Boiled Dinner

New England Boiled Dinner, Corned Beef and Cabbage
You may buy corned beef in vacuum sealed containers with cooking spices enclosed, at a premium price, or you may buy a brisket, rump, or round roast on special and corn your own with the following process.

Corning Beef:
10 pound brisket or rump roast of beef, cut into two pieces, equaling 2 5-pound roasts
2 ½ pounds kosher salt
1 gallon water
1 pound brown sugar
10 garlic cloves
5 tablespoons pickling spices
Rub 2 pounds of salt into meat. Place meat in resealable container for 24 hours. Boil water and remaining ingredients and allow to cool. Pour brine over meat and weight down; cure, storing in the refrigerator for 30 days, turning meat every 5 days. Remove meat as needed and rinse in fresh water for a few hours before cooking.

New England Boiled Dinner
1 5-pound corned beef roast
½ teaspoon black pepper corns
1 teaspoon pickling spices
¼ teaspoon allspice berries
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
water to cover roast by 2 inches
4 parsnips, peeled
8 carrots, peeled
4 turnips, peeled
8-10 medium potatoes, peeled
1 head of cabbage, cut into 8ths
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
Wash meat under running water to remove brine. Cover with boiling water; add spices, put a lid on the pot and simmer, allowing 1 hour per pound, until fork tender. Do not allow the pot to boil; this will toughen the meat. Skim off foam as it rises to the top. 30 minutes before the meat is scheduled to be done, add carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes; 20 minutes later, add cabbage and cook for 10 minutes. Arrange sliced meat on a platter, encircling it with the vegetables. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve mustard sauce on the side.