How to Make Corn Beef Brisket

Making corned beef brisket at home doesn’t take much preparation but does take time for the meat to "corn". Plan at least twenty days in advance of when you want to serve this delicious meat.

Things You'll Need

• 8 lbs. brisket, boneless and trimmed
• 1 cup sea salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice mix
• 1 head of garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon saltpeter
• Pinch of alum
• Stoneware or ceramic crock with lid

Instructions

1. Place brisket in crock and cover completely with water. Add remaining ingredients and stir to distribute. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 4 days.

2. Place in the refrigerator for an additional 16 days. Remove the brisket from the crock and put in a large kettle or roasting pan and boil 1 to 2 hours. Remove from heat and let stand for 2 hours.

3. Drain off liquid and run under cold water for 30 minutes or more. This seals the juices into the meat.

4. Remove the meat from the water and refrigerate until ready to use.

Tips & Warnings

• Corned beef brisket can be served cold or hot. If serving hot, since the meat is already cooked, steam slices so that the meat does not become tough.

• Add additional peppercorns or other spices, if you desire, during the brining process.

• Corned beef will keep up to a week after it is made; after that, freeze any remaining meat.

• This recipe can be halved for a lesser amount of corned beef. A 4-pound brisket fits almost perfectly in a 5-quart crock pot stoneware insert.