COrned Beef question
- Thread starter Jim Babek
- Start date
Bill Walsh
New member
I bought a few last week that had a May 1 sell or use by date. I've been buying them regularly for years and have never seen a commercial cryo packed corned beef that didn't have a sell by date on the package. Most of them seem to be 4-6 weeks out from the day I buy them.
K Kruger
TVWBB 1-Star Olympian
Just an FYI: 'Sell-by' dates on on most items don't necessarily mean much. Theoretically, the item should be sold by that time and it cooked or frozen within a 'reasonable' time thereafter, but sell-bys, being unregulated (with the exception of baby formulas, some infant fods, some dairy) can't really br thought of, imo, as anything but fairly arbitrary as whatever criteria the packer or store uses is not known by the consumer.
Properly packaged (Cryo'd) beef, properly stored, lasts for many weeks after packing (that's how 'wet-aging' is possible); pork, lamb and other young meats have a shorter shelf life, poultry shorter still. The shelf life of brine-cured beef is longer but again, unless you know what criteria the packer used to determine the sell-by, there isn't any way to effectively use it to give you more info. Store-affixed sell-bys I ignore entirely as stores can--and do--change them as they see fit.
Properly packaged (Cryo'd) beef, properly stored, lasts for many weeks after packing (that's how 'wet-aging' is possible); pork, lamb and other young meats have a shorter shelf life, poultry shorter still. The shelf life of brine-cured beef is longer but again, unless you know what criteria the packer used to determine the sell-by, there isn't any way to effectively use it to give you more info. Store-affixed sell-bys I ignore entirely as stores can--and do--change them as they see fit.
I was going to start my own thread on Corned beef but I'll tag along in this one, kick me out anytime Jim. I really had planned on corning my own but I've been really hurting the past 10 days or so and just didn't feel up to driving to York for a brisket to brine up for a corned beef. I got to thinking on making a somewhat traditional corned beef but, cooked in a untraditional way. What I mean is take this store bought corned beef and cook it some other way than by simmering it in water, but not thrown on a grate and smoked, that's more Pastrami than corned beef. Hope I didn't confuse, but..... here's what I'm thinking of doing with it. Put it in a foil pan with some beef stock and onions, chrushed garlic, and pepper cover with foil and cook on the WSM at 225 for about 2 hrs. Then add some shredded cabbage like you would cut for fried or Kraut and throw it in the mix in the foil pan along with some taters cut into spears/steak fries and chuck a stick of butter on top when the cabbage and taters go in. Cook uncovered for another 2 hrs or so till beef is tender and cabbage gets nice and brown, slice and eat it up, along with some hard crusty bread to soak up all the love. I'll let you know how it turns out, cuase that's how I'm going to do mine.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Babek:
Bryan....now that sounds great. Kinda like a smoked yankee pot roast/non-boiled boiled dinner. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim, Yes, minus the carrots, and sorry to jump in on your thread. I'll try to remember to take pics along the way and post them along with the results.
Thanks for being a good sport.
Bryan....now that sounds great. Kinda like a smoked yankee pot roast/non-boiled boiled dinner. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim, Yes, minus the carrots, and sorry to jump in on your thread. I'll try to remember to take pics along the way and post them along with the results.
Al Silverman
TVWBB Pro
Bryan,
Keep in mind that the corned beef will be very salty. Ya might want to give it a soak for a while before the cook. I usually soak mine for 24 hours before I turn'em into pastrami.
Al
Keep in mind that the corned beef will be very salty. Ya might want to give it a soak for a while before the cook. I usually soak mine for 24 hours before I turn'em into pastrami.
Al
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">sorry to jump in on your thread. I'll try to remember to take pics along the way and post them along with the results.
Thanks for being a good sport.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Never any need to apologize. I dont mind in the least. Just be sure to include some pics. I have a bought corned beed mocked up as pastrami on the cooker now. Its up to 159 and will probably hit temp around 5:30. Im gonna put it, wrap it and throw it in the cooker for a few hours. Then slice it up for sanwiches.
FYI...Target sells a pretty nice slicer for $70. Its actually cast alum. and not much plastic. Works awsome and slices thin enough for sanwich meats. Now thats off topic but Ive been meaning to post about this find.
Never any need to apologize. I dont mind in the least. Just be sure to include some pics. I have a bought corned beed mocked up as pastrami on the cooker now. Its up to 159 and will probably hit temp around 5:30. Im gonna put it, wrap it and throw it in the cooker for a few hours. Then slice it up for sanwiches.
FYI...Target sells a pretty nice slicer for $70. Its actually cast alum. and not much plastic. Works awsome and slices thin enough for sanwich meats. Now thats off topic but Ive been meaning to post about this find.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Babek:
Never any need to apologize. I dont mind in the least. Just be sure to include some pics. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Cool Beans Jim, Game on then.
Al, It's soaking as I type, Thanks for the heads up.
I went out shopping for my one day early St. Patty's day feast. Well I'm making this up as I go, no shopping list in pocket. This is what I came home with after my trip to Stauffer's, a local grocery here that has killer fresh fruit and veggies, and good meat.
