Homemade Corned Beef
Take a few days and make your own cured beef with this step by step guide to explore deeper, customizable flavor in a loved classic.
Ingredients
Brine
- 1 gallon water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 5 tsp pink curing salt (Also known as Prague Powder, not to be confused with Pink Himalayan Salt)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tbs allspice berries
- 1 tbs whole mustardseed
- 8 whole cloves
- 1 tbs black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves, crumbled
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 stick cinnamon, broken into a few pieces
- 2 tsp red pepper flakes
Cooking
- 4 to 5 lb brisket
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 1 tsp whole mustardseed
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf, crumpled
Instructions
- In a large pan, add the water as well as the kosher salt, curing salt, brown sugar, and garlic. Bring to a boil to dissolve everything, then turn off heat and stir in the spices.
- Refrigerate until the liquid has cooled. Place the brisket in a large 2 gallon zip top bag, then add the brine. If it doesn't all fit, you can use a large container and weigh the meat down to keep it submerged.
- Seal and refrigerate 5 to 7 days, rotating once a day.
- Remove the brisket from the brine. Discard the brine and rinse the brisket under cold water.
- Put the brisket in a large pot and add enough water to cover it. Add the remaining spices (as well as any fun additions you may enjoy, like more garlic, an onion, carrot, or celery) and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the meat is fork tender, about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- Enjoy, hot out of the pot, or refrigerated and used on sandwiches or on anything else your heart desires. The cured meat will last about 4 to 5 days in the fridge.
