Corned Beef is the quintessential dish for a traditional St. Patrick's Day dinner. There isn't any reason not to enjoy it throughout the year, but it can be hard to find in the store once the holiday is over. I like to make my own for the family and have it any time we want. It's a great way to make a tough piece of meat as tasty and succulent as a much fancier cut, and it's a sort of fun experiment to show the little chefs.
Corning is another word for brining, and it means to soak the beef, in this case a brisket, in a salt/sugar and spice solution. This takes 5 days and it's not hard to do, but it does take some commitment of refrigerator space. If you want to try this simple recipe for this year, it's time to start gathering your ingredients.
Homemade Corned Beef
From Fermenting for Dummies
1 Gallon of water
2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
4 tsp pink salt
4 Tbsp pickling spice
5 pounds brisket
2 onions
2 carrots
2 stalks celery
6 cloves of garlic
Directions
1. In a large pot, combine water, salt, sugar, pink salt, and 2 Tbsp pickling spice. Bring to a boil, stirring until salts and sugars are dissolved.
2. Turn off heat and cool to room temperature. Place in refrigerator until cold.
3. Place the brisket into the cold brine, submerging it completely.
4. Brine brisket for 5 days.
5. Remove the meat and rinse. Place meat in a large pot and add water enough to cover.
6. Add remaining pickling spice.
7. Chop the vegetables and add them to the pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 1/2 hours or until meat is tender.
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