Tough cornbeef

I have been making corned beef for years last night was the toughest ever I can I fix it.

Hey Alonso;  Welcome to Permies!
We have been making corned beef for years as well.
Some years its tough and some years not bad at all.
Last year a beautiful looking one was the toughest one ever!
Then this year I picked one up at Costco,  OMG!!! The tenderest tastiest corned beef ever!

Morel of the story, is you just don't know until you cook it!

Once it's done cooking,  and has cooled, if it's still tough, it's only hope for tendering up, in my experience, is changing up how it's served. So, very thinly sliced, across the grain, for sandwiches or frying, or cut in small chunks, for hash, soup, quiche, or casseroles, are ways we've used it.

My preferred method of cooking it is overnight, in the slow cooker. I've honestly never had it come out tough, that way. I've had people going nuts before breakfast, wanting it, though, so buyer beware, lol.

A pressure cooker will tenderize just about any type of meat in short order.  Frozen shanks are falling off the bone after an hour of cooking.   I never use our slow cooker anymore.

Alonzo, like others I didn't think there was any way to make a tough piece of meat tender after it had cooled.  Dear hubby proved that wrong the other day.

I had two pork butts that need to be cooked.  I cooked one then a couple of days later cooked the second one.  It was much bigger than the first one.  After cooking all day I put it in the fridge overnight.

Dear hubby did not feel it was as tender as he wanted so he put it back on to cook it all day again.

I am here to report that he was able to get it so tender that it was falling apart as I tried to take it out of the pan!