Some shallots, giant new crop sweet onions (softball size), nice firm heavy head of cabbage, some brussel sprouts, and some new small red taters, and bacon. The sprouts just said buy me so they are going into the mix. I changed my method a little already, I'll work out the final details out over some carbonated beverages the rest of tonight.
Yeah about the bacon, I needed a low sugar content bacon for my plans so even though I have about 6-7 lbs of homemade in my freezer, Oscar Meyer was buy one get one free so I got's me 2 packs.
Never any need to apologize. I dont mind in the least. Just be sure to include some pics. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Cool Beans Jim, Game on then.
Al, It's soaking as I type, Thanks for the heads up.
Some shallots, giant new crop sweet onions (softball size), nice firm heavy head of cabbage, some brussel sprouts, and some new small red taters, and bacon. The sprouts just said buy me so they are going into the mix. I changed my method a little already, I'll work out the final details out over some carbonated beverages the rest of tonight.
OK, The meal is done and I can barely move. This was by far and away The best comfortfood meal I have ever cooked. I'm usually very critical of my cooking, but not once, when eating this meal, did I say I should have done this or that. I was 100% satisfied with everything on it's own and as a complete meal, It was Bananas I tell you.
I'll give a run down on what I did. No recipes to go by, just did this all in my head lastnight and as I was shopping on Friday. What ever popped into my head when I looked at things for this meal I bought.
I soaked the corned beef for 12-14 hrs, changed the water once after the first 4 hrs. When i put the corned beefs in the container, I stood them on their side verses laying flat. My theroy was that the salt and brine would run out the fibers easier, they were straight up and down like a straw would be in a drink. Not sure if it helped but it didn't hurt either, the meat was not salty at all. Into the Le Creuset it went along with 2 - 14.5 oz cans of College Inn Veg Broth, 1/2 of a softball size sweet onion sliced into 1/4" thick rings, so about one med-large onion, 5 cloves of garlic and about 30 twists from the pepper mill. On the WSM it went, lid on the dutch oven for 2.5 hrs @ 275 degrees. After the 2.5 hrs I added some sliced shallots 1 large, a whole head of cabbage about 2.5 lbs, and the brussle sprouts. more pepper and topped it off with a layer of bacon, for some pork love in the mix.
Back on covered for another 1hr till spud time.
These Taters were out of this world, best creamed Au gratin whatever they were taters I ever had and made. I used 2.25 lbs of smallish new reds, a few golf ball size but most were larger than that but smaller than a tennis ball. I put them in a pot covered with cold water and brought them to a boil for 5 min, turned off heat and let them sit for about 1.5 hrs. I sliced then into 1/8th's (steak fries). I put 2 TBS of soft butter in the dish smeared it all over the inside. Layered the taters around the bottom till covered, then did another layer 180 to the bottom layer. After the criss cross layers they got several twists from the S&P mills, minced shallots, and granulted garlic. Yeah i wanted to use fresh but mine were sprouting so went to plan B, granulated. Did another layer the same criss cross, shallots, garlic and then added 2 strips of bacon cut about thumb nail size and grated a nice layer of Cabbot sharp cheddar on This was at 1/2 way, 4 layers. Did another 4 layers and then the cheese bacon ontop, a big 2 TBS chunk of butter dead center in them. Now for the final topping on the taters. I took a Bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing out of the fridge and squeezed it all over the top of the taters (at least a 1/2 cup) and into the WSM they went. At this point I moved the beef to the lower grate, and taters went on the top grate. After the taters were in for 1.5 hrs I opened the WSM, took off the taters and top grate and took the lid off the dutch oven for the last 1.5 hrs. At this same time I took a 1/2 pint of heavy cream and poured it over top the taters and added 2 small pieces of oak on top of the coals, about 1/2"x1/2"x3". Let everything cook for another 1hr -1hr 15 min and pulled everything off. Severed with a nice warm crusty roasted garlic loaf I picked up at BJ's. No room for the pistachio muffins, tomorrow's another day. Threw on a fattie and a mock strami. The fattie is done, still waiting on the strami. Here's some pics of the meal and fattie. Corned Beef meal pics.
I soaked the corned beef for 12-14 hrs, changed the water once after the first 4 hrs. When i put the corned beefs in the container, I stood them on their side verses laying flat. My theroy was that the salt and brine would run out the fibers easier, they were straight up and down like a straw would be in a drink. Not sure if it helped but it didn't hurt either, the meat was not salty at all. Into the Le Creuset it went along with 2 - 14.5 oz cans of College Inn Veg Broth, 1/2 of a softball size sweet onion sliced into 1/4" thick rings, so about one med-large onion, 5 cloves of garlic and about 30 twists from the pepper mill. On the WSM it went, lid on the dutch oven for 2.5 hrs @ 275 degrees. After the 2.5 hrs I added some sliced shallots 1 large, a whole head of cabbage about 2.5 lbs, and the brussle sprouts. more pepper and topped it off with a layer of bacon, for some pork love in the mix.
