Homemade Corned Beef
Corning beef is a lengthy process, but it is very rewarding. It requires brining a brisket for a week and then, for corned beef, boiling the brined brisket for a couple hours. For brining, always use a nonreactive (ceramic, enamel, stainless steel, or glass) airtight container. It needs to be large enough to hold a brisket submerged in liquid brine. You will also need two ovenproof “turkey bags” or oven bags. Most supermarkets or box-type stores such as Walmart and Costco carry these. The bags will keep the fridge smells out of your beef as it cures/brines. Always note the date when you start to brine the meat so you’ll know when it’s ready. Keep in mind that this is a big piece of meat. Corned beef is meant to be used for leftovers. If you are going to corn a brisket, serve it for dinner and make hash with the leftovers. You could also make a corned beef and cabbage dinner. If you make Homemade Pastrami (page 182), make sandwiches with the fresh stuff, and serve pastrami and eggs with the leftovers. These meats will keep for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 12
Ingredients
For the Pickling Spices
For the Brine
For the Corned Beef
Preparation
Step 1
Make the pickling spices: Combine the peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, allspice berries, mace, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, and ginger in a medium bowl. Measure out 3 tablespoons for the brine and 1/4 cup for the cooking, and set the rest aside. (The pickling spices will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 6 months.)
Step 2
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the salt. When the salt is completely dissolved, set the pot aside to cool to room temperature.
Step 3
When cooled, stir in the garlic, pickling spices, bay leaves, and juniper berries; set aside.
Step 4
Prepare the corned beef: Trim the brisket so there is only about 1/4-inch of fat. Remove the deckle, which is the small separate piece that is separated from the main piece by a layer of fat. (The deckle is much fattier than the rest of the brisket. If you are buying meat from a good butcher, ask him to remove the deckle and grind it for a burger.)
Step 5
Place the trimmed brisket in a doubled turkey bag or oven bag. Place the bagged brisket in a casserole dish large enough to hold the meat and the brine. Pour the brine into the bag and seal very well by twisting the inner bag tightly, folding it over, and then twisting the outer bag and tying it tightly.
Step 6
Marinate the meat in the refrigerator for 1 week.
Step 7
To cook the corned beef, remove it from the brine and place it in a pot just large enough to hold it. Discard the brining liquid. Add enough water to the pot to cover the meat. Add 1/4 cup of pickling spices and bring to a boil over medium heat.
Step 8
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer the corned beef gently for 2 1/2 hours, or until fork-tender. Check the water level in the pot occasionally. There should always be enough water to cover the meat, so replenish the water as needed.
Step 9
Remove the corned beef from the cooking liquid. Allow the hot corned beef to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes before slicing, or wrap the fully cooled corned beef in plastic wrap and refrigerate until ready to use.
