Fan Fare Friday

mmmmm, main course meat. As a general rule - every tailgate needs a main dish - a meat dish. We try to offer a variety of meats during the season (although pork does always play a major role) - A crowd favorite is corned beef and cabbage. We've served this recipe for our "British Isles Pub" theme (it also does rather well on St. Patrick's Day).

Corned Beef and Cabbage

One 3-pound corned beef brisket (uncooked), in brine
16 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
2 whole cloves
1/2 large head green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cut into wedges
red potatoes (about 1 1/4 pounds), halved
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Place the corned beef in a colander in the sink and rinse well under cold running water.

Place the corned beef in a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid; add the water, bay leaves, peppercorns, and cloves. Bring to a boil, uncovered, and skim off any scum that rises to the surface. Cover and transfer pan to the oven, and braise until very tender, about 3 hours.

At this point - if you're heading out to the parking lots, secure that tight fitting lid, wrap a few towels around the dutch oven and go get in line (if your commute to the parking lot is especially long, allow the contends to cool and transport in your cooler) - At the game, fire up the camp stove and set the pot to simmer for about another hour (until the beef is quite tender).

With about 30 minutes to go add the cabbage and potatoes and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender. You can add the vegetables sooner or later, depending on your taste.

Slice the corned beef into thin slices. Serve with the cabbage and potatoes. Ladle some of the hot cooking liquid over the corned beef and season with pepper. Serve with mustard or horseradish sauce.