Wok Steamed Corn Beef & Cabbage

Wok-steamed corned beef and cabbage gives the classic Irish-American St. Patrick’s Day dinner a clever twist by using a wok and steaming rack instead of the traditional boil. The result is more flavorful meat and cabbage that holds its shape, since steaming preserves texture better than the long bath in seasoned water that boiling does.

The steam liquid is where the flavor lives. A bottle of beer (any dark ale or stout works), bay leaf, cinnamon stick, dried chili, allspice, mustard seed, and coriander seed go in the wok bottom with enough water to maintain a two-inch level. As the corned beef steams above this fragrant liquid, the aromatics permeate the brisket without diluting the meat’s natural flavors. Plain water would yield bland meat.

Keep an eye on the water level during the two-hour steam. Wok steaming uses less water than a stockpot boil, and the liquid evaporates faster. Add hot water periodically to maintain the 1.5 to 2-inch level. Cold water added too fast cools the wok and disrupts the cooking.

The cabbage goes in for only the last 20 minutes so it stays a little bit crisp, exactly as the recipe specifies. Mushy boiled cabbage is the saddest part of most corned beef dinners; this method fixes that completely.

The mustard-mayonnaise-basil dressing is the unexpected finishing touch that lifts cold cabbage wedges with a tangy, herbal kick.

Chef Tips

• Rinse the corned beef briefly under cold water to remove some excess salt before cooking
• Use the spice packet from the corned beef package in addition to the listed spices for full traditional flavor
• Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges through the core so they hold together during steaming
• Slice the corned beef against the grain for tender, bite-sized pieces

Variations

• Add halved baby potatoes and chunks of carrot to the wok with the cabbage
• Swap the basil mayo for a classic horseradish cream sauce
• Use hard cider in place of beer for an Irish farmhouse flavor