Corned beef is remembered for its uniquely shaped cans

Continuing to explore the stories of great American breakfast foods, the trail leads to Chicago, Ill., and the establishment of Libby, McNeill & Libby in 1868.

The company was formed by Archibald McNeill and his brothers-in-law Arthur Libby and Charles Libby. The business began with a canned meat product – “beef in brine,” more commonly known as corned beef.

Arthur Libby designed the distinctive package, a can in the shape of a trapezoidal prism. The can is wider on the bottom (the side you open).

 

“No other product has adopted the trapezoidal prism tin,” wrote Crawford Smith, a contributor to the food website Mashed.com. “If you see that can on a shelf, you know exactly what’s going to be inside it – corned beef.”

Getting into the can is the tricky part. First, use an old-fashioned can punch tool to make a triangular shaped hole in the top of the can to “give it some air.” This helps ensure that the block of delicate minced meat will slide out of its package.

The product comes with a “key opener” attached to the can. Turn the can on its side and position the slotted key opener over the tab. While gripping the can with one hand, gently turn the key with the other hand in a clockwise direction.

 

This action will start to open the can. A thin band of metal will wind around the key as you go. Continue turning the key until it has gone all the way around the lid. Presto. Carefully remove the base of the can with its curly tail and discard. Beware of sharp edges.

 

If the corned beef chunk doesn’t slide right out, use a fork to extract the meat from the can.

At some point, Libby, McNeill & Libby transitioned to Libby’s, and the company quickly diversified its canning operations to include fruits and vegetables. None of the three founders lived beyond 1904. The original company has been carved up several times, but Libby’s brands are still being marketed to consumers.

Corned beef is salt-cured brisket of beef brought to the United States by Jewish immigrants from northern Europe. The term comes from the treatment of the meat with large-grained rock salt about the size of kernels of corn. Hence, corned beef.

Susan Selasky, food writer at the Detroit (Mich.) Free Press said: “The brisket comes from the front chest area of the cow, near the bottom. There are two briskets per animal. The brisket is one of the tougher cuts of meat because the animal works the muscles there as it moves.”

“This requires slow cooking of the brisket over low heat to tenderize the meat.”

 

What do you do with leftover corned beef? Cut it up into small pieces and mix it with chopped onions, diced potatoes and assorted spices to make “hash,” another meal.

Corned beef hash became popular during and after World War II. Since rationing limited the availability of fresh meat, canned corned beef filled the gap. Nothing was wasted. In lean times, stretching a meal became a priority.

After the war, food distributors, including Libby’s, began putting corned beef hash into cans in the 1950s, using cylindrical shaped packages that could be opened with “ordinary” can openers.

 

Just open a can and scoop it out with a spoon. Heat by using the microwave, oven or stove top.

Food editors say: “Corned beef hash is most often served for breakfast with fried or poached eggs – it’s nice to mingle soft yolk with the hash – and toast.”