Homemade Corned Beef
I was nervous the first time I made corned beef. The thought of a beef brisket sitting in the fridge for over a week is a little disconcerting. I’ve made it many times since my first attempt and haven’t had a problem yet.
It takes several days, but it is very easy to do. Slow cooking it with Fermented Sauerkraut is one of my favorite meals. I get my pink curing salt online at spicebarn.
Ingredients:
- 5 lb beef brisket
Brine:
- 1 gal water
- 2 cups kosher salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 5 tsp pink curing salt
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup pickling spice
Combine brine ingredients and heat to dissolve. Let cool completely. I usually heat about 3 quarts of the water with the other ingredients to dissolve then add 2 lb of ice to cool it quicker.
Trim fat from brisket and hit it several times on each side with a meat tenderizer.
Place beef and brine in a non-reactive container (stainless steel, glass, or plastic). You can also use a Ziploc bag. Weigh the beef down with a plate to keep it submerged.
Place in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Turn the brisket a couple times while it is brining. After it has brined remove and rinse thoroughly. A couple times it came out a little too salty. I have started soaking it in fresh water for about an hour after the corning process to remove some of the saltiness.
The Cooking Cobb 
[…] I have been making my own fermented sauerkraut for a couple years now. It takes a little time to make, but I think it is completely worth it. It is wonderful with Homemade Corned Beef. […]
Sauerkraut (Fermented) « The Cooking Cobb
June 29, 2011