QUICK-BRINED CORNED BEEF AND VEGETABLES

Quick-Brined Corned Beef and Vegetables image

Corned beef-a St. Patrick's Day standby-is made from brisket that has been cured and preserved with salt, sugar, and various spices. That's right: salt and a little time are all you need to transform a tough, lean brisket into a tender braise that is right at home alongside cabbage and in-season root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, and parsnips. Made with efficiency in mind, the beauty of this corned beef is that it cures in just five days-about a third of the time that most other recipes take.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories Food & Cooking Ingredients Meat & Poultry Beef Recipes Brisket Recipes

Time 5h30m

Yield Serves 12 to 15

Number Of Ingredients 21

Ingredients

1 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon pink curing salt (see cook's notes)
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 cinnamon stick, crushed (1 teaspoon)
4 dried bay leaves, crushed
8 whole cloves
4 to 5 pounds flat- or first-cut beef brisket
1 medium onion, halved, plus 2 more, quartered
1 celery stalk, halved
1 medium carrot, peeled and halved, plus 3/4 pound small carrots, peeled
1 pound baby turnips, peeled
3/4 pound small parsnips, peeled and halved on a bias
1 head green cabbage, cut into 8 wedges (core trimmed but not removed so wedges stay intact when cooked)
12 parsley sprigs, plus 2 tablespoons finely chopped
1 pound small potatoes (golf-ball size), such as baby Dutch Yellow
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted
Dijon and wholegrain mustards, for serving
Fresh Red and White Horseradish Sauce, for serving

Steps:

In a large pot, bring 2 quarts water to a boil. Add kosher salt, pink curing salt, sugar, and spices; remove from heat and stir until both salts and sugar have dissolved. Let cool completely. Place brisket in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold it; pour cooled brine over meat. Place 2 small plates on top to keep meat submerged; cover and refrigerate 5 days.
Remove brisket; discard brine. Rinse brisket and place in a large pot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Add halved onion, celery, and halved carrot; bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until very tender, 3 to 3 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, set a steamer in a large saucepan. Add enough water to reach the bottom of steamer and bring to a boil. Add turnips, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and steam until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with small carrots and parsnips (together), steaming until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to bowl.
Transfer beef to a cutting board. Tent with foil to keep warm. Strain broth through a fine-mesh sieve. Return all but 4 cups broth to pot; bring to a boil. Add cabbage, quartered onions, and parsley sprigs; simmer until very tender, about 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another pot, combine reserved 4 cups broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes. Strain (reserving broth), then toss potatoes with butter and chopped parsley; cover to keep warm. Add turnips, carrots, and parsnips to pot with cabbage mixture; cook until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Remove and discard parsley sprigs; transfer vegetables to a platter with potatoes, reserving broth. Trim excess fat from beef. Slice thinly against grain, and transfer to platter. Serve with reserved broth and horseradish sauces.