What to make with leftover Corned Beef water?

[goodeatsgal]

I made Corned Beef this week using Michael Ruhlman's pickling spice recipe. The meat came out very tasty, as did the leftover water in which I simmered the beef (although it was a bit salty). I have about 6 cups worth of the water which I don't want to pour down the drain. What can I make with it? I've thought of making split pea soup without adding the ham bone. Any other ideas? Thanks!

[Krislady]

I just had the same situation a couple of weeks ago - I used it for soup. First, I cooked about a half pound of pinto beans in the liquid, then I added some shredded cabbage and carrots, along with some caramelized onions, and I think that was about it. All together, I ended up with about 2 quarts of soup - half was dinner, and the other half is in the freezer for another night.

[divadmas]

i would love to use this liquid but isn't it full of nitrates? i think i'll pass.

[Johnhschmidt]

Someone suggested Reuben soup and a it is incredible. I used a jar of kraut and chow chow from the Loveless Cafe in Nashville, Tn along with a cup of cheddar cheese. I added back a couple of cups of Brisket.

[Sharuf]

Cook cabbage, carrots and potatoes in it, of course. Also, I make a gravy using the CB water and buttermilk, thicken it, and stir in some horseradish. Very good on the meat and veggies. Also good over the corned beef hash in days to come.

[2m8ohed]

I made split pea soup with mine. It was fantastic. No additional salt, but I added plenty of pepper, some thyme, and a bit of sherry. (The original broth contained beer.) If it's still too salty when the split peas are done, you can add potatoes and water. After pureeing the soup, toss in some finely diced corned beef and it's really tasty.

[appycamper]

or add one potato and. cook until fork tender. then remove it. think of it as a salt sponge.

[alkapal]

the salt sponge idea has been discredited here on chowhound (and elsewhere), and i personally have found it ineffective.

[Robinez]

Is it too salty to freeze into cubes? If not,use the frozen cubes to add to stewed cabbage,liquid for mashed potatoes,add to a pan of keilbasa.Depending how strong the taste,it might be nice to add to the water to cook flour dumplings to go with smothered chicken.Give it a little salty ham taste.

PS,goodeatsgal,My furbaby Lucy hopes that your ham bone will be going to good use! :-))

Take Care,Robin

[Will Owen]

I strained it, then added enough water to make three quarts (about a pint and a half) and brought it to the boil and cooked the shredded cabbage in it until barely done, then pulled it out with the big slotted ladle. Then I brought it back to the boil and cooked my quartered potatoes in it. While that was happening, I tossed the cabbage with a cup of Mexican crema, seasoned it, and put it in a gratin pan topped with a mix of panko crumbs and grated Grana Padano. When the potatoes were done I peeled and mashed them, seasoned them, put them into another greased gratin pan. Stuck both in a hot oven for about half an hour while finishing the boiled corned beef in yet another baking pan, its fat trimmed and brushed with a generous coat of Dijon mustard.

This was all quite good.

[eight_inch_pestle]

These are the ingredients for the soup I made from my post SP-day broth last year. Unfortunately I seem to have forgotten to write down accompanying instructions. Do with this what you will, I don't even recall how many cups of broth I had (maybe six or eight?)...

1 kielbasa, thinly sliced on the bias
Lots of grated cheese
1 good-sized onion, chopped
4 or 5 cloves garlic, minced
30 gratings nutmeg
3 cloves
Couple dashes cinnamon
1 teaspoon caraway, approximately
1 medium napa cabbage, cored and thinly sliced
½ head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 apples, cored, peeled, and sliced
Minced parsley for garnish

[greygarious]

Although there's salt and perhaps acid, if you soak a small variety of dry bean in it (overnight in fridge), then give them plenty of simmering time, you'll have a pot of flavorful beans to use as a side or in salads.

[todao]

LOML always uses the Corned Beef stock, drained if course, as the base for minestrone. Once all the the ingredients for the minestrone get into the mix (which also includes more beef stock that has no salt) the resulting soup is seasoned perfectly.

[Cherylptw]

Simmer some potatoes or rice in the broth; also, dried beans, pasta or drippings for gravy or au jus. It'll make great soup stock as well.

[monku]

The OP said the water was a bit salty...how would that make a great soup stock or gravy?

[Cherylptw]

If you don't add any OTHER salt, it will make a great soup or gravy

[monku]

You've done this before?
I don't usually add any salt to soup stock or gravy (there's usually salt in the pan drippings from salting the meat).

[Cherylptw]

I have done it before; I also add salt to my gravy & soup stock but I will be mindful of that when I add my other ingredients so as not to add anymore in terms of other ingredients. I did make venison stock last week but did not add any salt or seasonings to that as I will add later when I incorporate into different applications.

If the OP's broth is a "bit salty", other ingredients in a soup could balance out the salt depending on what's used, such as adding fruit juice, cream, honey, etc.

[Quine]

Oh geeesh I love.....these amazing "leftover" posts. I am waiting for the one who says " I spilled some sauce on the counter. tell me how I can make an amazing dish from the paper towel I cleaned it up with."

Be that as it may.. yeah think bean/legume dishes/soups. Be prepared to see your 6 cups of "pour down the drain" worthy now expand into a dish that you will later ask us how to use up.

Any leftover ingredient makes an inverse squared amount of a "new" dish.

[ratgirlagogo]

Ha! I really shouldn't laugh since I am definitely not one of the better cooks here on this board, but these posts always crack me up too.

[porker]

I read somewhere that because of the salt content, it would make an excellent drain cleaner....

[jeanmarieok]

I braised cabbage in it - it was delicious.

[appycamper]

i used leftover onion soup and chicken broth for my braising liquid for the corned beef this time and loved the flavor. you could caramelize a couple of large onions then add your leftover broth and simmer chunked carrots and cabbage if you're not tired of them.