How To Make Homemade Corned Beef

If you’re going to do St. Patrick’s Day right, you should do it with a homemade corned beef. All it takes is a couple simple ingredients you can find at the store and a bit of planning ahead, but the result is something of true beauty. No dyes, no extra additives—just good old fashioned Irish fare. You can serve it alongside potatoes and cabbage for a traditional meal or on some rye bread with Swiss cheese and horseradish a la a Reuben sandwich. We like to enjoy this savory dish any way we can get it!

Learn how to make homemade corned beef with our culinary school chef using this cultural recipe. Once it’s done, you’ll understand why from scratch is always best!

Ingredients
12 oz kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrate)
3 cloves garlic, minced
5 tbsp pickling spice
1 5 lb beef brisket
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 medium yellow onion cut in half
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped

Pickling Spice Ingredients
2 tbsp black peppercorns
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp coriander seeds
2 tbsp hot red pepper flakes
2 tbsp allspice berries
2 small cinnamon sticks crushed
4 bay leaves, crumbled
2 tbsp whole cloves

Preparation

1. In a pot large enough, combine 1 gallon of water with kosher salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic and 2.5 tablespoons of pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved.
2. Removed from heat and let it cool to room temperature, you can place in ice bath to cool down faster.
3. Trim any excess fat from beef brisket, place brisket in brine, weighted with a plate to keep it submerged; cover. Refrigerate for 6 days.
4. Remove brisket from the brine and rinse with cold water. Place in a pot large enough, cover with water and add the remaining pickling spice, carrots, onion, and celery. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer until the meat is fork tender, about 3 hours. If needed, add more water.
5. Keep warm until ready to serve. Meat can be kept refrigerated

*Pickling spices can be bought premixed or you can make your own