How can I keep corned beef pink?
I have a large gathering on St Patrick's day and serve corned beef. In years past I did all the cooking on that day and missed my own party due to all the work. Last year I cooked the beef the night before, let it cool overnight, and sliced it cold. I added water from the pot and reheated it in the oven in aluminum trays, and kept it warm in sterno racks. The taste was great but the color changed from pink to gray.
Any suggestions on how to serve a large group a hot meal and still keep the color of the beef pink would be appreciated. FYI, my typical method is to cook the beef first the night before, then in the same pot with the same water cook the potatoes, carrots, and cabbage on the day of the party.
Best Answer
As Jay mentioned, potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite is what gives commercially made corned beef its long-lasting pink color. Home cooks can use the same chemicals. Just make sure that whichever you buy is specifically labeled for use in food. Also, since you mentioned that the corned beef you buy comes with a spice mixture, check the ingredient list to make sure it doesn't already contain either chemical.
I've only ever used potassium nitrate (A.K.A. saltpeter) for corned beef. 1-2 teaspoons per gallon of water is plenty.
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Quick Answer about "How can I keep corned beef pink?"
Add about enough water to cover the meat and cook on the high setting for the first hour of cooking. Then cook for 10 to 12 hours on the low setting or 5 to 6 hours on high. Cabbage wedges may be added on top of the brisket during the last 3 hours of cooking.Why is my corned beef not pink?
Instead of its familiar pink-red color, it's gray-brown. And no one quite knows why New Englanders do corned beef differently. The color difference is due to one ingredient: nitrates, either in the form of sodium nitrate or saltpeter, added into the salty brine that gives brisket its corned taste and flavor.Does corned beef stay pink?
Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 \xb0F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender. 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.How do you keep corned beef red?
Potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite are usually used to preserve the pink color of corned beef. No recipe really, I usually buy freidrick's or mosey's thin cut (aka flat cut) from the supermarket and put the spices that come with it in a tea ball. It simmers until tender and it comes out pink and great.What gives corned beef the pink color?
Today's corned beef is now brined or cured using a salt water or sodium nitrite mixture, which fixes the pigment in the meat and causes it to be pink in color. That's why corned beef remains pink after cooking, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service.Why is cooked corned beef pink?
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Answer 2
I had this same problem. It has to do with re-heating or hold in an oven. It is best to warm this back up in liquid. My plan will be to cook the day before - make the cabbage that day and throw the corned beef in the cabbage water for heating.
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