Corned Beef Brisket Reinvented

Corned Beef Brisket Reinvented

Serves 6
Preparation time: About 1 hour (excluding cooking)
Cooking time of the meat: 3 hours
Finishing time: 30 minutes

Cooking the corned beef

Ingredients:

• 1 corned beef brisket (about 2 pounds), with its spice bag
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 2 large carrots, peeled and roughly quartered
• 1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 1 small whole ginger bulb, cut in half
• 1 whole onion studded with 2 cloves
• 2 large Russet potatoes, peeled but left whole

Preparation

In a Dutch oven, place the meat and add all the ingredients, except the potatoes and carrots. Cover entirely with water. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook over low heat for about 2 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook for 1 hour more. Then remove the potatoes and carrots and set aside. Do the same with meat. When the meat has cooled, shred it and then chop it very finely. Set aside.

Preparation of the stuffing and sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized green cabbage
• The flesh of a pork sausage (casing removed)
• The flesh of a chorizo sausage (casing removed)
• 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1 slice (about 2.5 cm / 1 inch) of nice sourdough bread, toasted and chopped
• 1 glass of red wine
• 2 oz tomato paste
• Salt and pepper

Preparation of the sauce

Strain the cooking juices from the Dutch oven through a fine sieve, then a second time through a cheesecloth. In a saucepan, sauté the shallot in a knob of butter over medium heat. When it becomes translucent, add the filtered juice, tomato paste and red wine. Mix with a wooden spoon and reduce to two-thirds at a slight boil. Set aside.

Preparation of the cabbage leaves

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Immerse the cabbage leaves one by one for about 10 minutes. Transfer them immediately to an ice water bath to preserve their beautiful green color. After a minute, place them on a clean cloth to dry.

Preparation of the stuffing

In a frying pan, fry the flesh of both sausages with a small, finely chopped onion. When the meat is cooked through, transfer to a large bowl.

Then add the chopped corned beef, hard-boiled eggs, braed, salt and pepper. Coarsely mash the potatoes and carrots and gently fold them into the mixture.

Assembling the stuffed cabbage

On the work surface, place a cabbage leaf and remove the large central rib. Place the sheet on a piece of plastic wrap, then place a ball of filling in the center. Fold the cabbage leaf around the stuffing to form a ball. Then close the plastic film by folding the top and then the bottom over the other part of the film. Tighten tightly by rolling the ball, holding both ends to seal the mixture, then tie each end. The ball should be compact and tight with no air pocket.

Final cooking

With a vacuum sealer

Place the balls in a sous vide bag and bake at 140°F (60°C) for 15 minutes.

Without vacuum sealer

Place the balls in a Stasher silicone bag. Submerge the bag in water with the top open to expel the air, then seal. Then cook in a water bath at 140°F (60°C) for 15 minutes.

Presentation

Heat the sauce in a saucepan. When it starts to simmer, whisk in 1 tablespoon of butter to emulsify the sauce. It will become shiny and silky. Coat the bottom of a preheated plate with sauce. Carefully place the stuffed cabbage ball in the center. Serve immediately.

Suggestion for accompaniment:

Glazed carrots or peas in butter

Jolie Laide Cabernet Pfeffer 2024

Lime Kiln Valley, Central Coast, CA

Caitlin Quinn: Assistant Winemaker

Arnot‑Roberts Winery, Sonoma Coast CA

Birdhorse Wines, Valdiguié 2022

Back Road Vineyar, Suisun Valley, CA

Katie Rouse & Corinne Corinne Rich:

Co-Owner and Co-Winemaker

Birdhorse Wine, Sonoma Coast CA