St. Patrick's Day Grilling

So, to prove that just about anything can be planked, I made the St. Patrick’s Day classic Corned Beef finished on the grill. But before I started making variations on traditional meals all willy-nilly like, I decided to research the history of the dish.

A brief, yet corny history:

A Corned Beef is a cut of brisket that is brine-cured over a period of two or more weeks. The term “corned” refers to the course salt or rock salt kernels used to preserve the meat. It is said to be a spring celebratory meal because the meat would cure in salt crocks all winter and be ready to eat just in time for the equinox.

Beef was considered to be an indulgence in Ireland and was only available to the wealthy, as cows were kept for their milk or for breeding. Corned Beef was reserved for special occasions and export, so pork joint or ham was the meat of the common Irish man. The Irish immigrants substituted brisket in their traditional Bacon and Cabbage dish because it was more readily available in New York in the 1800’s, so Corned Beef and Cabbage is actually an American St. Patty’s Day tradition. Cork’s Canned Corned Beef was one of Ireland’s only exports in the 1700’s and supposedly exclusively sustained the British armies during the Napoleonic wars. In 1861, Corned Beef and Cabbage was served at Abraham Lincoln’s inaugural dinner.

Outdoor Gourmet’s St. Patrick’s Day Feast

3 lb. Corned Beef Spice Packet (cloves, coriander, fennel, black pepper)

1 Outdoor Gourmet Maple Grilling Plank, soaked for 2 to 3 hours

* First, trim fat from meat. Brisket it traditionally a fatty piece of meat and up to a 1/3 of the weight can be trimmed down.

* Then place mean in large pot or Dutch oven and cover in water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to simmer, add spices and continue to simmer for 2 hours.

* While your brisket is simmering, heat grill to medium heat (350-400) and place Maple plank on grill 5 minutes prior to brisket. Then place the beef on the Maple plank, close grill lid and allow to cook for 20 to 25 minute. Remove from grill, slice thinly and serve with Colcannon. I used a pre-cured cut of meat because it was already the 17th and I didn’t have a couple weeks or several pounds of rock salt.

Colcannon Recipe: (I added kale to this recipe)

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Colcannon

For directions on how to make your own corned beef from fresh brisket go to:

http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes/traditional-corned-beef-recipe

Maple planking this corned beef created smoky flavor and added a nice, crispy crust to the meat, while the inside stayed very moist. It was the best Corned Beef I have ever had.

Happy Saint Patrick’s Day!