Mustard-Honey Braised Corned Beef

I had no intention of buying a corned beef brisket. Not only am I not a fan of boiled meat, I made this big stink about corned beef not even an Irish food, and if I WAS making a St. Patty's meal it would be made with traditional Irish Pub foods.

As with, in every market across the US, corned beef is on sale and I am sure, in a cabinet, right at the entrance of the store.

What is it about sales that make cooks buy things they really don't need?
And yet, there I was, flipping packages of hermetically sealed, pink hued chunks of meat.
Even worse, I managed to flip one into my cart.

The Nudge had a good time with this, when I had just told him I was not buying corned beef.

I know he laughed all the way upstairs. Well, I would show him.

I am still not making a corned beef. What I am making, is the best mustard braised brisket for Reuben's that he ever tasted, so there!

After I made the glaze and poured it over the meat, I wrapped it tightly with foil in a pan the same size as the meat and placed it in a 170° oven to braise 10 hours.

When The Nudge got up for work, he shut off the oven and when I woke up it was perfectly cooled for me to handle.

I boiled the sauce down to the thickness of an olive oil, sliced the brisket and in a Rubbermaid container it went. The key to any brisket is to slice and store in it's juice overnight so the moisture goes back into the meat and makes it sublimely out of this world.

While I was sneaking the end piece, I was thinking that "this is the best damned corned beef I ever had. I might just have to make this more often."

When The Nudge tells me that he wants this once a month, I will bow my head and tell him "Well, if you insist. For you, my dear, anything!"

Then get up from the table and laugh all the way upstairs.

Mustard Honey Braised Corned Beef
makes enough for a 3 pound brisket

* 1/2 cup country-style Dijon mustard
* 1/2 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Mix and spread over fat side of brisket. Wrap tightly in a baking pan with minimum 1" allowable space around the edges.
Bake for 10-12 hours at 175°. Remove and cool to touch.
Slice into 1/4" slices and place in a container.
Boil braising liquid to the thickness of olive oil and pour over sliced brisket.
Store in container at least 1 week to 10 days.

Enjoy!!