Whether it’s for a traditional St. Patrick’s Day dinner, or to make a Reuben Sandwich, fresh Corned Beef that you make yourself is a delicious way to go. Corned Beef brine is a combination of salts (including curing salt), sugar, vinegar, and savory seasonings. When I smoke a brisket, I like to remove the point from the flat and then make corned beef from the point. You do have to plan ahead – it needs to soak in the brine for at least 10 days. This recipe is a combination of Alton Brown’s and that recommended by Weston Foods.
The brined brisket is now corned beef. You can freeze this and cook it later.
Ingredients
5# Beef Brisket
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt (450 grams or 1#)
2 Tbsp Prague Powder (curing salt)
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup dark corn syrup
½ cup apple cider vinegar
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 cinnamon stick (½ to 1 tsp cinnamon powder)
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp pepper corns
½ Tbsp dill seeds
1 tsp whole cloves (~8)
1 tsp allspice berries (~8)
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 tsp thyme
3 bay leaves crumbled
½ tsp ground ginger
2# ice
Instructions
Place the water into a stock pot and add the salt, sugar, Prague Powder, and spices.
Cook over high until the salt and sugar are dissolved.
Remove from the heat and add the ice.
Place the brisket into a bucket or bag and add the brine when fully cooled.
Place in the refrigerator for 10 days.
Check daily to stir and make sure the beef stays submerged.
After 10 days, remove and place the brisket into a bucket of clean cold water for 5-10 minutes.
Run the brine through a mesh strainer to catch all of the spices, and rinse under cold water to remove the excess salt.
Run the soak water through the same mesh colander to catch any spices rinsed from the brisket.
Rinse the brisket under running cold water from a minute or two to remove any remaining salt on the outside.
Place the brisket with the spices caught in the mesh strainer into a stock pot and just cover with water.
Bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer covered for 3 hours.
Remove the corned beef from the pot and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes if serving hot, or rest for 30 minutes and then slice for sandwich meat.
Make a Reuben sandwich with sliced corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, coarse mustard and Thousand Island dressing on rye, grilling in a skillet to brown the bread and melt the cheese. Serve with a good kosher dill pickle.
