CORNED BEEF BRISKET AND CABBAGE RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Trim excess fat from beef and rinse under cold water. Pat dry and place fat side up in large roasting pan fitted with a roasting rack.
• In a medium bowl with the end of a wooden spoon, or in mortar and pestle, combine and crush allspice, coriander, and cloves into slightly smaller pieces. (Leaving some whole is OK.) In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, black pepper, and crushed spices. Spread spice mix evenly over top of brisket. Add 6 cups water to roasting pan and cover brisket tightly with aluminum foil. Roast for 2 hours, then remove foil and roast until tender, 1 hour more. 
• Let brisket rest for 15 minutes before slicing. 

Steps:

• For the corned beef: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Unwrap the brisket and place it fat side up inside a baking dish. If it came with a spice packet, sprinkle it over the top, then sprinkle on the black pepper and rub it in. Cover the dish with heavy aluminum foil and place it in the oven for 2 1/2 hours, then uncover and continue baking for 30 to 45 minutes.
• Check the brisket by inserting a fork in the meat. If it goes in easily, it’s ready; if it meets with resistance, bake for another 30 minutes— or up to an hour in some cases! If the brisket is tough, it hasn't cooked long enough! Once the brisket is fork-tender, remove it from the oven and let it rest, covered loosely in foil.
• While the brisket is resting, make the balsamic reduction: Combine the balsamic and the sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir it together and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to medium-low and simmer until the mixture is thick and reduced by half. Set it aside. 
• Next, make the cabbage: Raise the oven temperature to 350 degrees. Cut the cabbage into 8 wedges. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the cabbage. Sear it on both sides until the cabbage gets as much color as possible, about 1 minute per side. Use a spatula to transfer the cabbage to a rack placed over a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the cabbage pieces with salt and pepper. Pour the Guinness into the bottom of the baking sheet, then carefully transfer the pan to the oven. (The beer will gently steam the cabbage and infuse it with stouty essence). Bake the cabbage for 20 minutes, or until tender and deeper brown.
• To serve: Slice or shred the rested beef on a cutting board (it should be very, very tender and almost falling apart). Then place it on a large platter alongside the cabbage wedges. Drizzle generous spoonfuls of the balsamic reduction all over the cabbage slices.