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[jdmessner]

Smoking corned beef for a boiled dinner almost sounds like an oxymoron. With St. Patrick's Day coming up I have been contemplating various ways to make a boiled dinner. I was wondering what would happen if I smoked the corned beef up until the wrap stage (165* F), but instead of wrapping, finished it off by cooking it with the potatoes and other vegetables. After all, once you wrap it, there is no point in continuing to smoke it. In the past I have boiled brisket and smoked it, but not for the same meal. I like the smoked flavor of the brisket, and I love the flavor the corned beef adds to the veggie mixture. Has anyone tried this before? My only reservation is that I don't want to boil the flavor out of the meat.

[BigDave83]

I have never done that, but I often will have a chunked up chuck roast or chunks of pork butt that I will smoke for a while to no specific temperature, and then finish in the instant pot. I have used the pieces of chuck I smoked in a pan and then transferred them with drippings to the instant pot with my beef stew vegetables and seasonings, it has came out well.

I am not sure you would oil the flavor out, more of a flavoring the whole pot of ingredients, I would think.

[pmillen]

I don’t think smoke flavor penetrates to an appreciable extent.  (That’s opinion.  I don’t have data.)  So, it’s likely to wash off if it’s sittiing on the surface.  But that’s okay because it’ll be in the broth and will flavor everything.

[Bar-B-Lew]

I have never tried this because I don't eat corned beef, but you may want to give it some further thought.

Smoke the corned beef on your smoker until it hits the temp that you consider it to be done.  When the corned beef is complete or in parallel depending on your time, make the stock for your boiled dinner with your vegetables of choice.  When the stock and veggies are done, cut up the corned beef to your desired size pieces or slices and throw it in the stock.

[jdmessner]

Thanks for the advice. I think what Lew said makes a lot of sense. I think I will probably try it that way.

[dk117]

I've done some really nice smoked corned beef with heavy pepper/garlic seasoning (after sitting in a water bath to de-salt).  My current and preferred method is crock pot with beef broth.  Add the veggies half way through the cook.  Crock pot for the win on this one IMO. 

[hughver]

My only experience with smoked corned beef was when I made pastrami out of it.

[jdmessner]

It has been a number of years since I have cooked a corned beef brisket. In the past I would put it in the crockpot or a roaster with potatoes etc., and let it rip. I have no idea what the IT would have been. My guess is that it probably went until it reached the stall, at about 165*. This means it was over cooked for a beef roast and well short of the 200*-205*, for a brisket. The result was a rather rubbery and chewy piece of meat, that had decent flavor. One year, I smoked the corned beef as a brisket rather than putting it in the crockpot. We served the meat separately from the veggies. I was pleased with the results, but I think the vegetables lost some flavor, because they were not cooked with the meat. 

That’s what brought me to this post. It looks like I now have three options:
•   Go with my initial thought and smoke it up until or just past the stall stage. It would be finished in the crock pot until it was probe tender. Hopefully, the meat and veggies will be done at about the same time. It looks like this could work.
•   If I am reading Lew’s advice correctly, I would smoke the brisket as usual, slice it, and then add it to the pot with veggies and simmer. This would nicely combine the flavors.
•   The other option would be to cook the beef in the crockpot to an IT to around 135*-140* slice it and add it back to the pot.

I guess it boils down (pun intended) to what the best IT for a corned beef brisket is. Thanks for the help and ideas! Fortunately, there is still a little time to decide!

[hughver]

It has been a number of years since I have cooked a corned beef brisket. In the past I would put it in the crockpot or a roaster with potatoes etc., and let it rip. I have no idea what the IT would have been. My guess is that it probably went until it reached the stall, at about 165*. This means it was over cooked for a beef roast and well short of the 200*-205*, for a brisket. The result was a rather rubbery and chewy piece of meat, that had decent flavor. One year, I smoked the corned beef as a brisket rather than putting it in the crockpot. We served the meat separately from the veggies. I was pleased with the results, but I think the vegetables lost some flavor, because they were not cooked with the meat. 

That’s what brought me to this post. It looks like I now have three options:
•   Go with my initial thought and smoke it up until or just past the stall stage. It would be finished in the crock pot until it was probe tender. Hopefully, the meat and veggies will be done at about the same time. It looks like this could work.
•   If I am reading Lew’s advice correctly, I would smoke the brisket as usual, slice it, and then add it to the pot with veggies and simmer. This would nicely combine the flavors.
•   The other option would be to cook the beef in the crockpot to an IT to around 135*-140* slice it and add it back to the pot.

I guess it boils down (pun intended) to what the best IT for a corned beef brisket is. Thanks for the help and ideas! Fortunately, there is still a little time to decide!

In my humble opinion , unless you cook it wrapped to 293°+ or hold it at 135-14o° for 40 hours (i.e. sous vide) it will be very tough.

[Bar-B-Lew]

Hughver, did you mean 193+?