Corned Beef

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

I am in the process of starting the brine and I rather strongly suspect there is an important typo. The recipe as shown calls for "2 tablespoons saltpeter ". Based upon my experience with meat curing that is a HUGE (and potentially dangerous amount. I have no problem with saltpeter (potassium nitrate but I do with the amount called for in this recipe. 1- 2 teaspoons should be more than enough (1 teaspoon should suffice.

The FDA allowance for brine curing is 700 ppm. Based upon my estimate of the brine amount of 6.75 lbs, 700 ppm would be about 2.1 grams of saltpeter.

Be careful! This is NOT something you want to use in excess!

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

Just finished devouring the first serving of the point cut brisket I made. Delicious.

I followed the recipe to the letter, with the exception of the cinnamon which I left out from the brine because I'm allergic to it. Instead of a bag I used a plastic container filled to the top (no air left inside which was parked on the lowest shelf in the fridge for 10 days. Cooked for 3h last night, had it for breakfast this morning.

A note on saltpeter. Use it, and use the real stuff not various curing mixes. The mixes may not have saltpeter at all - some have sodium nitrite, which is a different chemical; still used in preserving, just with a different scope. Also the amount of saltpeter they have, if any, is tiny (about 6% max - the rest is salt.

You can find saltpeter on ebay if none is available locally.

Anyway, the brisket came out a deep red, very nice. The same color as what I had rated the best corned beef I had had so far in a deli in Williamsburg, Brooklyn a few years ago (big affluence in the local Jewish community. This however is better.

Thanks Alton for this excellent recipe.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

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

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

WOW! This was the best corned beef I've had. Easy to make and flavorful. I had a hard time finding salt peter, but my local Gander Mountain sporting goods store had a cure with sodium nitrite, which worked perfectly. Beautiful pink meat. You will love this recipe.

Flag

Flag This Review?

You must provide a reason for flagging this review.

Please provide the reason why you think this review is inappropriate.

• Submit

or Cancel

That's what my husband said when he ate it. I thought it was easy to make. I did have a little problem though. Two days before it was supposed to come out of the brine I had a family emergency and had to leave town. I couldn't find anyone that was willing to finish this for me. So what to do....I figured that if the raw ones in the grocery store have been frozen than I could do that too. I emptied most of the brine out of the bag, and sealed it. I put that bag into another freezer bag and tossed it into the deep freeze. Three weeks later I was back in town and ready to cook it. I thawed it and simmered it for six hours (it was 1/2 of a whole brisket on the big side then I added home grown cabbage, potatos, and carrots in the last hour. We went to happy hour and when we got home it was perfect. I will definately make this again.