You might think it’s kind of funny that a blog called ‘The Portuguese American Mom’ has a recipe for the very Irish Corned Beef & Cabbage. But, it’s something I have always cooked and it’s something we grew up eating each year in my Portuguese household. I suspect, that has something to do with the similarity between the Irish dish and a traditional Portuguese Cozido. Either way, at this stage in my life, my husband is part Irish and therefore my children are as well, so I think it’s nice to keep the tradition going. Besides, we always add in a nice link of chouriço for that Portuguese flare!
When I was 17 we went to St. Michael, Azores as a family and on the “To Buy” list my mother had, was an old-fashioned stove top pressure cooker. A pressure cooker is meant to drastically cut down the cooking time of just about anything using the power of trapped steam. The craftsmen in Portugal made them in such a way that was impossible to find in this country with some sort of fortified heavy-duty steal. And so when she came back she used it for EVERYTHING. However, those stove top pressure cookers can tend to be quite dangerous and anyway, over the years it got lost in the shuffle. So, I was super excited to get this ultra safe electric model for Christmas from my mom. This machine takes meals that otherwise take 3-4 even 5 hours and has them ready to serve in 30 minutes or less! No way you say? How is that possible you ask? Well… let me tell you, this is my first attempt and it surely did work!
If you don’t have a pressure cooker you can surely make this on your stove top or even leave it in your slow cooker on your way to work in the morning. The ingredients are basically the same, but for stove top, you need to triple the liquid (for the slow cooker, the liquid measurements stay the same).
This is an 8 qt. electric pressure cooker. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, this can absolutely be done the old-fashioned way in a big stock pot. It just takes about 3-4 hours of cooking time and about triple the liquid.
Add one can of lite beer. I know you may be tempted to use an Irish beer here, but if it’s a dark ale, please don’t. All the flavors will get very concentrated and that is not the way to go here. So, if you have a lite one, that’s fine, but please no dark.
This is what most people buy when buying a corned beef. You can either by the point end or a flat piece, it’s all personal preference and will likely cost you the same.
See that fat slab? Place that face down.
Now the fleshy side is face up and waiting for all the ingredients you will pile up on top.
Start by cutting a fresh piece of cabbage. I use about 1/2 a head. If you prefer more, then use more.
I am using Yukon Gold potatoes. I actually put double what I think we will eat with the meal because I like to have left over for hash the next morning.
Peel a couple of medium onions. Makes no difference what kind of onion you use really although a red onion might look a little funny.
Wash and cut up a couple of carrots. I leave the skin in tact here as there are lots of great nutrients in there. Plus the skin helps it stay in tact a little better so you don’t end up with carrot mush.
All of these get strew atop the beef.
I also put a good size sweet potato in there just because it’s yummy.
Careful not to throw out this little bundle of flavor that will likely be tucked into the packaging of your meat.
This is a mixture of whole pickling spices such as allspice, coriander, mustard seed, pepper, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and dill seed.
Fill that empty beer can you just used with water and add it in.
Top with a link of hot chouriço that has slits cut along the bendy side.
This is everything. Set the pressure cooker for 30 minutes.
Be sure to depressurize your machine fully before attempting to open.
My machine will now keep this warm until dinner.
Remove all contents to a nice size platter and serve!
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Serves 4-6[/yieldIngredients:
2-4 lb. Corned Beef, rinsed
6-8 potatoes, with slit cut in
4 carrots, cut into 3″ links
2 onions, peeled
1/2 head cabbage
1 large sweet potato
1/2 lb. hot chouriço link, with 4-5 slits cut into skin
spice packet
1 lite beer
12 oz. water
Pressure cooker directions:
Add everything into pressure cooker, set for 30 minutes, press start. When done, release the pressure using the pressure release valve, open and serve hot.
Stove top directions:
Add everything into pot plus 36 oz more water. Boil for 4 hours until meat is fully cooked and tender. Serve hot.
Slow cooker directions:
Add everything to pot and set to cook for 8 hours. Serve hot.
*** Gluten-free if using a gluten-free beer or omiting the beer altogether.