`Isn't the New England Boiled Dinner a variant of Corned Beef and Cabbage with a few more assorted veggies added?`

Beats me, but I think you`re correct, pdq.

I have made the boiled dinner with beef, carrots, onions and potatoes. I boil the cabbage on the side. However, boiled dinner is like pizza or spaghetti sauce--there are as many recipes as there are cooks. As was noted a few times, the key to decent boiled anything is slow cooking and adding the vegetables so the meat and vegetables are finished at the same time. I prefer all vegetables slightly undercooked, and I keep the water they cooked in for soup stock, etc.