I enjoy St. Patrick’s Day festivities as much as the next fan of green beer and bagpipes, and the party tends to continue in the days after. That’s because the traditional meal of corned beef — an American Irish tradition, by the way — is packed with tasty leftover possibilities. The highly seasoned meat lends itself to everything from sandwiches to dips.
Here are some recipes adapted from the National Cattleman’s Beef Association. For more corned beef recipes, visit theactiveage.com.
Classic Reuben
This sandwich was reportedly invented in nearby Omaha for a regular poker game around 1920, although other accounts trace it to a New York City delicatessen. To do it up right, try to find marble rye bread. You’ll notice that the recipe calls for spreading the bread with mayonnaise before toasting. Although butter can be used, mayo puts a lovely, tangy crust on the bread, and you’ll have it out anyway if you’re making your own Thousand Island dressing.
Leftover corned beef, thinly sliced
2 slices marble rye bread
Mayonnaise (butter can be substituted)
2 slices Swiss cheese
Sauerkraut, drained
Thousand Island dressing (see recipe below)
Directions:
Spread one side of each slice of bread with mayonnaise. Place one slice mayo side down in a skillet set over medium heat. Top with corned beef, sauerkraut, cheese, dressing and second slice of bread, mayo side up. Grill sandwich about 4 to 5 minutes, turning once, or until nicely toasted and cheese is melted.
To make Thousand Island dressing: Combine equal parts mayo and ketchup, plus half as much pickle relish and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.
Corned Beef Hash
Rumored to prevent a hangover if eaten after a long day of toasting the Emerald Isle. This recipe assumes that you cooked potatoes with your corned beef.
Leftover corned beef, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Cooked potatoes, cubed
Chopped onion
Fried or poached egg(s)
Directions:
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet. Saute onion until soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes and beef and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Top with with fried or poached egg(s) and serve.
Spicy Corned Beef Dip
12 oz. leftover corned beef, cold, diced
1-1/2 cups diced dill pickles
1 cup mayonnaise
Hot sauce, to taste
Directions:
Place corned beef in food processor bowl. Pulse on and off until beef becomes crumbly in texture. Add pickles and mayonnaise; pulse five times to combine. Stir in hot sauce to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Use spread for sandwiches, crostini or serve as a dip with vegetables and crackers.
Corned Beef Soup
This recipe assumes that your St. Patty’s Day meal included boiled cabbage and potatoes in addition to corned beef. If it included carrots, too, feel free to throw them in as well.
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1-1/2 cups beef broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 cups pre-cooked Corned Beef Brisket, shredded
1-1/2 cups milk or half-and-half
2 cups cooked cabbage, chopped
About 2 cups cooked potatoes, mashed
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 slices rye bread, toasted, optional
Directions:
Heat butter in a Dutch oven or large sauce pan set over medium high heat. Add onion and celery; saute about 3 minutes or until onion is soft. In a bowl, combine broth and cornstarch until smooth; slowly stir into pan, until it comes to a boil and thickens. Reduce heat to medium. Add corned beef, milk or half-and-half and cabbage. Stir in mashed potatoes until soup reaches desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If desired, serve with slices of toasted rye bread serving as croutons in soup.
