Everyone’s a little Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day, but not everyone has time to sit home watching a corned beef boiling on the stove. This version of the classic Saint Patrick’s Day dinner is a complete meal in one pot. The combination of apple, mustard and brown sugar gives it a tangy-sweet flavor that perks-up what sometimes can be a bland dish. The meal simmers, untended, all day in a slow cooker. For added convenience, ingredients may be prepared the evening before and refrigerated, then quickly put together in the morning.

While point-cut briskets are generally less expensive, supermarkets regularly put them on sale around St. Patrick’s Day, they are a fattier cut and will shrink during cooking, eliminating any savings. This recipe recommends the leaner, flat-cut briskets.

Ingredients

• 4 cups apple juice or apple cider
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon style mustard
• 5 – 6 pounds corned beef briskets, flat cut, with spice packet
• 1 pound carrots
• 1 medium-sized head of cabbage
• 2 pounds small red potatoes
• 2 large yellow onions
• 2 apples, Red Delicious or a similar variety
• Fresh sprigs of parsley, for garnish

Directions

1. Combine apple juice or cider with brown sugar, mustard and spice packet from the corned beef in a 6- 8 quart slow cooker..
2. Whisk ingredients until the brown sugar has dissolved. Immerse the corned beef briskets in the liquid, turning to coat both sides.
3. Peel and cut carrots into large chunks.
4. Remove core from the head of cabbage and cut into 8 wedges. Add carrots and cabbage to the slow cooker.
5. Scrub the potatoes and add to the cooker, cutting larger potatoes in half.
6. Peel and quarter the onions.
7. Peel, core and quarter apples.
8. Add onions and apples to the pot.
9. Spoon some of the apple juice mixture over the vegetables. Cover pot. Cook on high, 4 to 5 hours, or on low, 8 to 10 hours, until meat is tender.
10. To serve, slice corned beef against the grain and arrange on a platter.
11. Surround with vegetables and garnish with a healthy sprig of parsley.