St. Paddy’s Day Special! Smoked Corned Beef and Cabbage

Hey there, BBQ lovers! Captain Ron here, and today, we’re taking a classic family recipe and giving it the FOGO Charcoal treatment on the Big Green Egg. In honor of my mom, I’m cooking up her legendary corned beef and cabbage, but with a smoky, grilled twist that would make any pitmaster proud. Because let’s face it – everything is better when it’s kissed by fire and smoke!  This is why it’s important to BBQ the right way, with FOGO!

Keeping Family Recipes Alive – With Fire!

There’s something truly special about taking a recipe passed down through generations and adapting it to modern grilling. It’s a way to keep traditions alive, share great food, and maybe—just maybe—prove to your siblings that you were, in fact, Mom’s favorite. (Sorry, not sorry!)

The FOGO-Fired Twist

Instead of the traditional stovetop braise, I set up my Big Green Egg with FOGO’s Eucalyptus Hardwood Charcoal for a clean, long-lasting burn and added our brand-new Cherry Wood Smoking Chips for a layer of sweet, smoky goodness. This combo takes corned beef from good to legendary!

The Process:

1. Smoke First, Braise Later: I placed the corned beef over a Dutch oven loaded with baby gold potatoes. It smoked for an hour, soaking up that delicious cherry wood flavor.
2. The Beer Bath Begins: After the smoke worked its magic, the corned beef took a dip into the Dutch oven with all the veggies, some water, and a generous pour (or two) of beer. Pro tip: always pour one out for the chef… right into a pint glass. Cheers!
3. Low and Slow for Maximum Flavor: With the Big Green Egg dialed in at the perfect temp, the beef braised to tender, juicy perfection. The result? A corned beef so good, even St. Patrick himself would approve.

Final Thoughts – A Meal with Meaning

Bringing my mom’s recipe to life on the grill was more than just cooking—it was a way to honor her memory, celebrate great food, and, of course, eat like a king. So, whether you’re cooking up a family favorite or trying something new, fire up that Big Green Egg, grab some FOGO Charcoal, and make something unforgettable.

And remember, folks – if it’s worth cooking, it’s worth cooking over fire!

Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit that bell so you never miss a smoky, delicious adventure. See you next time, and happy grilling!

Directions:

1. Place 2 All Natural FOGO Fire Starters in a Blazaball and place it on the charcoal grate at the bottom pf the grill.  Use your grill torch to ignite the starters and allow it to burn for a minute.  Now, fill your grill with FOGO Eucalyptus Charcoal and prepare for indirect smoking at 250°.  Just before placing your meat on the grate, sprinkle a handful of FOGO Cherry Smoking Chips in the center of the charcoal pile.
2. Remove the corned beef from the packaging and pat dry.  Coat the meat lightly with mustard and sprinkle with the Tina Cannon European Blend. 
3. Fill the bottom of the Dutch oven with the potatoes.  Place the seasoned meat on the wire rack and the rack over the Dutch oven and place it on the cooking grate.  Allow this to smoke for approximately 1 hour or until you see some good color forming.  Open the vents to increase the temperature to 350° when done smoking.
4. Now remove the rack and drop the meat down into the pot.  Nestle it down on the bottom with the potatoes around it.  Add the rest of the ingredients except for the cabbage into the Dutch oven.  So carrots, bay leaves, garlic cloves, peppercorns, onion and celery all go in now.  Pour in the beer and water until everything is almost covered.  Cover the Dutch oven and cook until the meat is tender, around 2 more hours.  If too much liquid evaporates, simply add more water.  During the last half hour, add the cabbage wedges.
5. Once it is done (approx. 200° internal temp) remove everything from the pot.  Slice the meat against the grain.  Remove the bay leaves and discard.  Serve with a side of mustard or creamy horseradish and enjoy your St. Paddy’s day meal!