Dutch Oven Corned Beef (Easy Silverside Recipe)

An oldie but a goodie. I grew up on Dutch oven corned beef and cabbage, did you? While not in the traditional sense, simmering together on the stove for a few hours, but in separately cooked dishes. A large piece of boiled corned beef and sauteed cabbage with a little onion and sometimes bacon (or even leftover corned beef). It’s serious comfort food on a cold winter’s day – or to be honest, every day of the year. It’s a super classic, easy corned beef, or silverside recipe full of simple ingredients. And I just love it.

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While many associate corned beef with Ireland and St Patrick’s Day, it’s really more of an American-Irish belief that it’s a traditional St Patrick’s Day dish. To be honest, it’s so damn good I’m happy to eat it any day of the year, national holiday or not!

My Mum has always cooked her silverside recipe the traditional way, in a large pot on top of the stove. And while this recipe is a version of the one I’ve eaten all my life, I much prefer popping things in the oven than having to be in the kitchen the whole time something is cooking on the stove, hence my Dutch oven version. I’m all for easy dinner recipes where the Dutch oven does all the work and I can get on with other things!

What you need to get started

• Corned Beef (Silverside) – I use a 1.5–1.7kg corned beef silverside for this recipe. In Australia, the corning (brining) process has already been done for you by the butcher or supermarket, so all that’s left to do is slow-cook it until tender.
  
  
  
• Enough water to cover the corned beef. In my 26cm cast iron casseroles, I roughly use 2L cold water.
  
  
  
• Herbs and Vegetables – brown onion, carrot, celery stalk, garlic, bay leaves
  
  
  
• Whole Cloves
  
  
  
• Pantry staples – malt vinegar, brown sugar, seas salt flakes, and black peppercorns. If you don’t have whole black pepper, cracked will work just fine./strong>

The details

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C / 300°F.
   
   
   
2. Pop the corned beef (fat side up) in a large Dutch oven, along with all the remaining ingredients.
   
   
   
3. Fill the Dutch oven with water so that it covers the corned beef fillet. Pop on the lid and bring to a simmer on medium heat. Once simmering, skim the top of the liquid to remove any scum that has come to the surface. Pop the lid back on and put the pot into the preheated oven for 1 hour 45 minutes or until fork tender.
   
   
   
4. Remove the pot of silverside from the oven. Drain the meat on a plate. Carve up and serve!

Why Cook Silverside In A Dutch Oven?

While my Mum has always cooked her silverside in a large pot on the stovetop, I’ve become a convert to the Dutch oven method.

A cast iron Dutch oven holds heat beautifully and creates a gentle cooking environment that helps keep the silverside tender and juicy. Once everything is simmering, the pot goes into the oven and pretty much looks after itself while you get on with your day. I also find oven-cooked silverside easier to manage than a pot bubbling away on the stovetop for hours. There’s less chance of the liquid reducing too quickly and the steady oven temperature helps the meat cook evenly.

If you’re already a fan of slow-cooked Dutch oven recipes, this is one of those simple old-fashioned dinners that works beautifully in enamel cast iron cookware.

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I also cook corned beef in a pressure cooker if I’m short on time. Here’s how…

1. Pop the corned silverside in a pressure cooker, along with all the remaining ingredients.
   
   
   
2. Fill the pressure cooker with water so that it covers the corned beef fillet. Make sure you don’t exceed the maximum fill line! Pop on the lid and bring to high pressure on medium-high heat on top of the stove. Once full pressure has been reached, reduce to low heat and continue cooking at full pressure for 45 minutes.
   
   
   
3. Remove from heat and let the pressure slowly release until it’s safe to open the pressure cooker. Drain the corned beef silverside on a plate and carve!

Have leftovers?

The great thing about Dutch oven corned beef is that there are always leftovers in our house!!!

To reheat the corned beef the next day, cover the bottom of an oven-safe roasting pan with thin slices of corned beef silverside. Drizzle approx. half a cup of the reserved cooking liquid over the meat. Cover with aluminum foil and place into a preheated 150-degree oven for 20-30 minutes or until hot.

Not a lot beats next-day fresh corned beef sandwiches in one’s lunch box. Or better yet… turn it into a Ruben by topping rye bread with corned beef and adding sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and thousand island dressing. Grill till everything is warm and melted!

Corned beef hash anyone? Shred some leftover corned beef and cook along with fried potatoes, onions, and an egg in a skillet!

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FAQ’s

Here are a few more hearty one-pot recipes you might like.

• An Irishman’s Wife’s Irish Stew
• Bacon Cheese & Chive Soda Bread
• Persian Lentil Sweet Potato Soup
• Beef and Red Wine Ragu

What’s your favorite way to eat corned beef? Let me know in the comments!

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