Corned Beef Brisket

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Made my first ever corned beef from scratch. It was so easy that it was rediculous. I simply followed what appeared to be a good recipe and technique after googling "Corned Beef Recipe". I mixed kosher salt and sugar with water, brought it to a boil to dissolve the solids, and let it cool. I added about 3 tbs. pickling spice to the water, placed the brisket into a gallon size plastic zipper bag, Added the brine/spice mixture, and let it sit in the fridge at abotu 35'F. for 5 days. I took it out of the bag, washed it to remove excess salt and spices, put it into the slow cooker, covered with water, and let it go for the night, and the next work day.

The flavor was much better than the store bought corned beef. I will be doing this again. It was sooooo tender and flavorful.

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[FrankZ]

I had thought to do my own as well, though I thought of it Tuesday.. ooops...

Glad it worked out for you.

 

[Andy M.]

I made my own once a few years ago. It didn't taste great - not the right spice mix. I was able to buy CB that was good so I didn't pursue it. The last couple of years, the CB has been not as good and getting more expensive. It might be time to try making my own again.

 

[FrankZ]

We bought our Wednesday night, and frankly, it was a steal.

I think we paid less than $1/lb for it.

 

[Andy M.]

We bought our Wednesday night, and frankly, it was a steal.

I think we paid less than $1/lb for it.

We used to be able to buy CB for $0.99/Lb year after year. A few years ago, the price jumped to $3.50-$3.99/Lb and it doesn't go on sale after the 17th. I bought two this year and tossed one into the freezer to enjoy later.

 

[pacanis]

I bought one extra for the freezer, at 3.69/lb (I think). Brisket are hard to come by here as it is. I've got one soaking right now. I'm going to turn it into pastrami tomorrow.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Here's the recipe I used:
10 cups water
1/2 cups kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 off the shelf bottle of McCormic's Pickling Spice
1 fresh beef brisket, 7 Lbs.

Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. let cook.

Place the trimmed brisket into a 1 gallon plastic zipper bag. Add the cooled liquid and the whole bottle of pickling spice. Remove all air and seal. Place in the fridge for 5 days.

When ready to cook, remove the meat and discard the spiced brine. Wash the meat with fresh, running water. Place into a slow cooker, or heavy roasting pan, cover with water, put the lid on, and cook on the low setting overnight and the next day. Serve with your favorite sides.

This recipe will also work with a top round roast, or inside round, and give you a finished, cooked meat that can be sliced paper thin and piled high to make amazing sandwiches. Yum!

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[taxlady]

Here's the recipe I used:
10 cups water
1/2 cups kosher salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 off the shelf bottle of McCormic's Pickling Spice
1 fresh beef brisket, 7 Lbs.

Combine the water, salt, and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt. let cook.

Place the trimmed brisket into a 1 gallon plastic zipper bag. Add the cooled liquid and the whole bottle of pickling spice. Remove all air and seal. Place in the fridge for 5 days.

When ready to cook, remove the meat and discard the spiced brine. Wash the meat with fresh, running water. Place into a slow cooker, or heavy roasting pan, cover with water, put the lid on, and cook on the low setting overnight and the next day. Serve with your favorite sides.

This recipe will also work with a top round roast, or inside round, and give you a finished, cooked meat that can be sliced paper thin and piled high to make amazing sandwiches. Yum!

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North

I have only used methods that didn't use water. (The salt draws liquids out of the meat and a brine forms.) I may try your recipe, because I could put it in something made of glass or steel instead of the plastic bag. I'm trying to avoid using plastic that touches foods.

 

[taxlady]

It doesn't have to be brisket, if you are making it yourself. It doesn't even need to be beef. It tastes better when the meat isn't too lean.

 

[FrankZ]

We used to be able to buy CB for $0.99/Lb year after year. A few years ago, the price jumped to $3.50-$3.99/Lb and it doesn't go on sale after the 17th. I bought two this year and tossed one into the freezer to enjoy later.

We didn't realize how cheap it was until we got to the register. Something on the order of $15 savings $13.50 or something like that.

I think we ended up paying more for the head of cabbage.

Crazy.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Thank you for the recipe Goodweed. I have 4 airtight containers, each big enough for a 4 pound brisket. And with my new Foodsaver! I'll be able to create my own low-sodium corned beef.

 

[NoraC]

I bought one extra for the freezer, at 3.69/lb (I think). Brisket are hard to come by here as it is. I've got one soaking right now. I'm going to turn it into pastrami tomorrow.

CAn you elaborate on how you will do this? I ended up with an extra CB brisket, when I added lamb to our menu in order to have a low sodium entree. I keep hearing "just smoke it", but that's kinda vague, LOL.

