I grew up in corn country in central Ill. Bring a pan of water to a boil at high heat, put the corn in, bring back to boil or near boil, cover, remove from heat...ready in 5 min. or less. But the first thing you should do is test your corn before you cook it...stick a finger nail into a kernel near the small end...if you don't see milk it is already old! In that case it is really good as fried corn!

We love Yankee Red Flannel Corned Beef Hash but use the leftovers from a boiled dinner & include the cabbage plus add beets. Yankee Red Flannel Hash (approximate ingredients - use whatever leftovers you have) 1-1/2 cups chopped corned beef 1 cup chopped cooked beets 1 cup chopped cold boiled potatoes 1 cup leftover chopped cabbage 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, peeled, crushed or finely chopped 1/4 cup heavy cream (or whole milk) 2 tablespoons butter Heat butter and saute onion and garlic until soft. In a large bowl mix together corned beef, beets, potatoes and greens with the cream or milk. Stir until well-coated. Add mixture to onion/garlic saute in pan. Stir ocasionally until it is heated thoroughly. Continue to cook until a brown crust forms underneath. Serve with fried eggs. /tricia

Thanks everyone. I will take the advice...low and slow. I think with that much meat, 6 briskets, it could take as long as 3-4 hours. I may use a large dutch oven on top of the stove for a couple of the briskets. I think trying to cram them all in the Nesco may not work. I'm planning on refrigerating the meat and slicing it the next day. I'll take it to work in several zip locks, and then reheat in the nesco with some of the cooking broth doused on top to moisten. I will cook some small new potatoes in the broth in a crock pot and ditto with some cabbage. Every year I organize a Green Food Day on St. Pat's. It is fun. People bring in all kinds of cakes, cookies, dips, and veggies. Donna, your recipe sounds good. I will try that one for my family.

I don't worry a lot about it, but I avoid adding them when possible. I made the canadian bacon and the peameal bacon without it, as they were only brined two and three days, respectively. The salt brine for corned beef is going to keep the meat fine for five days in the fridge without an issue, but if I were leaving it for a couple of weeks, I might have second thoughts. Then again, those fancy steakhouses dry age beef for 40 days or more, so there's that, everyone has to make their own choices about what they are comfortable with. I know that 90% of the nitrates in our bodies come from vegetables, and 10% from processed meats, but there's a difference in nitrates. According to the University of Minnesota: "Normally, sodium nitrate in vegetables does not pose the same health risk as nitrites found in processed meat. The nitrites added to processed meats as preservatives and color enhancers can combine with proteins called amines to form compounds called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines have shown cancer-causing potential in animal studies. Nitrates and nitrites themselves do not have cancer-causing potential. Vegetables contain ascorbic acid, a form of vitamin C and an antioxidant which helps prevent nitrosamine formation, although it might not completely prevent it. Store fresh cooked vegetables high in nitrates for no more than one to two days in the refrigerator or cook only as much as you plan to eat at one time." So, are you more concerned about the food safety issues with leaving beef in brine alone, or with the nitrates added to your diet? It's strictly your call, the flavor will be there no matter what. Laceyvail, I never thought of corning the tongue, that's a good idea! Do you take the skin off it first, or brine with the skin on? Annie