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

[Hugh_Jass]

I couldn't find any pink salt/insta-cure so it looks like homemade corned beef for St. Paddy's day ain't gonna happen. I'm still gonna order the stuff online and make pastrami though.

I bought my pink salt from butcher-packer dot com. The cure was ~$2 for one # and the shipping was ~$7

Morton's sells a product that's pre-mixed w/ salt, sugar, nitrate, nitrite. It's called "Tender Quick". I chose to go the other route, but I know people who've used the Morton product with success.

If you're really interested in curing/brining/smoking (really meat preservation), I'd highly recommend "Charcuterie". It's a straight forward book. It lays out the process in layman's terms. All of the recipes I've tried are VERY solid, too.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Yeah, I was hoping they'd at least have the Tender Quick but neither store I went to (big supermarket chain and a small specialty store) even had that. There is a Whole Foods but it's a bit of a drive and not sure if they'd have it either.

 

[dataz722]

You are going to have trouble finding it at any grocery stores or department stores. Try a local butcher or if you have big sporting goods store around they may carry it.

 

[Ravenshead]

I hear Bass Pro Shops carries it.

 

[EoinMag]

For anyone really interested in Corned beef and it's history etc. here's a paper written by a friend of mine who owns Gallaghers Boxty house in Central Dublin. He presented the paper at the recently past Oxford Food symposium.

http://arrow.dit.ie/tfschcafcon/10/

 

[Hoodweisen]

For anyone really interested in Corned beef and it's history etc. here's a paper written by a friend of mine who owns Gallaghers Boxty house in Central Dublin. He presented the paper at the recently past Oxford Food symposium.

http://arrow.dit.ie/tfschcafcon/10/

Well that doesnt suprise me seems like most things we associate with Ireland TURN out to be Irish-American only But, whatev I heard on the history channel that there are more people in America that trace their ancestory to Ireland than there are Irish in Ireland. So hear, hear! too being Irish-American.

Im a Heinz 57 and i like to celebrate anything that includes me eating a large meal and drinking lots of beer

 

[EoinMag]

Well it's eaten here that's for sure, I'm not knocking it, believe me. The paper this guy produced was as a celebration of Irish culinary history and the presentation at the Oxford Food symposium exactly the same.
I eat it growing up, my wife loves the stuff, I'd not be so fond of it these days.

 

[Melana]

I hear Bass Pro Shops carries it.

Really.. that's good to know.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Really.. that's good to know.

Yeah, the one next to Gillete has a pretty good sized section of curing and sausage making stuff. Thats where I got my 5 lb stuffer and meat slicer.

 

[Hugh_Jass]

Brisket it trimmed. Going into the brine.

I can't eff'ing wait for St. Patrick's day

 

[dwarven_stout]

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.

 

[passedpawn]

I have a 5# brisket in a bag, corning. I use Tender-Quick.

 

[madbaldman]

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.

 

[Cape Brewing]

Mine went in yesterday as well.

 

[android]

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!

 

[Cape Brewing]

I gots ta git mah bellies cured!!!

(freakin' 10 lbs a pork bellies I am gonna make some more bacon outta... gotta get going)

 

[paulthenurse]

Never mind, found it

 

[passedpawn]

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).

 

[android]

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.

 

[passedpawn]

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.

 

[Ravenshead]

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.

 

[dataz722]

As a by product, now I have another expensive, addictive hobby that will only add to my waistline.

And you thought brewing was expensive! :cross:

 

[paulthenurse]

Gonna pick up a brisket this week. Plan for sunday is to cut down the final tree that has to go, teach my oldest Spawns boyfriend to brew, smoke a bunch of ribs and turn the brisket into pastrami

 

[Ravenshead]

And you thought brewing was expensive! :cross:

I don't but SWMBO does.

 

[Cape Brewing]

I have to say thank you to the OP.

Yeaaaaaa me!!!


I was pretty happy with mine. I think mine could have spent another day or two in the brine but I was really happy with mine

 

[paulthenurse]

Ya, yeeaaaa you. Jeezuz, I think I'm gonna hurl.


Hey, where did you end up getting the whole brisket?

PTN

 

[Cape Brewing]

Your mom's.


(Armando's down in Pawtucket)

 

[paulthenurse]

Your mom's.

(Armando's down in Pawtucket)

My Mutta stopped hangin out at Armando's ages ago.

Looks like I'm driving to Pawtucket tomorrow. Need anything?

 

[Cape Brewing]

nope... they had some huge bellies last time I was there. I've got 'em curing now.

 

[CHefJohnboyardee]

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