Corned Beef Brisket |
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Yummy corn beef brisket. But what is corning any way? Corned beef is made from one of several less tender cuts of beef like the brisket, rump or round. Corning is a form of curing or preserving the meat. I always thought it was related to corn on a cob. But apparently its related to the salt that was used when curing beef brisket in Anglo Saxon times. It used to be a dry cure with large pellets of salt (referred to as 'corns') being rubbed into the meat. These days we're far more advanced using salted water known as brine. So corned beef brisket recipes would be more aptly named pickled beef brisket or brined beef brisket. Another advancement has been the enhancement of the pickled flavor by the addition of fantastic herbs and spices. Peppercorns and bay leaves are a common combo. But we're still using the term corn beef even with development of the refrigeration invention.
Cabbage has become a traditional food item for Irish-Americans, corned beef originally was a substitute for Irish bacon in the late 1800s. Researchers from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Norway, explained that Brassica vegetables are the predominant dietary source of glucosinolates (natural compounds believe to be powerful antioxidants) and have been shown to possess anticancer properties.
So while the cabbage in corn beef brisket is meant to reduce cancers, the salt in curing the beef has been said to induce cancers. Beef brisket can contain 'pink salt' which is sodium nitrite. Don't take my word for this but I'm assuming this would be linked to canned or cheap mass produced corn beef. Brisket from your butcher would more than likely be fine. Just make sure you up the cabbage servings ;) Corned beef may still be pink in color after cooking. This does not mean it is not done. Nitrite is used in the curing process. This fixes pigment in the meat and affects the color.
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