Don't Toss Out The Salty Goodness Of Leftover Corned Beef Broth

Some folks limit their corned beef consumption to St. Patrick's Day, but many others enjoy the taste of it year-round. Whether we're baking it in a casserole or glazing the beef for a delicious piece of brisket, we're always thinking of creative uses for canned corned beef. Yet, despite cooking it up every which way, there's one part that is usually underutilized: the broth.

Corned beef is made from beef brisket that has been cured in a savory brine. Complete with aromatics like garlic, coriander, mustard seed, black peppercorn, and bay leaves, both the corned beef and the broth come with a rich, peppery kick. With all that flavor, the brine holds too much potential to simply be poured down the drain after plating the meat. Whether it's your own homemade rendition or from a can, the spicy lusciousness of the broth can easily be used to make soups and stews, infusing them with a beefy taste.

While it's made with all these incredible spices, it's also made with salt — a lot of it. Before using the broth for your beef stew or an easy French onion soup, you'll need to dilute it. Not only will this prevent that mouth-puckering, overly salted flavor from seeping through, but it also helps to bulk up the broth, since one can of corned beef probably won't be enough for whatever recipe you're making. Adding water helps to reduce salinity, but you can also opt for unsalted beef broth.

Leftover broth can be used to enhance dishes with a beefy, spiced flavor. The easiest way to do this is with a soup or pasta dish. Corned beef broth in old-fashioned cabbage soup increases the richness and gives all those sweet veggies a deeper flavor. Corned beef broth can also be turned into a quick batch of creamy beef pasta. Heat up some ground beef while simmering pasta in the broth and water. Once that's done, transfer everything into a pan with a luscious tomato paste and heavy cream sauce.

Corned beef broth makes an excellent braising liquid when used in conjunction with others. Cut through the milky sweetness of braised coconut beef ribs with a splash or two of corned beef broth. On top of bringing balance, the coriander, garlic, and mustard seed in the broth are the perfect spices to amp up coconut milk's subdued taste. For something a little more acidic, the broth works in a red wine-braised beef short ribs recipe to give the boozy base a savory touch.

If all that sounds like too much, just use the broth to make a delicious bowl of ramen. After heating the broth for the base, add udon noodles and crumbled corned beef, followed by canned corn, green onions, sesame seeds, and a swirl of miso. The corned beef broth lasts a while in the fridge, so save some for meal-prep friendly ramen, too.