DC, I do something similar with our corned beef. My husband is on a salt-restricted diet, but he & I dearly love corned beef. So when it's on sale for St. Patrick's Day, I get a hunk and soak it for two days, changing the water at least 2 times a day. Then I cook it in fresh water in my slow cooker. Once the water comes to a simmer/boil in the slow cooker, I change the water again. I know I'm losing flavor, but these are necessary steps for his health's sake. Yet in spite of all that water, the corned beef tastes pretty good -- much milder than regular but tasty nonetheless. So we can enjoy a corned beef & cabbage dinner and corned beef sandwiches for lunch the next day. And no swollen, painful feet or congested lungs from over indulging.

Linnea56: You can do just about what what you had in mind. Sub the Corned Beef for Ham. ***************************** Here is a recipe for Lou's - Pasta e Fagioli ( I've been spelling it wrong!) 1 lb. Great Northern Beans (soaked overnight & drained) 3 quarts of water Or use your canned Northern Beans or, Chick Peas ( Ceci ) 3 Garlic Cloves (chopped small) 3/4 Cup of Tomatoes, diced small 1/3 cup of shredded Carrots 2 Whole Cloves 1/2 pound of cubed Ham or more ,to taste 3/4 cup of Onion chopped small 3 Bay Leaves 1/3 cup of Instant Mashed Potatoes ( or more if needed ) 3 tablespoons of Chicken Flavored Soup Base or 2 cups of Chicken Broth. 3 cups( or more) of cooked Elbow Macaroni or # 9 Spaghetti Salt and Pepper to taste, when beans are almost done. Cooking: Put 3 Quarts of water in a pot, large enough to hold 2 more quarts. Add the beans and start cooking them. Add all the ingredients , except the Ham and Mashed Potatoes. Cook the Beans till they are almost done & add the Ham. When the Beans are cooked soft, add the Inst. Mashed Potatoes, and more if needed to thicken slightly. Add the cooked drained Spaghetti or Elbow macaroni. Add more water if and when needed. You can sprinkle some Parmesan cheese if you like , when serving. Makes about 8 servings, maybe more. Here is another dish, almost the same as Pasta Fagioli.

Finished dinner a couple hours ago, and I MUST say, Ann T., it was outstanding! I used your directions to a "T" and also rubbed the contents of the seasoning packet over it, too (I didn't have coriander). I had a small one (2.5 #) and took it out after 4.76 hours. Now, I must add that I used a point cut, choice grade, which I never normally do - always have used the flat cut. So, don't know how much, if any, that played into the outstanding flavor and tenderness - it was incredibly marbled. My next one will be a flat cut and I will report again my findings here. Thank you Ann T. - clearly another winner of yours and so much easier than simmering for hours, having to constantly check the water level and intensity, etc. Just superb.

The secret to a good braised brisket, in addition to the low and slow as has been recommended, is acid and sugar. Brisket is full of connective tissue that needs to break down. If it'll fit in your slow cooker, you have a cut of brisket. Probably the tip. The whole thing is composed of three different muscles around a big pad of fat, and weighs around 10 lbs. on average. You can slow cook it similarly to the way you do your corned beef, but with different flavors and it'll come out fine. Maybe add wine or beer or sodapop to your braising liquid, for the acid, or tomatoes. An early 20th. C Jewish recipe using convenience foods is very good. I used to make "real" recipes, but the family all love this one. Besides the era's love of packaged foods, this has the advantage of the ingredients being certified kosher, which wasn't so common back in the day. Trim off excess fat but leave the fat cap intact, at least to 1/4". Score the fat cap with a sharp knife down to the meat. Put it in the pan fat side up. Schmear the top with Heinz Chili Sauce (fancy ketchup with onion bits in it). Sprinkle liberally with dry onion or leek soup mix (i.e., very tasty salt). Pour a can of Coca-cola (with sugar, which helps break down the connective tissue, having both acid and sugar, as well as a nice flavor. I use caffeine free because regular is a bit bitter. Ginger ale also works, as does 7up, but the flavor is best with Coke, and the color is nice, too)...pour it around the meat up to 2/3 - 3/4 of the height of the meat. Braise at 275-300° F., covered (foil if there's no cover for the pan). A small tip of brisket might take 2-3 hours. Maybe 4. For a whole 10 lb. one, I do 8-10 hours one day, cover and chill in the pan, then slice it cold, put it back in the pan, and back in for another 6-8 hours. Either at the beginning or the end of the cook, I do about an hour at 350° F, to render down the fat. With a whole one, I do it first. With a piece, when I'm not doing the chill and slice routine, I'm more likely to do it at the end. I wish I knew why.