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We love corned beef but it can be pretty expensive. Consider that brisket sells for an average of $1.49 a pound here, and can often be found for 99 cents a pound, and corned beef sells for upwards of 4.99 a pound, making your own corned beef just makes sense.
Just before Christmas brisket went on sale for 99 cents a pound. I picked up a 12 pound brisket planning on using it for 3 meals. Two corned beef and one BBQ sandwich meal. I just started the corned beef today and it will be five days before it is ready but I thought I would share the process so far. :)
It wasn’t so difficult. I cut the large brisket in 3 pieces. Because the meat needs to be submerged in the brine in a glass pan I couldn’t do one big one. I used my large crockpot insert to hold the meat while it is corning.
Next, you want to carefully trim the fat so that it is about 1/4 inch thick. I would not choose a pretrimmed brisket because they take too much fat off and you end up with dry meat. You can probably also ask the butcher to trim it right at the store. Again, much of the flavor and tenderness will be dependent on the amount of fat so make sure that a good amount of fat stays on.
Once you do that you are going to rub the meat with 1/4 cup Kosher salt. Once the salt is rubbed on all sides of the meat sprinkle it with the pickling spice, the peppercorns, and the bay leaves. Toss three cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped, on top of the meat.
You bring the remaining salt and sugar to a boil in 16 cups (one gallon) of water. Stir it just until the sugar and salt disolve and then pour the mixture (brine) over the meat.
Weigh the meat down so it is covered completely by the brine. An upside down crockery plate works very well. Leave it (covered) in the fridge for three to five days. Check on it once in awhile and make sure that the meat is beneath the brining liquid.
This would not be the time to chill creme brulee or any other delicate flavor dessert. You might find that it tastes a bit like corned beef.
I will update you as the week, and the beef, progresses. :)
Here is the basic recipe:
Homemade Corned Beef
- 4-8 lbs brisket, fat trimmed to 1/4 inch or so
- 1/4 cup kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pickling spices
- 1 tsp peppercorns (I used a mixture of red, black, white, green, pink)
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
- 2 c koshes salt
- 1/2 c sugar
- 16 cups water
- Rub the meat with 1/4 cup salt, place in a large glass pan
- Sprinkle with the pickling spice, peppercorns, bay leaves, and garlic
- Bring remaining salt and sugar to a boil in the 16 c water, stir until dissolved
- Pour over meat
- weigh meat down under the brine and leave for 3 to 5 days
Image:marye audet (c) 2009, all rights reserved
i use a crock pot to cook my corn beef and cabbage …… i place the corn beef in the crock pot with aprox half cup of water …… set crock pot on medium ….. after about 3 add cabbage and let cook for another hour or so …… a meal to dir for …. corn beef is so tender you dont need a knife and god the taste can not be described by any human
I have always made my corned beef (already corned beed) in my trusty Pressure cooker!! Old fashioned but wow it works just great. Put the meat in the pressure cooker with about 1″ of water in the bottom. Pressure cook a 3 lb brisket for about 55 minutes start timing when regulator begins to rock. Turn off heat and allow steam to stop spewing out of cooker. When it is safe to open, unlock lid and remove the brisket to a warm platter and cover with tinfoil. Using the same brisket water, add the cleaned and cut potatoes and carrots and then the cabbage on top of those. Cover again, and when regulator starts rocking, cook vegies for about 6 minutes. Let steam out and uncover when safe. Place on large platter arranging the brisket (sliced) and the vegetables surrounding the meat. SERVE AND ENJOY!! I like to offer a selection of mustards to accompany this most wonderful dish!
I am still trying to get the perfect corned beef. I wasn’t clear about your answer above. You said the meat wasn’t cooked enough, resulting in tough meat. You don’t cook the meat. Did you perhaps mean the brine?
After six or seven days, when the meat was sliced in half, the meat still looked raw on the inside. Also, after I thought the meat was totally cured, it tasted very salty, so I decided to boil the meat for awhile in order to reduce the salt taste. Is it OK to use sea salt instead of kosher salt? Once the meat is cured and I finally get the recipe perfected, how many days can you keep the meat in the refrigerator, or can I also freeze it?
Like you, I prefer to make my own instead of purchasing it. Thanks for your help.
Your recipe looks good. However, I believe that it is very important to note that the boiled brine must be completely cool before it is poured over the meat. Otherwise, the meat will partially cook.
I make corned beef using your recipe. It looks delicious and tastes delicious but the meat is tough. How can I correct this?
I prefer gray to a known carcinogen. :) Saltpetre (sodium nitrate) is a known carcinogen and actually one of the most dangerous food additives there is.
One of the reasons I make my own corned beef is to keep this out.
You might want to add some saltpetre to the brining solution. Home made corned beef turns a bit grey as it “cures”. Saltpetre will preserve the nice red color you find in comercially prepared corned beef.
1208 days ago
[...] I bet you are wondering what ever happened to the corned beef that I was talking about a week ago, aren’t [...]
1213 days ago
[...] Make your own Corned Beef. [...]
Anne- pickling spice is sold in the grocers in the spice section as “Pickling spice”. It is a combination of juniper berries, bay leaves, mustard seed and I don;t know what all. You should be able to find it in the spices section.
Jena…so am I!
I have some corned beef in the freezer that I need to cook up; I’m not a fan, but my husband likes it. looking forward to seeing what comes next!
Your corned beef (under process) looks great. I’d like to make it too. Could you please tell me what is ‘pickling spice?