But I'm not much of one for cabbage. I'll eat it, raw, when I have to, but I really don't like it cooked. So when I was looking for recipes yesterday to make a special St. Patty's dinner, I had to do some improvising.
I finally found one that sounded amazing. Guinness (basically braised) Corned Beef Brisket in the crock pot. I've had Guinness Stew and Guinness Steaks and numerous other Guinness-y beef concoctions, but never Corned Beef. Perfect, I thought. Throw that in the crock pot with some potatoes, and I'm golden. I've never cooked corned beef before, but it's a crock pot recipe and there's really no screwing those up, right?!? :)
I went on a manhunt for corned beef. Top Foods and Safeway were both out, and I didn't even try Swanson's. I figured if the other two were out, those still looking would have hit there next and they would probably be out, too. So I headed up here to Thriftway and they had tons of packages of corned beef brisket. So many that they probably could have shipped some down to Aberdeen and still have had enough to sell. So I agonized over which cut to bring home. Took probably about 15 minutes of looking through them before I found one that I was really happy with. After all, this was going to be a perfect dinner!
I got home and got the marinade ready. Guinness, beef broth, garlic, peppercorns, herbs and spices. It smelled great. Threw the corned beef in (with the juices, because that was recommended on the package) and plopped it in the fridge overnight. Long marinade = more deliciousness soaking in.
This morning, I got up early, washed and cut the potatoes, and threw them and the corned beef concoction into the crock pot with specific instructions to Trevor and Jeff to check it every hour to make sure it wasn't going to overflow with all that liquid in there. I even called a couple times from work to make sure they were checking on it. I wasn't going to let this one get ruined, nor was I going to come home to a giant puddle of Guinness beef broth all over the kitchen floor.
I thought about it all day. Mmmmm Guinness Beef and Potatoes. And to top it all off, the medication I've been taking for the Strep Throat I'm trying to get over is for some reason making me INSATIABLY hungry. Like hungrier than I've ever been before in my life - and I've been pregnant twice. Needless to say, by the time I got off work, I was really ready for some St. Patty's day deliciousness.
On the way home, it dawned on me. I had never actually had corned beef before. Like real, slab-like, chunk of beef corned beef. I had had corned beef from the can (like the Spam style stuff) with hash, and corned beef lunch meat, but never like this. Those weren't terrible, I thought, so this should be just fine. After all, I made it myself, and it was beef and Guinness!
I walked in the house and it smelled AMAZING!!! Like dinner was sent down by an Irish angel, ready for me to devour at my will. But I staved it off. After all, it was only about 4:15 - not quite dinner time yet, and I figured the longer I left it in the crock pot, the more tender it would be when I took it out.
Finally, about 6:00, Trevor could wait no longer. I took out my amazing creation and put it on a plate to let it rest. Trevor would have none of it and immediately cut off a little chunk of the brisket. I immediately heard his heart start humming an Irish Jig when he tasted it, and a smile crossed his face. I had done it. Pleased the Irish man on St. Patrick's day. I was an amazing Irish woman.
And then he offered me a bite. As I opened my mouth and moved toward my masterpiece, I was a mix of anxiety and anticipation. And then I closed my mouth around it and bit down.
As I chewed it, right about here is where I had a grave realization. I didn't like the corned beef. The texture, the spices (minus the marinade - which was delectable as the potatoes proved), just generally everything about the corned beef, I didn't like. I should have my Irish card revoked, I thought. I spent all that time last night and this morning preparing this slab of beef, and all day today cooking it and thinking about it....and I HATED it! What the hell?!? The only piece of beef I've ever not liked in my entire carnivorous life, and it just so happens to be the one I was the most proud of. :S
But it won't go to waste. Since Trevor was the only one in the whole house that liked it (even Rowen said it was "asgusting"), he took half of the brisket to John with a few of the potatoes so that John could celebrate with him.
So what did the rest of us have for St. Patty's Day dinner? Dinosaur Chicken Nuggets. And Steak Fries and Tater Tots. And I had Guinness Braised Potatoes LOL. A good ol' American style Irish holiday. :)
Next year, we'll try Bangers & Mash. I think we might do better with that one.
Anyway, Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!
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