Rinse the corned beef and place in a large Dutch oven along with the spices (most packaged corn beef briskets come with a spice packet, if not, no worries)

Add onion, celery and carrots and fill with water at least two inches above meat.

Bring to a boil, cover and lower to a simmer and cook for up to three hours or until tender. Start checking at 2 ½ hours by slicing off a small sliver to test.

Remove the corned beef to a cutting board, discard the other solids but leave the liquid in the pan.

While the corned beef is cooking, cut up the cabbage and onion and drain the sauerkraut.

Also, while the meat is cooking, heat oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the bread strips on a foil lined sheet tray and drizzle on the butter. Toss and bake for 10-12 minutes to toast. Remove to cool and turn off oven.

If following our Russian dressing recipe, make that now. You will use about two cups of the recipe, which makes 3 ½ cups.

As soon as the corned beef is out of the pot and you have discarded the other solids, add the cabbage, onion and sauerkraut and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer fast for 30 minutes.

After the corned beef is cool enough to handle, slice off and discard all fat. If the brisket has fat in the center, separate the two pieces and slice off the fat.

Slice the corned beef against the grain into ¼ slices. Then slice the slices into bite sized pieces.

Drained the cooked cabbage mixture.

To assemble, in a large bowl, toss cooked corned beef pieces, Swiss cheese, drained cabbage mixture and enough dressing to coat the mixture.

Divide into bowls and top with the toasted bread strips.