What happens if I don't rinse corned beef before cooking?

Nothing! This is a mixture of internal moisture and myoglobin and will be boiled away in the first cooking step!

Do you use the juice in the corned beef package?

You can pour it into the boiling water or discard it.

Does corned beef need to be submerged in liquid?

For other methods, yes. But, roasting it in a sealed pot in the oven with a small amount of liquid works as well! See the recipe for details.

Do you cook corned beef fat side up or down?

I cook it fat side up so the top of the roast has a (natural) cover to keep it from drying out that also bastes as it cooks!

Roasted Corned Beef

Name: Roasted Corned Beef
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients: 2-3 lb corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet; 1 medium yellow onion, sliced into rings; 2 carrots, roughly chopped into 2" pieces; 2 celery sticks, roughly chopped into 2" pieces; 2-4 cups chicken broth (SEE NOTE)

Description

Try this simply delicious corned beef brisket that is roasted over a bed of vegetables using traditional seasonings, resulting in a slab of beef that is so tender you can cut it with a butter knife!

Ingredients

Units Scale

2-3 lb corned beef brisket, with seasoning packet
1 medium yellow onion, sliced into rings
2 carrots, roughly chopped into 2" pieces
2 celery sticks, roughly chopped into 2" pieces
2-4 cups chicken broth (SEE NOTE)

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Open the corned beef package and set aside the seasoning pack. Gently rinse the pink gelatin off the beef.
(Optional step to cut down on the saltiness of the corned beef) Place the corned beef in an oven-safe dish or a Dutch oven that has a lid. Fill the dish with water until the corned beef is submerged by one inch. Bring the water to a boil over high heat and let it boil for 5 minutes. Then, using tongs, carefully remove the corned beef and set it aside. Drain the water from the pot and wipe away any residue.
Next, lay the onion rings and chopped vegetables all over the bottom of the pot, then place the corned beef brisket on top, fat side up. Sprinkle the seasoning packet all over the beef and vegetables.
Add 2-4 cups of chicken broth, enough to cover the vegetables and barely touch the beef. Cover the pot with foil tightly, then add the lid.
Place in the oven and roast for 3 hours. Carefully remove the lid and foil to check the tenderness of the beef by poking it with a fork. There should be no resistance. If there is resistance or the corned beef does not easily shred on the side while scraping with the fork, re-cover and return to the oven, checking for tenderness after 30 minutes. Continue with this process until it is done to your liking. (Usually 3 hours is enough time to cook it.)
After the corned beef finishes cooking, use tongs to set it on a cutting board and let it rest for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the fat cap on top with your hands or scrape it with a big spoon and discard it.
After resting, slice the corned beef against the grain into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Enjoy with your favorite Irish side dish!

Notes

NOTE: The resulting broth is very flavorful and should be reserved for another use, like gravy or soup.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 3 hours
Category: Main dish
Method: braise
Cuisine: Irish