Bobby Flay Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef Recipe

This Bobby Flay Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef is a tender and savory recipe, which is made with corned beef brisket and a bold spice rub. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 4 hours.

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Bobby Flay Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef Ingredients

For the Corned Beef:

1 (3-pound) corned beef brisket (spice packet discarded)
Canola oil, for frying

For the Spice Rub:

3 tablespoons ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon each: ground dried oregano, ground coriander, mustard powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground chile de arbol
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Mustard-Honey-Horseradish Sauce:

1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/2 cup whole-grain mustard
1/2 cup clover honey
1/4 cup prepared horseradish, drained
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

How To Make Bobby Flay Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef

Make the Sauce: In a medium bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let the sauce sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to allow the flavors to meld.
Simmer the Corned Beef: Place the corned beef in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover it with cold water by about 1 inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a medium-low simmer. Cover the pot and cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the beef is very fork-tender.
Rest and Slice: Once cooked, carefully remove the beef from the pot and let it cool on a cutting board for at least 30 minutes. Once it’s cool enough to handle, slice the meat into thick, 1-inch slices against the grain.
Make the Spice Rub: In a small bowl, mix together the ancho chile powder, paprika, oregano, coriander, mustard powder, cumin, and chile de arbol. Season the rub with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Sear the Slices: Spread the spice rub on a plate. Coat one side of each slice of the cooked corned beef in the rub, tapping off any excess. Heat a few tablespoons of canola oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it is hot. Add the beef slices, rub-side down, and cook for about 2 minutes until a deep brown crust forms. Flip and cook for another 1–2 minutes on the other side. Work in batches as needed.
Serve: Serve the hot, crispy corned beef slices immediately with a side of boiled cabbage or roasted potatoes and the mustard-honey-horseradish sauce.

Bobby Flay Spice-Rubbed Corned Beef Recipe

Recipe Tips

How to get the most tender corned beef? The most important secret is the low-and-slow simmer. Do not let the water come to a rapid boil, as this can make the meat tough. A gentle simmer is the key to breaking down the tough brisket until it is melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Why the two-stage cooking? This is the signature technique of this recipe. The initial simmer makes the beef incredibly tender, while the final pan-sear of the individual slices creates an amazing, flavorful, and crispy crust that you can’t get from a standard roast.
Why let the meat rest before slicing? This is a non-negotiable step! Letting the cooked corned beef cool for a full 30 minutes before you slice it allows the meat to firm up, making it possible to get clean, thick slices that won’t fall apart.
Can I make parts of this ahead of time? Absolutely! The sauce is a perfect make-ahead component and its flavor is even better the next day. You can also simmer the corned beef a day in advance, let it cool, and store it in the fridge before slicing and searing.

What To Serve With This Dish

This is a classic comfort food meal. It is perfectly served with traditional Irish-American sides:

Boiled or roasted cabbage wedges.
Creamy mashed potatoes or simple boiled new potatoes.
A side of glazed carrots.

How To Store Leftovers

Refrigerate: Let the leftover corned beef slices cool completely before putting them in an airtight container in the fridge. They will stay good for up to 3 days. Store the sauce separately.
Reheat: Heat a small amount of canola oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the leftover corned beef slices and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until warmed through and slightly crisp.

Corned Beef Nutrition Facts

Calories: 350 kcal
Total Fat: 25g
Total Carbohydrate: 10g
Protein: 25g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

What does it mean to slice “against the grain”?

For the most tender slices, look at the direction the muscle fibers are running in the cooked corned beef. You want to slice perpendicular (at a 90-degree angle) to those lines. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes the meat much more tender and easier to chew.

Is this recipe very spicy?

The spice rub has a definite kick from the ancho and chile de arbol. For a milder version, you can reduce or omit the chile de arbol. The horseradish in the sauce also adds a sharp, pungent heat.

Can I make this in a slow cooker?

Yes, this is a perfect recipe for the slow cooker. Simply place the corned beef and enough water to cover in a crock pot and cook on LOW for 8-10 hours, until the meat is fall-apart tender. Then proceed with the cooling, slicing, and searing steps.

Try More Recipes:

Bobby Flay Beef Stew Recipe
Bobby Flay Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Bobby Flay Corned Beef and Cabbage Recipe