Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Early in the week I was at the grocery store picking up more chicken for the kid (our furry 4-legged kid who is on the raw diet) when I came across the stacks of packaged corned beef... going for only 97 cents/pound! I was intrigued. Even though I still have 2-1/2 more weeks to go before going carnivorous again, I could always save it in the freezer... yes. I'll pick one up. No, make that four.

So St. Patty's day came suddenly (yes, suddenly) and I completely forgot about the corned beef, even though it had only been 2 days since I bought them. It was too late to stick it in the crock pot, so I decided that when I got home from work, I'd defrost it really quick and stick it in the oven. Well, I didn't get home from work until about 7:30 and the 3-lb chunk of corned beef spent 25 minutes in the microwave defrosting. I peeled and sliced several potatoes and lined the bottom of the roasting pan with it (sprinkled with only some salt and pepper), and then finally got the meat onto the rack directly on top of the potatoes... spread the little packet of seasoning over the meat that came with it, and finally popped it into the oven. At 8:05 pm. The oven was preheated to 350F and I set the timer for 45 minutes. This was going to be one late dinner.

After the first round of beeps, I checked the meat and it was not quite ready. I looked at the clock. Really?! It was almost 9 pm. I closed the oven door, cranked the temperature up to 425F and set the timer for another 15 minutes. 

After more beeping, I decided I really needed to get the meat out and feed the family. I could hear pacing. If anything, I could slice around the outside and stick the inside back in the oven if it was way to rare. So I took the meat out and let it sit for a few minutes before slicing it... giving the knife a few slides against the sharpening stick, I pulled it across the meat and...

...it was the ultimate test of willpower to not inhale a slice that glistened at my fingertips. Ahhh the sweet aroma of beef sizzling in herbs...

I turned my attention to the potatoes with their crispy edges and insides softened by the meat juices... I attacked them like no other. Meat juices are technically not meat flesh, I concluded - I had not caved, I was still being good.