Does Anyone in Cincy Make a True Cleveland-Style Corned Beef? (Wilson: to buy, kosher)

[Cl3v3land]

Slymans is the best and actually thats small compared to the one's I've had and wilson1010 that is standard cb bread also Superior deli has good sandwiches and I bet cincy gets there cb meat from Vienna in Cleveland LOL

[Cl3v3land]

Originally Posted by Sarah Perry

I admit to being kind of a newcomer, but don't we have a lot of off-topic commentary and gratuitous personal attacks going on? Is this board moderated at all?

Yeah, yeah, I admit, I'm just mad because I can't get a really good corned beef or pastrami sandwich anywhere around here

Well move to Cleveland! lol

[kjbrill]

This thread is a little off-beat, but for those of you who are old enough to remember the Temple Delicatessen across from the old Shillito's on 7th St., now that was the place to get corned beef and pastrami, plus the bread to go with it. I remember as a boy taking the bus (actually trolley then) with my mother downtown to shop. Before returning home, we absolutely had to visit the Temple Delicatessen to obtain what my father would be expecting for dinner.

You can all argue till the cows come home, but nothing beats what they served at Temple. It is sad so many institutions of this type have disappeared.

A few weeks ago my wife came home with a corned beef brisket from Kroger. We have never cooked corned beef in our life. I looked at the instructions on the package and they appeared straight-forward enough. So away we went, start that corned beef cooking. In the meantime I had to return to the store for the best pumpernickel rye I could find (yea I know factory made), and the rest of the ingredients to make Reubens. You all may state this is a small fraction of corned beef consumption, but in my case it is the way I want it - love those things.

Once the corned beef was done, sliced it according to directions, and assembled my Reubens. In my family, we loved it. Now have another to place in our rotation of delectable foods. If you want it done right DIY.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

This thread is a little off-beat, but for those of you who are old enough to remember the Temple Delicatessen across from the old Shillito's on 7th St., now that was the place to get corned beef and pastrami, plus the bread to go with it. I remember as a boy taking the bus (actually trolley then) with my mother downtown to shop. Before returning home, we absolutely had to visit the Temple Delicatessen to obtain what my father would be expecting for dinner.

You can all argue till the cows come home, but nothing beats what they served at Temple. It is sad so many institutions of this type have disappeared.

A few weeks ago my wife came home with a corned beef brisket from Kroger. We have never cooked corned beef in our life. I looked at the instructions on the package and they appeared straight-forward enough. So away we went, start that corned beef cooking. In the meantime I had to return to the store for the best pumpernickel rye I could find (yea I know factory made), and the rest of the ingredients to make Reubens. You all may state this is a small fraction of corned beef consumption, but in my case it is the way I want it - love those things.

Once the corned beef was done, sliced it according to directions, and assembled my Reubens. In my family, we loved it. Now have another to place in our rotation of delectable foods. If you want it done right DIY.

Home made corned beef? We need pictures and a critique. Then maybe a recipe.

[kjbrill]

Yea, I was leery too. The brisket came in one of those vacuum packages, and had a spice packet included with cooking instructions. Decided worse I could do was make shoe leather. Surprised myself I will say. After cooking and letting it rest for the recommended time, sliced it down thin on the bias similar to a flank steak or london broil, just thinner slices. Assembled the Reubens and I was one happy camper. When you buy a Reuben out, one of my complaints is Where Is The Beef? Well, when you DIY that is not a problem.

[progmac]

well i finally had izzy's corned beef. definitely not worth the $7 it cost. it has like an 1/8 lb of dry corn beef (not much) - maybe 1/3 of the picture from the 1st post on this thread. okay, but not worth writing home about or getting again really

[Sarah Perry]

Originally Posted by progmac

well i finally had izzy's corned beef. definitely not worth the $7 it cost. it has like an 1/8 lb of dry corn beef (not much) - maybe 1/3 of the picture from the 1st post on this thread. okay, but not worth writing home about or getting again really

I hadn't had anything from Izzy's in several years, and since I happened to be close to the newish one on Red Bank last week I picked up a corned beef and potato pancake. I love grease as much as the next person, but the pancake was a grease bomb that made me feel like I'd just ingested lead. The corned beef was merely okay, and I thought the price was shockingly high.

The home-cooked stuff that you buy already cured isn't bad. I find that like other types of cooked meats, how you slice it makes a surprising lot of difference in how it tastes. A few months ago the hubby and I invested in a medium-price home electric slicer, which I'm sure has already paid for itself. Now that we have it, I may try cooking another one myself.

[Ohioan58]

Originally Posted by kjbrill

Yea, I was leery too. The brisket came in one of those vacuum packages, and had a spice packet included with cooking instructions. Decided worse I could do was make shoe leather. Surprised myself I will say. After cooking and letting it rest for the recommended time, sliced it down thin on the bias similar to a flank steak or london broil, just thinner slices. Assembled the Reubens and I was one happy camper. When you buy a Reuben out, one of my complaints is Where Is The Beef? Well, when you DIY that is not a problem.

Essentially you just boil corned beef for a few hours until it's tender. You can roast it but that is generally too dry a process. It seems like it would create a really lousy piece of boiled gray meat but it turns out that this is just how everyone does it, restaurants included. On "DDD" on Food network every place he interviews that does corned beef boils it.

Uncooked corned beefs vary tremendously in quality. A less good one will have too much fat. The Vienna Beef ones at Costco are pretty good.

And, yes, the slice & angle relative to the grain makes all the difference in the world.

[soozycue520]

As for Izzy's potato pancakes, they used to be fried in lard. Many years ago, with people being health conscious, they switched to vegetable oil. The veg oil doesn't get the pancakes as crisp as they used to be, fried in lard, and they hold more of the oil. Just not the same.

[Wilson513]

Originally Posted by soozycue520

As for Izzy's potato pancakes, they used to be fried in lard. Many years ago, with people being health conscious, they switched to vegetable oil. The veg oil doesn't get the pancakes as crisp as they used to be, fried in lard, and they hold more of the oil. Just not the same.

Agreed, fried in lard is the way to go. I haven't heard about the switch at Izzy's, but assuming that's correct, food fried at the right temperature doesn't retain oil. Crisco had a demonstration that became a commercial that showed a loaf of bread with the crusts cut off could be deep fried and only absorb a tablespoon of oil.