Corned Beef

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2007

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Corn the Beef

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (38)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(38)

Cook Time:
3 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
6 to 8 servings

Times:

Prep: 20 min
Inactive Prep: 240 hr 0 min
Cook: 3 hr 0 min
Total:: 243 hr 20 min

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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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Comments & Reviews

recipe Corned Beef
mark crystal city, MO 03-16-2010
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Good Stuff!!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used a whole packer brisket (17lbs) doubled the recipe and it came out terrific!! I cut it in half after 6 days and cooked... the first half, it was very good but the second half after 10 days was really that much better.Read more
recipe Corned Beef
Wendy Wooster, OH 03-01-2010
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The Best Corned Beef I've EVER made
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've used other recipes to make corned beef but none are as good tasting or as easy as this one. Thank you Alton! Also thank... you Kidron, Ohio apparently the only place in the United States where they still sell saltpetre.Read more
recipe Corned Beef
Nina Cambridge, MA 01-12-2010
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Sweeter than expected
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

This was my first attempt at homemade corned beef. I used Prague Powder #1 Pink Curing Salt instead of the saltpetre. The... beef turned out very good, just quite a but spicier (sweeter from the allspice, clove, cinnamon...) than I expected.Read more
recipe Corned Beef
Nick Omaha, NE 01-05-2010
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Great Stuff
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I used praque powder #1, pickling spices and instead of boiling in water i used Guiness Stout. It turned out marvelous. ... 6lbs lasted 4 days between my wife and I. I will definitely do this again very soon except i'm doing a full brisket.Read more
recipe Corned Beef
donn gilbert, AZ 11-02-2009
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great recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Used this on a 6lb flat brisket, except I used 3 TBS Morton's Tender Qucik in place of the saltpeter. After 12 days I cut... the brisket in half, simmered half per the recipe and the other half I soaked in warm water and then grilled at 250 deg for two and a half hours. Both halves came out great, with the grilled half having a denser, more intense flavor. I have a 13 lb full brisket brining now.Read more
recipe Corned Beef
Dave rexburg, ID 10-20-2009
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Wild Duck/Goose
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

This recipe is awesome when used on wild goose or duck breast. Add a pastrami rub and smoke it for great pastrami as well.