What have they done to corned beef?

[Ruth n Jersey]

I went shopping today and bought my corned beef for Patty's Day. I figured I would get a bit of a head start and rather than stick the meat in the refrigerator I'd just cook it up today because I had the time.. We don't like our potatoes and cabbage cooked together so I use my pressure cooker just for the meat. The cabbage I like to cook in some chicken broth for extra flavor and the family hates plain boiled potatoes so I guess I'll bake them. That's for tomorrow. The thing about the beef is that even in the pressure cooker it seemed to take forever. So much longer than a few years ago. I bought the flat cut like I always do but I thought it would never get done,the same thing happened last year also.. Maybe they are using old cows and they are tough. Any thoughts? I wish you all a Happy St. Patty's Day if you celebrate. I'm German and Czech but love the food.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I stopped buying corned beef to cook at home a few years ago, too much fat, too much shrinkage and too tough!

When I want a small boiled dinner I use a vacuum packed ham steak and a ring of kielbasa, not very Irish but very tasty!

 

[nvtribefan]

Don't know. I love brisket, but not corned. Too salty.

 

[SeaBreeze]

It's been a few years since we made one, but I agree they shrink a lot and are fatty, but the ones I got were always super tasty. I threw in potatoes, cabbage, carrots and onions into the pan and baked everything together.

 

[Ruthanne]

I went shopping today and bought my corned beef for Patty's Day. I figured I would get a bit of a head start and rather than stick the meat in the refrigerator I'd just cook it up today because I had the time.. We don't like our potatoes and cabbage cooked together so I use my pressure cooker just for the meat. The cabbage I like to cook in some chicken broth for extra flavor and the family hates plain boiled potatoes so I guess I'll bake them. That's for tomorrow. The thing about the beef is that even in the pressure cooker it seemed to take forever. So much longer than a few years ago. I bought the flat cut like I always do but I thought it would never get done,the same thing happened last year also.. Maybe they are using old cows and they are tough. Any thoughts? I wish you all a Happy St. Patty's Day if you celebrate. I'm German and Czech but love the food.

I haven't cooked a corned beef in 30 years! I know because it was on St. Patrick's Day 30 years ago someone very close to me passed and I recall getting the phone call while I was cooking a corned beef. I didn't cook another one in 30 years so far. Any way it's about time I get another corned beef. I hope I can get one that is decent. I like to have sauerkraut or cabbage with it and potatoes, too. Carrots with it would be good, too. I am part Czech and German, too. Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's day!

 

[AprilT]

And here I thought I had been cooking it wrong the lady couple of years, because, I too thought there was way more shrinkage and a lot more fat than normal. At the price, I've given up. And yes seems to take longer to cook; not that I was such a great cook when it came to CB, but I love CB an cabbage.

 

[Butterfly]

I stopped buying corned beef to cook at home a few years ago, too much fat, too much shrinkage and too tough!

When I want a small boiled dinner I use a vacuum packed ham steak and a ring of kielbasa, not very Irish but very tasty!

I agree. All that fat isn't good for anyone, and for my GI tact is it disastrous. Anyway, yes, it does seem like it has changed from years past. I don't even care for the taste of it anymore; I don't know if the taste has changed, or if I have.

 

[debodun]

It's so expensive, and takes a long time, so I haven't go to the trouble in a few years. Too much just for me to eat. I usually go out to a public dinner for my yearly corned beef "fix".