These Taters were out of this world, best creamed Au gratin whatever they were taters I ever had and made. I used 2.25 lbs of smallish new reds, a few golf ball size but most were larger than that but smaller than a tennis ball. I put them in a pot covered with cold water and brought them to a boil for 5 min, turned off heat and let them sit for about 1.5 hrs. I sliced then into 1/8th's (steak fries). I put 2 TBS of soft butter in the dish smeared it all over the inside. Layered the taters around the bottom till covered, then did another layer 180 to the bottom layer. After the criss cross layers they got several twists from the S&P mills, minced shallots, and granulted garlic. Yeah i wanted to use fresh but mine were sprouting so went to plan B, granulated. Did another layer the same criss cross, shallots, garlic and then added 2 strips of bacon cut about thumb nail size and grated a nice layer of Cabbot sharp cheddar on This was at 1/2 way, 4 layers. Did another 4 layers and then the cheese bacon ontop, a big 2 TBS chunk of butter dead center in them. Now for the final topping on the taters. I took a Bottle of Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing out of the fridge and squeezed it all over the top of the taters (at least a 1/2 cup) and into the WSM they went. At this point I moved the beef to the lower grate, and taters went on the top grate. After the taters were in for 1.5 hrs I opened the WSM, took off the taters and top grate and took the lid off the dutch oven for the last 1.5 hrs. At this same time I took a 1/2 pint of heavy cream and poured it over top the taters and added 2 small pieces of oak on top of the coals, about 1/2"x1/2"x3". Let everything cook for another 1hr -1hr 15 min and pulled everything off. Severed with a nice warm crusty roasted garlic loaf I picked up at BJ's. No room for the pistachio muffins, tomorrow's another day. Threw on a fattie and a mock strami. The fattie is done, still waiting on the strami. Here's some pics of the meal and fattie. Corned Beef meal pics.
Bill Hays
TVWBB Platinum Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
... I'll give a run down on what I did. No recipes to go by, just did this all in my head last night and as I was shopping on Friday. What ever popped into my head when I looked at things for this meal I bought. ...
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You da man !!!
I know alot of you guys/gals can do this on the fly but this is one of the main reasons I frequent boards like this. I CAN'T! Great Info!! Thanks for the post, Bryan.
... I'll give a run down on what I did. No recipes to go by, just did this all in my head last night and as I was shopping on Friday. What ever popped into my head when I looked at things for this meal I bought. ...
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
You da man !!!
I know alot of you guys/gals can do this on the fly but this is one of the main reasons I frequent boards like this. I CAN'T! Great Info!! Thanks for the post, Bryan.
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Babek:
That looks awsome...Great job. Are those muffins too???
I really gotta make me one of those fatties everyone is talking about. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim, I'm a cook not a baker, I rarely bake, not my cup of tea. That said I'm glad people do bake.
I bought the loaf of bread and the green pistachio muffins. I've been buying the muffins for about 2 weeks now, they are awsome. I have 6 trays of them in the freezer cause after tomorrow they won't make em again till next year,
which is a shame since they are soooo good. I got alot of the guys at work getting them also. I brought some in for them and they enjoy them as much as I do. Well almost, I'll bet I'm the only one who stocked up the freezer with them.
That looks awsome...Great job. Are those muffins too???
I really gotta make me one of those fatties everyone is talking about. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
Jim, I'm a cook not a baker, I rarely bake, not my cup of tea. That said I'm glad people do bake.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Jim Babek:
SInce its almost St. Patty's day corned beef is available rather cheaply. I was wondering how long you think those prepackaged beef flats will last in the fridge or can I freeze them for later. They are in a brine bath so Im thinking pretty long. Anyone have any info? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
hi Jim,
I've had mixed results with keeping uncooked corned beef in cryo in the fridge.
I've had some last a few months no issue. I've had a couple where the liquid thickens and gets slimy (no odor). They seemed fine after soaking, rubbing and cooking.
I had one go green in a couple of weeks and chucked it out but I found a hole in the cryo.
Probably best to freeze them.
One brand I have used seems to consistently use way too much cloves/allspice IMO. It takes a good deal of effort to pick them out of the meat. Even after doing this, soaking for hours and rubbing and smoking I can still taste it and it throws off the pastrami taste.
SInce its almost St. Patty's day corned beef is available rather cheaply. I was wondering how long you think those prepackaged beef flats will last in the fridge or can I freeze them for later. They are in a brine bath so Im thinking pretty long. Anyone have any info? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
hi Jim,
I've had mixed results with keeping uncooked corned beef in cryo in the fridge.
I've had some last a few months no issue. I've had a couple where the liquid thickens and gets slimy (no odor). They seemed fine after soaking, rubbing and cooking.
I had one go green in a couple of weeks and chucked it out but I found a hole in the cryo.
Probably best to freeze them.
One brand I have used seems to consistently use way too much cloves/allspice IMO. It takes a good deal of effort to pick them out of the meat. Even after doing this, soaking for hours and rubbing and smoking I can still taste it and it throws off the pastrami taste.
dsitterson
TVWBB Super Fan
I love corned beef and Pastrami. I think they might be up there with my favorite food. I usually don't bbq them but did my first one last year. I just but them in a pan with some water and throw on the smoker. I hope I have leftovers for a reuben sandwich. Happy st patty's day