Description
This homemade corned beef recipe delivers robust, tender, and flavorful meat using a carefully crafted brine made from toasted pickling spices and curing salts. Perfect for a traditional boiled dinner or corned beef and cabbage, this recipe beats store-bought versions by miles with its depth of flavor and satisfying texture.
Ingredients
Scale
Pickling Spices
- 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon whole mustard seeds (brown or yellow)
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 teaspoons whole cloves
- 9 whole cardamom pods
- 6 large bay leaves, crumbled
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/2 stick cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons pickling spices (store-bought or homemade, divided)
Brine
- 1 gallon water (3.8 liters)
- 300 g Kosher salt (2 cups Diamond Crystal or 1 cup 3 1/2 tablespoons Morton’s Kosher Salt)
- 5 teaspoons pink curing salt (optional)
- 1/2 cup (90 g) brown sugar
Meat
- 1 5-pound beef brisket
Instructions
- Prepare Pickling Spices: Toast the whole allspice berries, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, red pepper flakes, black peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods in a small frying pan over medium heat until fragrant, being careful not to burn them. Remove from heat and crush the toasted spices lightly using a mortar and pestle or the back of a spoon. Combine with crumbled bay leaves and ground ginger to complete the spice mix.
- Make the Brine: In a large pot, add about 3 tablespoons of the prepared spice mix (reserve the rest for cooking), half stick cinnamon, kosher salt, pink curing salt (if using), brown sugar, and water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from heat and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, refrigerate until the brine is well chilled.
- Cure the Brisket: Place the beef brisket in a large flat container or a 2-gallon freezer bag. Pour chilled brine over the brisket making sure it is completely covered. If using a container, weigh the meat down with a plate if it floats. Refrigerate and brine the brisket for 7 days, flipping it daily to ensure even curing.
- Rinse and Cook: After curing, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Place the brisket in a large pot just big enough to fit the meat, cover with water by at least one inch (add another inch if you prefer less salty meat), and add one tablespoon of pickling spices. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a very low simmer, cover, and cook gently for 3 to 4 hours until the meat is fork tender.
- Slice and Serve: Remove the cooked corned beef to a cutting board. To slice, first cut the brisket in half along the grain (direction of the muscle fibers) then cut thin slices across the grain for optimal tenderness. Serve with your favorite vegetables or as desired.
Notes
- This homemade corned beef recipe produces tastier and more tender meat compared to store-bought varieties.
- If pink curing salt is not used, the meat will not have the traditional pink color but will still be flavorful.
- Reserve some of the pickling spices for cooking the brisket to enhance the flavor of the cooking liquid, which can be used to cook vegetables or cabbage alongside the meat.
- Ensure the brine completely covers the brisket during curing; weigh down or use a freezer bag to achieve this.
- Be cautious not to burn the spices during toasting to avoid a bitter flavor in the final dish.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 532 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 2530 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 13 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 9 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 50 g
- Cholesterol: 180 mg