 

[LindaZ]

I heard that years ago, around the Depression Era, corned beef was almost a throw away meat. It was considered "poor food" - and very cheap. I guess as it became more popular, it also became more expensive. Ours was around $13.00 and excellent after cooking 8 hours in the crockpot, I almost didn't need a knife to slice it. My only regret is that St. Patricks's Day comes but once a year - then again, what's that got to do with it?

 

[pacanis]

CAn you elaborate on how you will do this? I ended up with an extra CB brisket, when I added lamb to our menu in order to have a low sodium entree. I keep hearing "just smoke it", but that's kinda vague, LOL.

It's my first time trying this and there are lots of different methods I came across. The method I am going to use is; Soak for 6 hours in water, changing the water every two. Rince and rub with black pepper, corriander and garlic powder (I went 3:1:1).... these steps are already done and it's been in the fridge overnight in plastic wrap. In a couple hours I'm going to put it on the smoker, a Weber Smokey Mountain, with maple wood and smoke at 200-225F until the meat gets to 165F. Then let cool and slice thin. Just about everyone agreed to use a mild wood and to keep your temps on the cool side of 225.

Now, I read several recipes that said to take to 200F, like you typically do for brisket, but one I found said you don't need to since the beef was corned, or brined... that it will be tender and done and 165. So we'll see It made sense to me.

 

[NoraC]

It's my first time trying this and there are lots of different methods I came across. The method I am going to use is; Soak for 6 hours in water, changing the water every two. Rince and rub with black pepper, corriander and garlic powder (I went 3:1:1).... these steps are already done and it's been in the fridge overnight in plastic wrap. In a couple hours I'm going to put it on the smoker, a Weber Smokey Mountain, with maple wood and smoke at 200-225F until the meat gets to 165F. Then let cool and slice thin. Just about everyone agreed to use a mild wood and to keep your temps on the cool side of 225.

Now, I read several recipes that said to take to 200F, like you typically do for brisket, but one I found said you don't need to since the beef was corned, or brined... that it will be tender and done and 165. So we'll see It made sense to me.

Thanks!

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

Well done Goodweed, the brine is similar to the one I use but I add salt peter, the next thing you should try is Ox Tongue

 

[taxlady]

It's my first time trying this and there are lots of different methods I came across. The method I am going to use is; Soak for 6 hours in water, changing the water every two. Rince and rub with black pepper, corriander and garlic powder (I went 3:1:1).... these steps are already done and it's been in the fridge overnight in plastic wrap. In a couple hours I'm going to put it on the smoker, a Weber Smokey Mountain, with maple wood and smoke at 200-225F until the meat gets to 165F. Then let cool and slice thin. Just about everyone agreed to use a mild wood and to keep your temps on the cool side of 225.

Now, I read several recipes that said to take to 200F, like you typically do for brisket, but one I found said you don't need to since the beef was corned, or brined... that it will be tender and done and 165. So we'll see It made sense to me.

Are you starting with fresh brisket or with corned beef? If with fresh brisket, why soak it first? If it's fresh brisket, then it isn't corned beef without salt in the process, even though it will probably taste like corned beef.

 

[Andy M.]

To make a corned beef, you start with a fresh beef brisket and soak it in a seasoned brine. Soaking it in the brine makes it corned. Most corned beef is made with the brisket cut but other cuts of beef can also be corned.

 

[pacanis]

Are you starting with fresh brisket or with corned beef? If with fresh brisket, why soak it first? If it's fresh brisket, then it isn't corned beef without salt in the process, even though it will probably taste like corned beef.

I'm using one of the two corned beefs I bought and mentioned earlier in this thread. It is recommended they be soaked, even for smoking and turning into pastrami.

You know, it's kind of funny. People brine foods all the time and don't soak them to remove the brine taste before cooking, yet for corned beef soaking is recommended. Is that because it has been packaged?

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I'm using one of the two corned beefs I bought and mentioned earlier in this thread. It is recommended they be soaked, even for smoking and turning into pastrami.

You know, it's kind of funny. People brine foods all the time and don't soak them to remove the brine taste before cooking, yet for corned beef soaking is recommended. Is that because it has been packaged?

Corned beef has a lot of salt in it and needs to be washed to remove excess salt from the surface. If you are going to poach it, much of that salt will be drawn into the fresh water, rendering the meat edible. If you are going to grill, or smoke it, the soaking is done to remove the excess salt.

The same is true of a country smoked ham that has been cured in salt, and then smoked in a smokehouse. If you try to eat it straight from the processor, it is so salty that it is inedible, and must be poached before baking. Remember, corning is a method that was used to preserve the meat with little or no refrigeration. The salt inhibited the growth of organisms that are dangerous, and that spoil the meat. Corning is just another salting/curing method, albeit with the addition of pickling spices to enhance the meat flavor.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North