St. Patrick's Day is right around the corner, and what better way to celebrate than with some homemade corned beef? Instead of buying a pre-cured corned beef, or heading out to a restaurant for your meal, take a crack at making it yourself this year! Pick up a beef brisket from Ribeye Butcher Shop along with a few other ingredients, and you're on your way to a St. Patrick's Day feast. ☘️
Ingredients:
- 5 lb beef brisket
- 1 ½ cups kosher salt (300 grams)
- ½ cup sugar (100 grams)
- 4 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrite) - optional, but recommended for colour and flavour
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 tbsp pickling spice - you can use store bought, or you can make your own with a variety of spices including whole cloves, allspice berries, cardamom pods and more. Check out a pickling spice recipe here if store-bought isn't your thing!
- 1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 medium onion, peeled and cut in two
Instructions:
Prepare the Curing Brine:
- In a large bowl, combine the kosher salt, sugar, pink salt (if using), minced garlic and pickling spice. Mix well.
- Add enough water to cover the brisket completely (about 2 quarts or 8 cups).
- Stir until the salts and sugar dissolve and create a brine.
Cure the Brisket:
- Place the beef brisket in a non-metallic container (such as a large zip-top bag or a large glass baking dish).
- Pour the brine over the brisket, ensuring it is fully submerged.
- Add the chopped carrot and onion to the brine.
- Seal the container or bag and refrigerate for 5 to 7 days. Turn the brisket occasionally to evenly distribute the flavours.
Rinse and Simmer:
- After the curing period, remove the brisket from the brine.
- Rinse it thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt.
- Place the brisket in a large pot or Dutch oven.
- Cover it with fresh water and add additional pickling spices if desired.
- Bring the water to a simmer over medium heat.
- Reduce the heat and let the brisket simmer gently for 3 to 4 hours or until it becomes tender.
Cool, Slice and Serve:
- Once the brisket is tender, remove it from the cooking liquid.
- Let it cool slightly.
- Slice the corned beef across the grain into thin slices.
- Serve your homemade corned beef with classic accompaniments like boiled cabbage, potatoes and mustard.
