I don't know that lightly rinsing it would make it "bland", because it's been soaking in that stuff for a long time. But you may be using too much water if you've got a really large slow cooker, that can leach some of the flavor out. I don't rinse it myself, just dump the whole thing in there. I add extra spices too, because the packet is pretty skimpy. Another way to intensify the flavor is to remove the corned beef from the liquid when it's almost done and finish it in the oven.

Because of this thread, I bought and cooked corned beef brisket last week. It was wonderful!! Very tender and very flavorful. I wondered why I don't cook them more often. Because of this thread I learned to buy a "flat." Until this thread, I did not know there was a difference, or even a choice. I opted for the long simmer in the oven, rather than the bake. I wanted something that would take little of my attention because I was in the middle of making the "car bomb" cupcakes. Rather than cooking the veggies with the brisket, I cooked them separately, mainly because I wanted to make skillet-roasted potatoes (not a fan of boiled potatoes). We got 2 meals out of it, then I got a corned beef sandwich and to finish up the "crumbs," I made a dab of corned beef salad to munch on with crackers. I ♥ CF

Posted by Johnliu: "-----Another way of cooking a roast, definitely fun, is buried in rock salt. No, it doesn't get salty. The salt absorbs heat and transfers it to the meat more effectively than air does, and reduces evaporation of the meat's juices. Just buy 2 lb rock salt, put the roast in a Dutch oven with salt under, over, and all around. ----" That is a very good way to make an extraordinary roast. Basically, the salt layer insulates the heat, allowing the "slow & low" method to take place easier. ---------------------------------------------------- Simple facts "Slow & Low" method addresses: 1. Water boils at 212 F. As long as there is water, you can never go above 212 F, regardless how high you set the temperature. (normal pressure) 2. Meat is a poor conductor of heat. 3. Meat shrinks under high heat and toughens (well-done). 4. Heat can only migrate from high to low and it is not reversible. 5. Meat gets tenderized (collagen denaturing) even at low temperature if cooked long enough. 6. Resting means cold meat. The picture shows a typical roast prepared the typical normal way. No matter how you slice it (PUN?), you generally end up in some degree the following (Which, BTW, to many people that's the way it should be for a perfect ribeye) Zone one - Brown layer (Maillard reaction), Many chefs advise not to char the meat. Browning gives the flavor. Charcoal is not tasty. Also, at higher temperatures, more carcinogenic compounds can be produced. Zone two - well done layer (meat is tough and dry). This is the 212 F to 165 F layer. Zone three - Medium. The 212 F layer of heat travels inward to warn up the colder layer to 145 F. Zone four - Medium rare. The layer is about 135 F. Zone five - Rare. The 212 F finally reaches this layer and warms it to 125 F after a long rest. Meanwhile the 212 F layer is get cold to room temperature from losing heat to the air and to heat the inside of the meat. Zone six - raw, uncooked meat. One problem with "Slow & Low". You produce very little juice, because the meat shrinks very little. The reason for "Low" is ridiculously simple. If the final desired temperature is 125 F, why not just cook at that temperature? The reasons for "slow", well I will let the author Nathan Myhrvold of the $500.00 cook book Modernist Cuisine: The Art and Science of Cooking explain to you why 24 hours is recommended for ribeye. If you just Google his name. And I will also let the famous chef Heston Blumenthal show you in this video how he too cooks low and slow: Here is a link that might be useful: Low & Slow

For Christmas Eve I made a 12 lb loin of beef. I have so much stuff going on that I bought a digital therm with a probe and program it to the proper temp, it beeps when it's done so I don't forget about the beef. I cut the beef in half to make it a little easier to handle and used Ina Gartens recipe. 1 (4 to 5 pound) fillet of beef, trimmed and tied 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Place the beef on a sheet pan and pat the outside dry with a paper towel. Spread the butter on with your hands. Sprinkle evenly with the salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for exactly 22 minutes for rare and 25 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the beef from the oven, cover it tightly with aluminum foil, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 20 minutes. Remove the strings and slice the fillet thickly. Note: Be sure your oven is very clean or the high temperature will cause it to smoke.