St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us and for those planning to make a traditional Irish feast, look no further for the perfect recipe! If you’re preparing to make corned beef and cabbage this 2015 holiday, below is an easy 5-step guide that even a beginning chef can master.

INGREDIENTS

There are several ways you can properly cook corned beef and cabbage — such as in an oven or in a slower cooker — but this recipe will tell you how to successfully boil corned beef and cabbage. The following recipe is a combination of several guides from AllRecipes.com.

You will need:

- 1 uncooked (5 pound) corned beef brisket. (If you’re unsure how big of a brisket you will need, typically one half pound per adult is standard.)

- 2 large onions

- 2 heads of cabbage

Optional ingredients:

- 10 full-sized, skinned carrots

- 15 small, white potatoes

- Desired seasonings

RECIPE

1) Start off by rinsing the beef brisket in cold water. Make sure to make it dry before placing in inside of a large (6-to-8 quart) pot. Fill the pot with enough water to cover the beef approximately six inches.

2) Place the pot on a stove set to a high heat. Once the water comes to a boil, let the meat cook for 30 minutes covered. Lower the heat to medium/high and allow the beef it cook for another 3.5 hours. (The brisket should cook for approximately 50 minutes per pound.)

At this point in the process, you can also add in any additional seasonings you may want to include such as garlic, bay leaves or mustard seeds. A store-bought brisket will sometimes come with its own season packet.

3) Slice the onions — making sure to remove its papery layers — and the cabbage into equal-sized chunks. If you’re cooking with the additional vegetables listed, the carrots and potatoes should also be cut into similar sized pieces.

If the meat has finished its approximate 3.5 hours of cook time, add the vegetables to the pot. The cabbage should be placed over the beef. Return the lid onto the pot and allow the ingredients to cook for another 15-30 minutes.

4) When the time is up and your vegetables are done cooking — you will know the potatoes are done when they’re tender — remove them and only them from the pot. (You can keep them warm by covering them in a bowl with tin foil.) If you desire, salted butter can be diced and thrown on top of the cooked vegetables.

5) Let the brisket sit in the pot for an additional 15 minutes. Keeping the corned beef submerged in the water will allow it to retain moisture. One you're ready to begin eating, slice up the meat, serve, and then, enjoy!

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