Corned beef isn’t exactly a tradition that has a lot of variation: It usually turns out tasting the same year after year. Of course, we love that same-old flavor, so we don’t usually complain!
We’ve still managed to have fun with it over the years, making corned beef brisket from scratch to reduce the salt content and smoking corned beef to give it a pastrami-like flavor. So why not try making a baked corned beef instead of a boiled one?
Cooking the corned beef in a tightly sealed roasting pan with water ensures the moisture gets trapped inside the brisket, resulting in one of the best corned beefs we’ve ever tried.
How Do You Cook Corned Beef in the Oven?
Lisa J. Goodman/gettyimages
Step 1: Blanch
Before you bake the corned beef, we recommend blanching it briefly in boiling water. Corned beef is cured in salt, and simmering it will help draw out some of that salty flavor. Start by rinsing the excess salt from the corned beef and placing it in a large pot. Add enough water to cover the meat and bring it to a boil over high heat. When the water starts to bubble vigorously, discard the water and pat the corned beef dry.
Step 2: Bake
Basya555/gettyimages
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the corned beef fat-side up in a roasting pan with a rack or use an oven-safe rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. If you don’t have either, set the corned beef on top of a bed of chopped onions so it’s elevated from the pan. Feel free to rub the top of the corned beef with Dijon mustard and seasonings, or you can keep things simple and roast it as-is.
Add 1/2-inch water to the roasting pan and tightly wrap the pan with aluminum foil. Bake 2 to 3 hours (depending on the size of the brisket), until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 195°. Check the pan occasionally to ensure it still contains water.
Step 3: Add vegetables (optional)
DebbiSmirnoff/gettyimages
To make an easy side dish, add potatoes, carrots and onions to the pan for the last hour, placing them below the rack with the corned beef. To complete the meal, serve the meat and vegetables with a side of fried cabbage.
Step 4: Broil (optional)
To create a crispy crust on the top of the brisket, remove the aluminum foil after the brisket reaches the desired temperature. Set the broiler on high and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the top is golden brown and crispy.
Editor’s Tip: After the festivities are over, the fun is just starting. Try these leftover corned beef recipes to reinvent your extra brisket into hearty breakfasts, sides, appetizers, and fresh mains. They’re so good, that you might want to make a second corned beef just for the leftovers!
What Temperature Do You Cook Corned Beef in the Oven?
Candice Bell/gettyimages
We like baking corned beef in a 350° oven. You can go as low as 275° (the temperature we recommend for smoked corned beef), but it will take an extra hour or two to finish.
How Long Do You Bake Corned Beef Per Pound?
As a general rule of thumb, corned beef takes about an hour per pound to bake. Here’s a guide to make things easy:
Corned Beef Weight
|
Cooking Time
|
| 1 lbs |
1 hr |
| 2 lbs |
2 hrs |
| 3 lbs |
3 hrs |
| 3.5 lbs |
3 hrs 30 mins |
| 4 lbs |
4 hrs |
| 4.5 lbs |
4 hrs 30 mins |
| 5 lbs |
5 hrs |
Note: All times are accurate for a 350°F oven.
The best way to know for sure when your corned beef is finished is to use an instant-read meat thermometer. Probe the corned beef in the thickest part of the meat, and the alarm will go off when it’s finished. We like 195° for a super-tender, flaky corned beef, but you can pull the meat when it reaches 180° if you prefer firm (but still tender) slices. Either way, let it rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing it against the grain and serving.
Should You Boil or Bake Corned Beef?
Really, it’s up to you. Both methods create a juicy, tender corned beef when done properly. Traditional recipes, like our corned beef and cabbage or glazed corned beef, call for simmering corned beef in spiced water for about three hours. We like this method because the water creates a moisture barrier that keeps the beef from drying out, but it’s also easy to accidentally boil too vigorously, creating tough pockets in the meat.
Baked corned beef, on the other hand, requires a two-step process—blanching then baking—but the higher oven temperature also reduces the cooking time by about an hour. We also like having the option of broiling the cooked brisket at the end, developing an unforgettable crispy crust that’s hard to beat.
Bottom line: If you’re a traditionalist, go ahead and keep boiling away, but baked corned beef is definitely worth a try if you’ve never done it.
How Do You Store Baked Corned Beef?
If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container with the cooking juices in the fridge for up to four days. Leftover corned beef can be reheated in a pan with a bit of beef broth or water, sliced thin and turned into a Reuben or chopped into corned beef hash. Those aren’t your only options, though. Here are some more ways to use up leftover corned beef.
Recipes to Make with Leftover Corned Beef
Corned Beef Hash and EggsThe day after St. Paddy's calls for corned beef hash—and eggs! Turn your leftover beef into a brunch-worthy dish with frozen cubed hash browns, onions, eggs and fresh herbs.
Corned Beef SandwichesCorned beef sandwiches may seem like the obvious way to use up any remaining salt-cured brisket the day after St. Patrick's Day, but the mayo-chili sauce on these melts is a total gamechanger. Besides the authentic fixings like Swiss cheese and sauerkraut, you can also add
caramelized onions, pickles or pickle relish.
Hearty Split Pea SoupFor a St. Paddy's spin on traditional pea soup, try it with corned beef. The flavor leans peppery rather than smoky, and the broth is ideal for sopping up with pillowy
Dutch oven bread.
