Because I was a bit under the weather during St. Patrick’s Day, I didn’t make our little Irish feast until last night. I was bound and determined to prepare the meal and not freeze the nice-sized brisket my husband picked out just for the occasion.

 

A few months ago I bought a mini crock pot (holding 1.5 quarts), and in order to fit the corned beef brisket inside I sliced the meat into smaller (but still large) portions. The seasonings (usually included in the brine) were provided in a separate package, so I added the contents after the water and corned beef had come to a boil in the crock pot. Using my smaller crock was a tight fit, but I didn’t want to drag out my larger model as the small one has a removable pot.

 

Potatoes and cabbage are the typical sides for corned beef; I peeled and quartered four Klondike Rose and six red potatoes, and chopped a small head of cabbage. However, this year I decided to add a bit of julienned carrot (sliced thick). I let the potatoes and carrots boil for about twenty minutes, then added the cabbage for a finishing touch (about another ten minutes of boiling time). Doused with a large amount of butter and salt, the virtual “side” turned out quite well, and my husband went back for thirds.

 

Even though the meal was three days overdue per tradition, I was finally able to have my scrumptious “Irish” dinner.