March is the perfect time for corned beef so I was excited when I found a hundred-year-old recipe for Corn Beef with Vegetables. (Is it “corned beef” or “corn beef”? I’ve always called it “corned beef” but the old recipe says “corn beef.”
The recipe called lots of root vegetables – rutabaga, turnips, and carrots – as well as cabbage and onions.
The Corn Beef with Vegetables was delightful. The briny saltiness of the corn beef combined nicely with the earthiness of the root vegetables and the subtle buttery sweetness of the cabbage.
Here’s the original recipe:
This recipe makes a lot of vegetables and a relatively small amount of corn beef. (I got this recipe from a cookbook called Low Cost Cooking, so that probably explains why the recipe called for relatively little meat). I made this recipe using a 2-pound corn beef brisket as called for in the recipe. In hindsight, I wish that I’d used a larger piece of meat, so I updated the recipe to allow for the use of a larger piece of corn beef brisket if desired.
About half an hour before I wanted to serve, I put the rutabaga, turnips, and carrots into the Dutch oven without removing the meat. After about 20 minutes I removed the meat and added the cabbage and onions for the last 10 minutes. By doing it this way, I didn’t need to worry about the meat getting cold before serving.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Corn Beef with Vegetables
1 corn beef brisket (2 – 5 pounds)
1/2 pound rutabaga (about 1/2 of a medium-sized rutabaga), peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 pound turnips (about 2 medium turnips), peeled and cut into 1 1/2 inch piece
1 pound carrots (about 5 medium carrots), peeled and each cut into 2-3 inch pieces
1/2 pound cabbage (about 1/2 medium cabbage), cut into wedges about 2 inches wide
1 large onion, sliced
Put the corn beef in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 1/2- 3 hours (More time is needed for a larger piece of meat.) Add rutabaga, turnip, and carrot pieces. Simmer for an additional 20 minutes. Remove meat from the Dutch oven, and add onion slices and cabbage wedges. Cook another ten minutes. Drain water.
Slice the corn beef and arrange with the cooked vegetables on serving plate.
A Hundred Years Ago 
A good hardy meal for March. When I was visiting Philly this time of year, they had all the ingredients together at the grocery store as there is a high Irish population there.
The store where I shop featured corned beef this week.
Not so much here. It used to be hard to find pork and sauerkraut for New Years.
I’m fortunate that the stores around here stock corned beef in March (and pork and sauerkraut at New Year’s).
Ah, St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner!
March is just flying by. St. Patrick’s Day is next Sunday.
My father used to make this for us every March for Saint Patrick’s Day and it smelled so good cooking all day. Thanks for bringing back a great memory!
You’re welcome. It’s nice to hear that you enjoyed this post.
As a not very sophisticated young woman from northwest Texas, I once attempted to cook a corned beef for my then boyfriend from Iowa who loved it. I had never heard of corned beef, and to my dismay, it just would not get “done” as no matter what I did, it was still pink. I thought it was a bad piece of beef, and ended up throwing it away. After he finished laughing at me, I never tried to cook it again, but I do love a Reuben sandwich!
I’m sure that you were dismayed at the time, but it’s fun to read about. Thanks for sharing.
I can laugh at many things I did before I knew there was anything else. Thanks, Sheryl, and I am glad you enjoyed your meal! I love that you do these posts–too bad I don’t have my Grandma’s cookbook or recipes from 1924 when she married.
It’s great to hear that you enjoy these posts. I have so much fun doing them, and enjoy getting to know wonderful readers like you via the comments.
love corned beef. I’ve made the beef from scratch, and I do think it’s worth it to get the “pink salt” for curing. I also suggest that, if you like a reuben sandwich, put a shot of sriracha into the thousand island dressing for a hit of heat.
I’ve never made it from scratch, but your comment makes me want to give it a try.
it’s pretty easy. I often make it from “london broil” since my local stores occasionally have them “2 for 1”
I may have to try making it sometime.
Familiar and loved dish. There were usually parsnips, pearl onions if available, as well as potatoes, carrots, celery, rutabaga, and turnips. It smelled so good in the house when I’d come home from school. My maternal grandmother lived with us and would start dinner since both my parents worked. That way we would have dinner shortly after my parents would get home. I don’t recall that there were leftovers of the corned beef and vegs, everyone loved it.
mmm. . . your description of your grandmother’s corned beef sounds delightful. I’m getting hungry just reading it.
Sheryl the process to tenderize the meat is called corning thus a piece of meat (usually a very tough and cheap cut) is called corned having been through the process. We always have corned beef with new potatoes and cabbage on St/ Patrick’s Day. I do mine in the crock pot and it takes about 6 hours. That frees up my day to do other things and I don’t have to keep an eye on the Dutch oven… I think I’ll have to try to incorporate some rutabaga and turnips this year as Sparky has been bugging me to make mashed rutabaga. This might appease him!!
I like how you do it. A crock pot would be much easier than doing it on the stove. Rutabaga and turnips work well with corned beef. I think Sparky would like them in this dish.
My son has threatened to disown me if I make a new england boiled dinner. Bah!!
Oh dear, sometimes our kids don’t appreciate some really good foods. 🙂
I suggested a solution. He cook dinner!