Ingredients
BRINE AND BRISKET
· 3 to 4 tablespoons pickling spice (Use the recipe as it follows or shortcut to pickling spice from your grocery store)
· 1 cup kosher salt
· 2 tablespoons pink curing salt
· 1/2 cup brown sugar
· 3 garlic cloves, smashed.
· 1 (4 to 5 pounds) beef brisket
· 1 onion, quartered.
· 1 head of garlic, halved crosswise.
PICKLING SPICE
· 2 teaspoons mustard seeds
· 1 teaspoon all spice berries
· 1 teaspoon black pepper corns
· 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
· 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
· 1 teaspoon ground mace
· 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
· 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
· 2 bay leaves, crumbled.
· 1 cinnamon stick, smashed.
GLAZE (OPTIONAL)
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1/2 cup brown sugar
· 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
· 1/2 cup water
Instructions
Making the Pickling Spice:
1. Combine all the spices in a bowl. Reserve.
Making the brine:
1. In a large stockpot, combine 2 quarts of water with the pickling spice, salt, pink salt, brown sugar and 3 smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a boil and cook until the salt and sugar have dissolved.
2. Remove the brine from the heat and let it cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
Brining the brisket:
1. Place brisket in a Ziplock bag, oven bag or brining container and add the brine, making sure the beef is submerged. Seal and refrigerate for 7 to 10 days, flipping the brisket once every day.
Cooking the Corned Beef:
1. Remove brisket from brine and rinse well under cold water. Run the brine solution through a strainer and reserve the pickling spices.
2. Add the quartered onion and halved garlic head to a large Dutch oven. Set the corned beef on top of that and cover with water by several inches. Add the reserved pickling spice. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 minutes and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until the meat is fork tender. You may also cover and oven bake on 350 degrees for 4 hours.
3. If using the glaze, preheat broiler. While broiler is preheating, melt the butter in a saucepan, over medium high heat, and add the brown sugar and water. Once sugar has dissolved, add the mustard and simmer for another couple of minutes. Reserve.
4. When corned beef is done, remove from the liquid (you can use that liquid to cook cabbage, carrots, and potatoes) transfer to a baking sheet and brush glaze all over it. Broil for 20 minutes, brushing more glaze as needed.
5. Allow brisket to rest. Slice corned beef against the grain. Serve with veggies and mustard. Also, see our reuben recipe.
Enjoy!
Mindy L. Stedem