After I made corned beef this past week, I realized that I knew absolutely nothing about it, other than the fact that it's absolutely delicious. What, exactly, makes it different from that other deli favorite, pastrami? Corned beef and pastrami are both beef cuts that have been cured and cooked. But that's where the similarity ends. Although brisket is commonly used for both, corned beef can also Read more

If you're looking to celebrate St. Patrick's Day with a big traditional Irish corned beef and cabbage feast, there's just one problem. As it turns out, corned beef and cabbage is not actually a traditional Irish dish. The meal features salt-cured beef, which gets its name from the large "kernels" of salt that covers it during its curing process. But beef was rare and incredibly expensive in Read more

If you're hoping to cook up some traditional Irish eats for St. Patrick's Day, corned beef should definitely be on the menu. Its association with Irish-American culture makes corned beef a holiday must, but feel free to get creative with your dish. From a morning classic to a salty, cheesy sandwich, here are five delicious ways to serve corned beef on March 17. With eggs. Start your St. Read more

Ever since I was little and my mom would make "breakfast for dinner," I've been a fan of enjoying classic breakfast items at night. Today, to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, why not make the hearty brunch favorite known as corned beef hash? It's traditional meat and potatoes at its best, and when topped with a perfectly poached egg, it makes a fine meal. Serve with a cold beer and mixed greens for Read more

I said it before, and I'll say it again. One can never have too much corned beef — especially if that corned beef is almost laughably easy to make in the slow cooker, and you can use the leftovers for craveworthy corned beef and fontina grilled cheeses. Yet as good as the corned beef is alone and in a toasted sandwich, I think I've found its best application yet: as the costar of Read more

After posting a obscenely easy recipe for corned beef that can be made in the slow cooker, a number of friends and co-workers started asking me about how much the recipe made. "Is it going to be too much meat?" they asked me. As I reassured them then, I will do the same for you now. Dear readers, one can never have too much corned beef! It tastes great in a number of applications, and one of Read more

It wasn't until St. Patrick's Day was on the horizon that I started using pickling spice. Before that, I was barely aware of its existence. When you purchase pickling spice at the store, what you're actually buying is a blend of spices, such as cassia bar, mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, peppercorns, juniper berries, dill seeds, fennel seeds, celery seeds, bay leaves, ginger, mace, and hot Read more

Party and I have been really obsessed with crockpots lately. I thought we'd prepared just about every kind of meat dish there is (beef chili, Cuban chicken, short ribs, you name it) — until I came across a corned beef and cabbage recipe. It was so hands-off, I was convinced it would be too good to be true. The result wasn't too good to be true, but it was admittedly way too easy. If you can Read more