Corned Beef

Alton Brown

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Corn the Beef

Picture of Corned Beef Recipe Photo: Corned Beef Recipe
Rated 5 stars out of 5
  • Rate This Recipe
  • Read 71 Reviews
Total Time:
243 hr 20 min
Prep
20 min
Inactive
240 hr 0 min
Cook
3 hr 0 min
Yield:
6 to 8 servings
Level:
Easy
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Ingredients

  • 2 quarts water
  • 1 cup kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons saltpeter
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 8 whole allspice berries
  • 12 whole juniper berries
  • 2 bay leaves, crumbled
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 2 pounds ice
  • 1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed
  • 1 small onion, quartered
  • 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

Directions

Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

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Beer Suggestion for This Recipe

Dark Beer

Dark Beer

Toasty, bracing beer

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Newest Ratings and Reviews

Read all 71 reviews

  • on January 22, 2012

    Flag

    This was so good - best corned beef I've ever had. I had a 12# brisket and by the time I trimmed it, it was about 8#. I cut the point end off and brined the two pieces separately so they'd fit in the bags. I was really freaked out by the gray color when I took them out 10 days later, but once cooked and sliced, they were beautifully pink inside. I put them both in a large roaster and braised in the oven for 4 1/2 hours. Just amazing and will make again for St Patty's Day. Don't change a thing and you will be pleased. You can get saltpeter online at Penn Herb.

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  • on January 15, 2012

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    WOW 3 weeks? just put mine in the brine 2 days ago and still have to wait another 8 days!! will 3 weeks really make it that much better? cause if so i'll let it go for another 2 weeks...what do you guys think?

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  • on January 01, 2012

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    Three weeks is about right for brine time; you can actually see the brine curing the beef. So much better than the stuff in the store that there is no comparison.

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