How to Slice Corned Beef Brisket

Thin, diagonal cuts of corned beef brisket are ideal.

You can ruin a perfectly prepared corned beef brisket by slicing it wrong. The corning in corned beef refers to the large grains of salt used in the brine to preserve the meat in the days before refrigeration. This brining process does not change the method used for slicing; the same technique used to slice brisket applies to corned beef brisket. Properly cut corned beef brisket will not be stringy or tough.

Things You'll Need

• Serrated knife
• Serving fork

Instructions

1. Chill the corned beef brisket in the refrigerator overnight to make cutting thin slices easier.

2. Place the corned beef on a cutting board with the grain (muscle strings) running from your left to right.

3. Hold the brisket steady with the serving fork.

4. Slice the meat across the grain into 1/4-inch -- or thinner -- slices, starting on your right side and working your way left. Start on your left side and cut the slices to the right if you are left-handed. Keep the knife at an angle as you cut the meat to make wider slices.

5. Warm the slices or serve chilled on a sandwich.

References

• "Joy of Cooking"; Irma von Starkloff Rombauer, et al.; 1997
• "Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs"; Wayne Gisslen; 2006