Corned Beef

Ingredients

• Hide ingredients for One 4-pound corned beef brisket, store-bought or homemade 1 One 4-pound corned beef brisket, store-bought or homemade (opens in new tab) One 4-pound corned beef brisket, store-bought or homemade
  • 8 cups water (1,895g)
  • 2 cups Diamond kosher salt or ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons pickling salt or fine sea salt (260g)
  • 1 cup (230g) brown sugar
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 ½ teaspoons InstaCure #1 or Prague Powder #1 (14g)
  • 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
  • 8 allspice berries
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 2 bay leaves, crumbled
  • One 3-inch cinnamon stick
  • 8 cups ice water (1,895g)
  • One 5-pound piece beef brisket (2,270g)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Bring to a simmer in a large pot: 8 cups water (1,895g); 2 cups Diamond kosher salt or ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons pickling salt or fine sea salt (260g); 1 cup (230g) brown sugar; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 2 ½ teaspoons InstaCure #1 or Prague Powder #1 (14g); 1 tablespoon black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon mustard seeds; 8 allspice berries; 6 whole cloves; 2 bay leaves, crumbled; One 3-inch cinnamon stick
  2. Stir until the salts and sugar dissolve and add: 8 cups ice water (1,895g)
  3. Place the brine in the refrigerator and let cool completely.
  4. Meanwhile, trim all but ¼ inch of the fat from: One 5-pound piece beef brisket (2,270g)
  5. Submerge the brisket in the cold brine. Refrigerate for 5 days, turning the meat every day so that it is equally exposed to the brine.
  6. When the brisket has finished curing, discard the brine and rinse the brisket under cold water. Cook as for Home-Cured Corned Beef, or season and smoke as for Pastrami.
• 20 black peppercorns
• 2 bay leaves
• Hide ingredients for (Brown Sugar Glaze or Honey Glaze) 1 (Brown Sugar Glaze or Honey Glaze) (opens in new tab) (Brown Sugar Glaze or Honey Glaze)
  • ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  • Orange juice, rum, or bourbon

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Mix together in a bowl with your fingers, breaking up any lumps: ¾ cup packed light brown sugar; 2 teaspoons dry mustard
  2. Slowly stir in until the paste is of spreading consistency: Orange juice, rum, or bourbon
• Hide ingredients for Horseradish Sauce or prepared horseradish 1 Horseradish Sauce or prepared horseradish (opens in new tab) Horseradish Sauce or prepared horseradish
  • ½ cup cold heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice or distilled white or cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish, to taste
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice, to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • (Pinch of sugar)

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Beat in a medium bowl to stiff peaks: ½ cup cold heavy cream
  2. Gradually, beat in: 3 tablespoons lemon juice or distilled white or cider vinegar; 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish; ¼ teaspoon salt; Pinch of cayenne pepper
  3. Chill for at least 30 and for up to 60 minutes. Stir gently before serving.
  4. About 1 ¾ cups
  5. A richer sauce perfect for serving with Crudités, slathering on pastrami and corned beef sandwiches, or serving with roasted beets or parsnips.
  6. Stir together thoroughly in a medium bowl: 1 cup mayonnaise, store-bought or homemade; ½ cup sour cream; 3 to 4 tablespoons grated peeled fresh or drained prepared horseradish, to taste
  7. Add: 1 to 2 teaspoons cider vinegar or lemon juice, to taste; ¼ teaspoon salt, or to taste; (Pinch of sugar)
• Coarse whole-grain mustard or hot English-style mustard
• Hide ingredients for Boiled Potatoes 1 Boiled Potatoes (opens in new tab) Boiled Potatoes
  • 2 pounds potatoes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • (3 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley, chives, or dill, or a combination)
  • (Grated peeled horseradish)
  • Salt and black pepper

  Sub-recipe steps

  1. Scrub clean or peel (if desired): 2 pounds potatoes
  2. If in haste, you may cut large potatoes into quarters; if doing so with russet potatoes, their cut surfaces will start to disintegrate so keep a close watch on them. Transfer to a pot and add enough cool water to cover them by a few inches. For every quart of water, add: ½ teaspoon salt
  3. Place over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until tender. Smaller red potatoes will be done in about 10 minutes; quartered large potatoes in about 15 minutes; large, whole potatoes may take up to 40 minutes. Drain well. If serving plain, cut larger potatoes into bite-sized pieces, if necessary, and toss to taste with: 2 to 3 tablespoons butter, melted; (3 to 4 tablespoons chopped parsley, chives, or dill, or a combination); (Grated peeled horseradish); Salt and black pepper