Hello and welcome back to The Stone Soup Cook! I’m so glad you’re here!
St. Patrick’s Day is upon us yet again–the one time of the year when I (and probably a lot of you) tuck in for a meal of corned beef, potatoes and cabbage. I’ve never tried to make it myself, but the prepackaged beef I can get from the grocery store has always been pretty good. My problem is that I never remember from year-to-year which cut of beef I purchase for my feast. And for a long time, I had no idea what the difference between a “flat cut” and a “point cut” was. So a couple of years ago, I did a little research:
A whole beef brisket is composed of basically two cuts: the flat (or “first”) cut and the point (“second” or “deckle”) cut. The flat cut is so named because when cut against the grain for serving, it will have a rectangular, or “flat” look. It is leaner and will stay together, making a better presentation. The point cut is so named because it is the end of the brisket that comes to a point. It is fattier and therefore, juicier. Many feel it has the better flavor. Which cut you choose is entirely a matter of opinion.
When I went to get my corned beef this year, I made a point of checking into the different cuts, having been stymied in years past. I read a review that said the ONLY cut worth eating is that flat cut, and another that said that the ONLY cut worth eating was the point cut. So much for getting any useful information.
What I did learn is that the flat cut, because it is leaner, can be a little tougher and drier if not cooked properly. I purchased a flat cut and decided to braise it in the slow cooker to help alleviate both issues. At this point, I will issue the admonishment that you really do have to cook these briskets in a slow cooker for about 8 hours to make sure they’re tender. No fair asking me how I know 😉
Recipes I found were all over the map, so I cobbled together one of my own that I thought would take care of both the issues. Click here for my slow-cooker corned beef recipe.
Since a corned beef is highly seasoned, I figured that the braising liquid could be fairly utilitarian. I read recipes that called for only water, which sounded like it would leach all the flavor out of the meat, so I decided to use beef broth as my base. Additionally, since I’d read that the flat cut can come out a little tough, I added dry white wine as an acid to help break down some of those tougher connective tissues, which did the job nicely. Additionally, I’ve added a few aromatics to give the whole dish a nice extra boost of flavor.
I use Yukon Gold potatoes because I like the flavor and they were what I had on hand. They did fine, but red potatoes would hold up better. I also added carrots, celery and onions to the mix, all of which did a nice job boosting the flavors and filling the house with wonderful aromas.
A lot of recipes will advise putting a “trivet” of vegetables at the bottom of your slow cooker, atop which your brisket will rest. This is not a bad idea, but make sure that your brisket is mostly submerged in the braising liquid–otherwise, the braising magic has no chance of happening. So–place small, flat pieces of vegetables on the bottom of the pan, and add the rest of the vegetables around and atop the brisket.
Both flat and point cuts have a fat cap on top. Leave it on, and place your meat fat cap-side up. The idea is that the fat will melt through the meat as it cooks, marinating it in the natural juices of the meat. This will help keep the meat moist and add good flavors to the meat as it cooks.
Last year, I didn’t get around to starting my brisket until about 2:00 pm and had to cook it on “high” for about 5 hours. It came out fine, but would have been better on the low setting for a longer time. If you have to cook your brisket on high, add a little extra white wine to help break down the connective tissues for a more tender bite.
Hope you have a wonderful St. Patrick’s Day! Tune in later in the week when I will be writing about my third choice for foundational sauces of California Cuisine: pesto!
Until then,
Peace, love and good food,
Keri