Reuben StromboliNothing beats this cheesy, rolled-up Reuben stromboli that's layered with love—aka corned beef, pastrami, sauerkraut, spicy brown mustard and fontina cheese. It's especially good with
homemade sauerkraut.
Corned Beef Hash Rustic PieThis leftover corned beef recipe has all the yummies: homemade crust, seasoned potatoes and lots and lots of corned beef. Plus, it's topped with the cutest four-leaf clover pastry petals that are actually a cinch to make.
Corned Beef Pizza SwirlsSave classic
homemade pizza recipes for other times of the year. These fun little bites taste like Reubens and are the ideal way to use up corned beef as an appetizer.
Slow-Cooked Reuben SpreadReuben lovers, we see you, which is why we turned one of life's best sammies into a spread. For an appetizer version of the beloved sandwich, blend corned beef with cream cheese and Swiss cheese for a dip that's dreamy when served with rye bread or crackers.
Makeover Reuben MeltSauerkraut naysayers will appreciate this open-faced Reuben melt that swaps the fermented cabbage with a crunchy slaw. A sauce made with Swiss (and plenty of Thousand Island salad dressing flavors) is the ultimate finishing touch. If you prefer a more involved topping, try one of these fun
coleslaw recipes instead.
Reuben RoundsEverything is better in pinwheel form, including Reubens. Your crew will go crazy for baked pastry spirals of corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut. They're so easy to make, and bottled Thousand Island salad dressing makes the easiest dipping sauce.
Chicken Reuben Roll-UpsChicken roulade gets the corned beef, Swiss cheese and Thousand Island treatment here, but let's be serious: it's all about the toasty rye and
pumpernickel bread crumb coating. Serve alongside mashed potatoes and a simple slaw.
Reuben Brunch BakeIf you have most of the ingredients on hand for a Reuben, use them to whip up a savory brunch casserole instead! Fluffy, cheesy eggs, cubed bread and chopped green onion will have everyone reaching for second slices.
Paddy's Reuben DipThis slow-cooked spread tastes just like the popular
Reuben sandwich and is the perfect vehicle for leftover corned beef too. Serve warm with rye bread, crackers or mini cucumber spheres for a healthy alternative.
Mini Reuben CasserolesMini Reuben casserole for one, please! These individually-portioned pots are cute as can be, and they only take 20 minutes to bake. Condensed cream of chicken soup sneaks in some extra goodness.
Diner Corned Beef HashIf our local diner served this corned beef hash, we'd be there 24/7! Luckily, it's a breeze to make at home with leftover corned beef, potatoes, celery and herbs. A side of eggs and toast rounds out the post-Paddy's day meal.
Reuben Bread PuddingAny kind of bread pudding is a plus in our book, but Reuben bread pudding gives us something a little bit different. You could also make it using dark rye bread or marbled rye, and ham instead of corned beef—all the variations are delicious.
Reuben Waffle Potato AppetizersName a better-looking snack...we'll wait. Baby Reubens baked onto little waffle fries is one of the best uses for leftover corned beef we've come across. The horseradish cream cheese mixture gives them a nice kick.
Reuben Pudgy PieNot familiar with
pudgy pies? Allow us to introduce you to life's greatest treat. Pudgy pies—aka jaffles or toasties—are sandwiches usually cooked in a pie iron, or this case, over an open flame. Buttered bread is the key to a mouthwatering sandwich.
Reuben and Rye StrataBrunch goals look a lot like this make-ahead Reuben and rye strata that has a base of bread, eggs and cheese, but a few more power players in the form of chopped pickles and Thousand Island dressing. Leftover cubed corned beef would also work in place of deli-style.
Slow-Cooker Reuben SpreadBig game day bash coming up? This set-it-and-forget-it Reuben spread is bound to be a hit. Serve it straight from the slow cooker set to warm so the dip stays at its most tasty temperature.
Reuben PizzaWith only five ingredients, this Reuben pizza couldn't be easier to put together. A
premade pizza crust saves you the hassle of having to deal with raw dough.
Reuben CalzonesIf you love a good Irish-Italian mix, these Reuben calzones fit the bill. Stuffing the fillings into a pizza pocket instead of on rye bread makes this hand-held dinner a big winner.
There’s more to Ireland than delicious, set into these classic
Irish Recipes and dig in on St. Patrick's Day or any day.
Creamy Reuben CasseroleLeftovers call for casseroles and this Reuben remix is one of the best, featuring corned beef, sauerkraut, sour cream and a whole 'lotta cheese. Add homemade
Thousand Island salad dressing for even more flavor.
Reuben-Style PizzaIs pizza night feeling a little too monotonous in your house? Level up your pies with Reuben-inspired toppings. If you have enough leftover corned beef, you might want to double the recipe because the slices will go fast.
Spicy Corned Beef TacosIf you have leftover corned beef, bagged coleslaw mix and tortillas, you're in for some killer spicy corned beef tacos. A blitz of Thousand Island salad dressing and Sriracha chili sauce makes the perfect pour-over sauce you'll want to douse on everything from now on.
Makeover Hash and EggsIf you've been searching for a lighter version of corned beef hash, this recipe is the one. The diced red potatoes really shine in place of the typical hash browns.
