Roasted Corned Beef with Sauerkraut

The corned beef is slow roasted to perfection and the sauerkraut adds a nice tang to the dish.

Corned beef happened to be on sale a few weeks ago so I picked up a small one for my husband and I. I did a little research and decided that I would try oven roasting it versus my normal crock pot method of cooking. This was done on a wing and a prayer ~ hoping like all get out that it would turn out good. And the aroma that filled my entire house indicated that it just might be super delicious.
As it turns out, this came out beautifully. It is tender, cooked just right and I like what the tartness of the sauerkraut adds to the dish. If you don't like your sauerkraut too sour then rinse and drain it in a colander before adding it to the pan and to make it just a wee, tiny bit sweet about a tablespoon of brown sugar helps.

Although you would not want to leave your home while this is roasting, it is the perfect dinner for when you have household chores to catch up on. It comes together in minutes and while it's roasting you can go about your daily chores knowing that dinner is under control ~ at least the protein portion.

Corned beef shrinks quite a bit while cooking so keep that in mind when choosing the right size for your family. The weight of the one I roasted is perfect for 2-3 people. For four people I recommend 4-5 pounds. If you want extra for sandwiches then go to 5 - 6 lbs. pounds but increase the roasting time to about 4 1/2 - 5 hours. And remember if you are ever in doubt as to how much to purchase, the folks in the meat department of your local store are more than happy to help you out.

• 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 lbs. corned beef
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 1 - 27 oz. can sauerkraut
• 1 cup water
• 2 small bay leaves- crumbled
• black pepper
• seasoning packet from the corned beef

1. Preheat your oven to 325°.
2. Brush the outside of the corned beef with mustard. Season the top with the seasoning packet provided.
3. Add the can of sauerkraut, bay leaves and water. Season the sauerkraut with some black pepper and mix in.
4. Lay the corned beef on top.
5. Cover with aluminum foil.
6. Bake in a preheated 325° oven for about 3 hours until the internal temperature is 185°. If a fork is easily inserted, then it should be done. If not, roast for 30 minutes longer until you reach that point.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 2 1/2 hours
Serves: 2-3 (the size beef posted)
Cost: approximately $8.72, feeding 3 for $2.90 each. With potatoes and carrots, $10.72, feeding 3 for $3.57 each.

We enjoyed the dinner immensely and I hope you will too.