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Home corned beef

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Hoser View Drop Down
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Joined: 06 February 2010
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    Posted: 05 March 2015 at 04:59
Well folks, St Paddy's day is quickly approaching, and to get in the true spirit I've decided to corn, or pickle my own beef this year.
It is quite a simple process that purportedly pays off with a much better flavor brisket when it comes to the final cook.

I'll be using the recipe from Michael Ruhlman's charcutery book and will update the post as time goes by.

Here is the recipe....all things you already have in your pantry. (probably)

Home-Cured Corned Beef

1-1/2 cups kosher salt*
½ cup sugar
4 teaspoons pink salt (sodium nitrite), optional
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons pickling spice
1 5-pound beef brisket
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and cut in two
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped.

In pot large enough to hold brisket, combine 1 gallon of water with kosher salt, sugar, sodium nitrite (if using), garlic and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.

Place brisket in brine, weighted with a plate to keep it submerged; cover. Refrigerate for 5 days.

Remove brisket from brine and rinse thoroughly. Place in a pot just large enough to hold it. Cover with water and add remaining pickling spice, carrot, onion and celery. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer gently until brisket is fork-tender, about 3 hours, adding water if needed to cover brisket.

Keep warm until ready to serve. Meat can be refrigerated for several days in cooking liquid. Reheat in the liquid or serve chilled. Slice thinly and serve on a sandwich or with additional vegetables simmered until tender in the cooking liquid.

*A note about the saltSalt level not hugely critical here because it’s basically boiled and excess salt moves into cooking liquid.  You can weigh out 12 ounces here if you feel better using a scale (approximately a 10% brine).  Or you can simply make a 5% brine of however much water you need to cover (6.4 ounces per gallon).  When you cook it, season the cooking liquid to the level you want your meat seasoned. 

.Pickling Spice

2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons allspice berries
1 tablespoon ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
2 to 4 bay leaves, crumbled
2 tablespoons whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground ginger.

Combine peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry pan. Place over medium heat and stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn them; keep lid handy in case seeds pop. Crack peppercorns and seeds in mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife on cutting board.

Combine with other spices, mix. Store in tightly sealed plastic or glass container.

You are all welcomed to join in, and perhaps we can compare notes afterward.

Go ahead...play with your food!
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Joined: 21 February 2012
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2015 at 05:13
Just a note on procedure. After burning more than my share of spices I came up with a slightly different method. I heat the empty pan. When it's screaming hot I add the spices, shaking constantly. As soon as they release their fragrance and start to color (which only takes seconds) I pour them out of the hot pan.

Haven't burned any spices (nor sesame seeds, nor pine nuts) since I started that method.

But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gonefishin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 March 2015 at 11:07
   Thanks for posting Hoser!  You know, I've got a full brisket in the freezer...maybe I'll separate it and make half of it into corned beef

   I haven't made corned beef yet, although we've made venison and goose pastrami a number of times.  

  I look forward to seeing the results!
Enjoy The Food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 March 2015 at 01:28
Originally posted by HistoricFoodie HistoricFoodie wrote:

Just a note on procedure. After burning more than my share of spices I came up with a slightly different method. I heat the empty pan. When it's screaming hot I add the spices, shaking constantly. As soon as they release their fragrance and start to color (which only takes seconds) I pour them out of the hot pan.

Haven't burned any spices (nor sesame seeds, nor pine nuts) since I started that method.


Hey...thanks Brook. I guess I've burnt my share of spices as well...I'll try your method and report back on how it went.
Go ahead...play with your food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2015 at 02:28
Tried your method Brook, and I have to admit I certainly prefer it. 
Don't think I had the spices in the pan for 15 seconds.....my new go-to method.Thumbs Up

Have a nice 7 pound brisket in the bottom drawer of the fridge brining away. I'll leave it in the brine at least a week, probably more like 10 days checking it daily and giving it a mix.

I'll try to get a picture when I check it this morning.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote HistoricFoodie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 March 2015 at 06:29
Glad it worked out for you Dave.
But we hae meat and we can eat
And sae the Lord be thanket
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 March 2015 at 03:36
Brisket is five days into the brining process and looking happy.
I'll remove it on Sunday and slow cook it with Guinness and serve it with the usual cabbage, carrots and onions and will also make a loaf of my favorite dill batter bread.

Go ahead...play with your food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hoser Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 March 2015 at 02:44
OK....had the brisket in the pickle for 10 days...took it out and gave it a good rinse, patted it dry and rubbed it with brown sugar and a couple tablespoons of pickling spices.

Darned thing was so big I had to cut it to fit it into the large slow cooker.

put the cooker on low, and covered the beef with Guinness draught.


Also baked up a nice loaf of dill batter bread to go with the steamed cabbage, onions, carrots and taters.


Gave it 8 hours in the cooker, then served.


I'll tell you what....I am a convert to making your own brine and taking the time to do this at home. Everyone agreed it was the best tasting corned beef they ever had, and I will be doing this again. The pictures just don't do it justice. Hey Phil! I need a photography lesson.
Go ahead...play with your food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote gonefishin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 March 2015 at 11:00
   Thanks for posting your impressions, Hoser!  This is something I really want to do, and will at some point soon.  Earlier, I thought I had a full brisket in the freezer...but I was mistaken.  

  Looks, and sounds great!
Enjoy The Food!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote TasunkaWitko Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 March 2015 at 22:44
Beautiful job, Dave! I will have to try this next year ~ thanks for an inspiring pictorial!
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