Ugh...

[altivo]

Thought I was finally getting over the cold and then had some sort of relapse today. I'm tired of feeling under the weather or whatever, really tired.

Gary likes corned beef and of course it's on sale this week so I got one. Did something a little different with it by putting it into the crockpot with potatoes and carrots, and dumping a bottle of beer over it. Added some water to get enough liquid to partly cover the meat, and simmered on low for ten hours. It was extremely tender and the potatoes were tasty. (I can't always make him eat vegetarian when it's my turn to cook. This was really easy, though.) The book I consulted suggested an applesauce mustard sauce, which sounded intriguing. Normally I just serve horseradish sauce with corned beef, but I followed the directions, mixing a quarter cup of applesauce with two tablespoons of dijon. Wow, that was really tasty and went perfectly.

Off to bed, hoping to feel better tomorrow.

Comments

[corelog.livejournal.com]

I hope you feel better too!!! *hugs*

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Mmm. Wuffy hugs always make me feel good. ;)

[zenicurean.livejournal.com]

Ouch, colds aren't nice at all, particularly when there's a relapse. Get well soon - I personally suggest spurious and funny home remedies from centuries past.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Heh. And I personally draw the line at vile mixtures of vinegar and red pepper, thank you very much. It's improved a lot this weekend though. Getting more sleep helps, I was very short on that this week.

[tchall.livejournal.com]

That corned beef recipe sounds good, as does the applesauce mustard sauce. I'll have to give that a try sometime. Ah, crockpots are a wonderful device. :) By the way, how big a piece of corned beef did you use?

All the best, and I hope you'll feel better soon.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

At 3.25 pounds it was actually a bit large for my pot and larger than the recipe called for. The recommendation was 2.5 pounds, but it's hard to find one that small these days. Point cut is cheaper than the flat and worked out just fine.

[goldenstallion.livejournal.com]

Dear Rider.

Mom used to make great Corn Beef and Cabbage but no potatos nor carrots just good red cabbage and some kind of fatty corn beef they also served us in the US Navy on a regular basis and it was GOOD.

The British Navy, for a century or more, served Corn Beef ONLY as emergency wartime rations. But still...

I did not know what to use so boiled a big, red cabbage sliced up with a knife and some so-called corn beef from the Meijer's deli meant for sandwiches.

Noticed that Bear ate half of a big potfull so good, I guess. Did not taste the same as I remember but close.

Of course I am only 1/4 Irish (Quinn).

Sure wish I could have sampled. Perhaps by sticking my long ol' horseface muzzle through the window (pretend it is Summertime) and take a couple of good licks or something, dunno.

Fun, anyway. Miss ya.

Imperator

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I miss you too. Coming up on the end of the fiscal year, I need to check and see if I have excess vacation to use. Maybe could visit for a weekend or something?

Don't be afraid to buy the chunks of corned beef brisket in the regular meat counter. They come in about 3 lb. pieces, in a vacuum-sealed plastic bag. This time of year they usually are on sale for a good price. (Anything under $2/lb. is pretty good.) There are two cuts, the "flat" and the "point". Usually the point is a little cheaper. Both taste the same, but the flat makes neater slices. I prefer the point. You can freeze them for later use. (I've kept them up to a year, pulling one out for an unexpected feast in December or January.) They have cooking instructions printed on the bag. The thing to remember is they should simmer, rather than boil. Put them in a crock pot or a big kettle, with water/beer/cider to pretty much cover them. Bring to a boil, then cut the heat back until they just barely bubble. Cover and cook for six to eight hours (longer in a crock pot, 10 to 12.) The deli/sandwich corned beef is usually good, but costs more. You can warm it in a microwave, but don't boil it. (It falls apart.)

Leftover corned beef is good in sandwiches. We like the classic Reuben, with a slice of swiss cheese and a scoop of well-drained sauerkraut, on toasted or grilled rye bread. A local restaurant sometimes serves "Cream of Reuben" soup, also very good. Start with a can of cream of celery, prepared as directed. Add crumbled corned beef, and some sauerkraut. Serve with shredded swiss cheese on top.

Cold is finally letting go, I think. I slept almost all night last night. Spring is about here too. Red-wing blackbirds, cardinals, and chickadees are singing outside. Robins and grackles are back. I hear rumors of bluebirds though I haven't seen or heard one myself yet.

Love,
Rider

[octatonic.livejournal.com]

*gets you some cold meds*

Poor pony. >.<

I usually don't like alcohol in food. I mean, I like
alcohol itself to drink but in food its usually
pretty yuckey. However I've learned that my
bias involves wine related dishes. I've had
beer in stuff before, especially chili, and
it usually comes out not to bad, at least to
my palate.

Horseradish/Dijon and Applesauce sounds just
exotic enough I'm going to have to make it.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I don't care for actual alcohol in the food either, meaning the way sometimes they tell you to pour an ounce of sherry into a soup just before serving or that sort of thing.

I do like foods that are cooked with wine or beer, though. The alcohol boils away, leaving only the other aromas and flavors. Beef cooked with red wine, as in the classic beef burgundy, is superb even though I'm not so much into eating meats any more. Likewise chicken cooked with red or white wines.

In this case, I don't think the beer much affected the corned beef. We have to admit that has a pretty strong flavor of its own already; but it did very interesting things to the potatoes, and I don't mean bad things.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

*wheels in a lot of corn and potato soup, heaps of crackers and many bottles of lucozade*

Here you go :) Now back into bed

[altivo.livejournal.com]

*takes the crackers to bed with him*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Crackers in bed?? Itchy Itchy

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Nah. The dogs lick them all up.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Eww