Glazed Corned Beef

Valentine's week and February and the vaccine rollout is moving faster now -- they've opened it to more categories, there are walgreens appointments available, my parents got theirs last week. My father sent me a photo from the pharmacy waiting chair, thumb up, the expression of a man who has just completed a task that mattered. I cried a little at the photo and didn't tell him. He would have been embarrassed. I was not embarrassed. The year has reset my crying threshold considerably.

Nora stood unassisted for five seconds on Tuesday. Just stood there in the middle of the living room floor, both hands in the air, surprised at herself and then not surprised at herself. She sat down on purpose. Then she stood up again and did it again for six seconds. Liam counted out loud. He counted wrong but the intent was correct. Sean had his phone out before I did. We have seventeen photos of those eleven total seconds.

I made a real Valentine's dinner this year -- beef tenderloin, Sean's favorite, with roasted asparagus and the good red wine we'd been saving since Christmas. The kids were in bed. We ate at the kitchen table with candles and I wore the blue dress I haven't worn since before Nora was born and Sean said "you look beautiful" and I believed him. After fifteen months of pandemic and two kids and everything that 2020 was, sitting across from him at our kitchen table in February with good food and candles and the apartment quiet, I thought: this is still ours. We are still us. The year didn't take this.

I know corned beef isn’t what most people picture when they think Valentine’s dinner, but this glaze — sweet, sharp, just a little unexpected — is exactly what the night called for. After a year of so much ordinary, I wanted something that took a little effort but still felt like home, something that could sit in a low oven while we put the kids to bed and came out looking like we’d planned something. We had. This recipe was the plan. It was enough.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 3 hrs | Total Time: 3 hrs 15 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

3 1/2 to 4 lb corned beef brisket, with spice packet
Water to cover
1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

Simmer the brisket. Place corned beef in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the spice packet and enough cold water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until fork-tender.
Make the glaze. While the beef simmers, whisk together brown sugar, Dijon mustard, honey, apple cider vinegar, ground cloves, and black pepper in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Preheat the oven. About 20 minutes before the beef finishes simmering, preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top.
Glaze and roast. Remove the brisket from the pot and pat dry with paper towels. Place fat-side up on the prepared rack. Brush the glaze generously over the top and sides of the beef, reserving a little for basting.
Roast until caramelized. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, brushing with remaining glaze halfway through, until the surface is deep golden and slightly caramelized at the edges.
Rest and slice. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice against the grain into 1/4-inch slices and arrange on a serving platter.

Nutrition (per serving)

Glazed Corned Beef — The Dinner That Said We're Still Us