Who's making their own corned beef for St. Patty's?

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This thread has me interested.

What is the difference between corning and brining? Contact time? I guess I thought pastrami and corned beef were 'cured' the same way just cooked differently.

But I did notice the site that said that said the pastrami was too salty and the corned beef was perfect. Do I have enough time to brine a brisket for smoking it this Sunday?


You know, I tend to say "corning" when I'm talking about making corned beef. I don't think there's really any difference, though. You're just dunking meat in a brine.

That said, I make different brines for corned beef and pastrami. Both get the pink salt, but I gussey up the spicing for the pastrami more. Corned beef I just do homemade pickling spice (bay, cinnamon, cloves, dill, mustard, coriander and pepper) and brines for 5-6 days, while pastrami gets the pickling spice as well as garlic, pepper flakes and brown sugar or molasses and brines for 3 days before getting covered in pepper and smoked.
 
I put a brisket in the brine last week (funny, I just did it without thought of St Paddy Day) - I like a two week brine. I have never used saltpeter (pink salt, whatever) and my corned beef turns out fine. Sure it's grey instead of pink but the flavor is spot on. If you can't get saltpeter, don't let that stop you. The color won't put you off if that corned beef is cleaverly hidden inside a ruben sandwich.

Great, I'm hungry again.
 
a little late, but i plopped a brisket into a heavenly smelling brine (a la Charcuterie as well - LOVE that book) yesterday morning. i'm going to wait until Friday to cook it, which will only be 4 days in the brine, but whateva, my guess is that it will still taste awesome. i think i will try that paxton cooking liquid... i have plenty o' stout on tap that will be perfect!
 
Corned Beef. I bagged a 5# brisket with the curing brine (spices, beer, curing salt); I used the recipe listed on the first page, from Homebrew Chef; I use Morton Tender-Quick as that is what I have on hand.

6 days in bag, now it's in the crock pot. It smells like heaven. Broth is superb, too. Can't wait to gnaw. Here's pics of it coming out of the fridge after 6 days, and in the pot. The meat looks brown, but it's solid red inside.

Tomorrow, I'll add potatoes, carrots and cabbage (wife does not like the onions).

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looks nice!

i cooked mine tonight (braised it for about 3.5 hrs like Paxton suggested) and it was farking awesome. there were a few spots on the brisket where the plate/weight was holding it down that it didn't fully cure (some non-red spots in the middle after cooking) but it still tasted damn good. best corned beef i ever ate, can't wait to make another.
 
No doubt about it, I take bad food pics. Those pics above have the white balance messed, and everthing looks green!

I didn't use anything to weigh it down. I just put it in the bag and pushed all the air out. Worked well.

Here's the final product. It was really good (I just had some for breakfast). I think it was a little salty, so I'd cut back on the salt in the brine next time. Spices were just right.

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I have to say thank you to the OP. I'd never done my own corned beef before I read this thread. Now, I'll never buy a pre-corned brisket again. I used the Charcuterie that was posted here.

As a by product, now I have another expensive, addictive hobby that will only add to my waistline.:ban:
 
i love this forum even more now!!! :) i did 50# for work and 20# for my own private party. adapted recipe from charcuterie... its the most flavorful by far. love the garlic! I used tender-quik because i can get it cheaper from my suppliers that I can get corporate to actually pay for ;)
 
No doubt about it, I take bad food pics. Those pics above have the white balance messed, and everthing looks green!

I didn't use anything to weigh it down. I just put it in the bag and pushed all the air out. Worked well.

Here's the final product. It was really good (I just had some for breakfast). I think it was a little salty, so I'd cut back on the salt in the brine next time. Spices were just right.

IMG_01733.JPG
Soak the corned beef for an hour or so in water before you boil it to decrease the saltiness. Doesn't affect the flavor. Been doing this for years - I use the Cooks Illustrated recipe. http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/cornedbeef.htm
 
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