love onions so if it's a small onion - I'll use 2. you can play around with the type of onion too - mahalo sweet onions are a good choice along with just regular yellow onions.
4. I don't cut the brisket in half - unless it can't all fit in my crockpot.