Pi Day and corned beef make for a sweet and savory celebration

Today is affectionately known as “Pi Day” because the date reads as 3.14, which is the shortened version of the mathematical constant for the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter. In high school, kids would regularly compete to see who could memorize the most number of digits after the decimal point. While it’s essential to many scientific calculations across the fields of engineering and physics, for cooks, it’s an excuse to bake pie on March 14.

As we know, pies are simply a pastry crust that holds a delicious filling, either sweet or savory. The crust can be made from a base of flour, bread crumbs, riced cauliflower or mashed potatoes, while the fillings can be meat, fruit, vegetables, eggs or custards. Small, crescent-shaped filled pies are sometimes called “hand pies,” because they are designed to be portable.

There is one type of hand pie that can’t be lumped in with others, such as empanadas or turnovers – the Cornish pasty. This semicircular, baked shortcrust pastry is filled according to a specific recipe that since 2011 has been a food item with protected status in the U.K. It originated in the Cornwall region of Great Britain, where it was the traditional lunch of Cornish miners. The authentic recipe can be found at www.cornishpastyassociation.co.uk.

On Monday, we will celebrate all things Irish for Saint Patrick’s Day, as we watch parades wearing our green sweaters while eating corned beef and cabbage. How this came to be the signature dish on this day can be traced back to the 19th century influx of Irish immigrants to the United States. They were accustomed to eating salt pork, but found the nearest substitute, bacon, too expensive in their new home.

From the time of the Middle Ages, Ireland was a major producer of salted beef that came to be called “corned” beef in the 17th century. The process of “corning” beef predated refrigeration and involved curing meat to precent spoilage by using large, coarse, granular salt (sometimes the size of corn kernels) to coat the meat. In the United States, the new Irish immigrants found that corned beef, which was once a luxury in their native country, was now more readily available and lower in cost than bacon.

In today’s commercial production of corned beef, a saltwater brine has replaced dry salt curing and sodium nitrites or saltpeter are added, giving the meat its bright-pink color. The cut of meat used in corned beef is brisket, from the lower chest muscles of the animal. With lots of connective tissue, it needs long, slow cooking to become tender. In the supermarket you’ll find two different cuts – the point cut and the flat cut.

The point cuts are thicker with more marbling. As this fat melts during cooking, the result will be flavorful, tender and juicy. Flat cuts are leaner and more regular in thickness, making them easier to slice and prettier in presentation. To select your corned beef at the store, squeeze the package to make sure the meat is firm. If it’s soft or squishy, there’s likely too much fat on the flesh. 

When packaged for sale, corned beef will come with a small envelope of seasonings to add to your simmering water. These include black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, crushed bay leaves, anise seeds and mustard seeds. I often add more of these ingredients, as the packet contents always seem too meager. I’ve included instructions for cooking a corned beef and a slider recipe that will accommodate your leftovers. 

Simmered Corned Beef

Allie’s Corned Beef Sliders

Preheat oven to 350 F. Prepare dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish and Worcestershire sauce; set aside. Without separating the rolls, slice through them horizontally. Place the bottom halves in a glass baking dish; lightly coat with dressing. Layer corned beef onto rolls, followed by sauerkraut and cheese. Brush the cut side of the tops with dressing and set them over the bottoms. Mix together butter, mustard, garlic powder, cheese and poppy seeds, then drizzle evenly over the buns. Cover pan with foil and bake until browned and cheese has melted, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cut to separate rolls. Yield: 12 servings.