Recipes

Homemade Corned Beef

Cuisine: English/Irish

Type: Main Course

Serves: 4

Source:	Cuisine Magazine, Mar/Apr 1999
Attributes:
Comments:	This is far better tasting than corned beef from a package.
Serving Suggestions:	Serve with stuffed cabbage rolls recipe.

Ingredients:

Brine Curing:

4 cups water
1 cup Morton Tender Quick
2 tbs. pickling spices
5 garlic cloves, crushed

4 lb. brisket, preferably the flat cut, trimmed

Rub Ingredients:

2 tbs. brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Glaze Ingredients:

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 tbs. soy sauce
1 tbs. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Instructions:

Brine Curing:

1. Dissolve the Tender Quick in the water. Add the spices and garlic. Pour over the brisket in a container with a lid. (Or use a large Zip-Lock.) Try to keep the brisket submerged in the liquid. Put plates on top of it in the container if necessary. Refrigerate covered container for 48 to 72 hours, turning every 24 hours.

2. (Alternative brining for 6-8 lb brisket: boil 4-1/2 quarts of water, add 2-1/2 pounds sea salt, 3 cups packed dark brown sugar, toasted spices: 1/2 cup coriander seeds, 24 juniper berries, 12 black peppercorns, 12 allspice berries, 4 whole cloves, 2 cardamom pods, 6 bay leaves. Cool. Add beef, garlic is optional, and brine.)

To Cook Corned Beef:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Rinse beef under cold water to wash off curing salts. Pat dry with paper towels.

2. Place beef in a large roasting pan. Combine all rub ingredients and massage over both sides of the brisket -- really work it into the meat.

3. Pour 2 cups cold water into the pan (don't pour it over the beef or you'll wash the rub off). Cover tightly with foil, and braise in oven 1 hour.

4. After 1 hour, remove brisket from pan and discard the liquid. Return meat to pan, add 2 cups fresh water, and cover. Braise another hour.

5. After second hour, drain and replace water as above. Cover and braise a third hour.

6. In a small bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients.

7. After the third hour of braising, remove the beef from the oven; raise heat to 450°. Pour off liquid; brush on glaze. Return to oven, uncovered for 15 minutes. Remove and let rest 10 minutes.

8. Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the beef against the grain. Bias cut for a nice presentation.

9. Serve immediately.

Related recipes:

Cabbage Rolls