In my previous post, I mentioned I got a large brisket at Walmart while travelling in Montana. I decided to make the flat into corned beef. I know. Corned Beef isn't smoked. Sue me.
The flat was so large, I had to cut it in two to easily brine it.
I put the flat in my brining pot and filled it with water. I weighed the total weight of the water and the meat (5.67 kg). I took the meat out and added the following amounts to each KG of the total weight of both to the water:
60 ml kosher salt
21 ml sugar
1/2 clove garlic crushed
8.5 ml pickling spice
If you are limited to the less logical pound system, that works out to the following per pound of water and meat:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon pickling spice
Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Let the water cool to room temperature and then chill.
Add 3 grams Prague Powder #1 per kg of both or 0.048 ounces per pound.
I injected the brisket with some of the brine every inch or so.
I put the brisket in the brine and let it sit for 7 days, turning daily.
I pulled the meat out and put it on rack and dried it with paper towels.
The chunks were still a little large for one serving for She Who Must Be Obeyed and myself so I cut them in half.
I vacuum sealed 3 of the chunks and froze them. A word of warning on freezing raw corned beef, it will lose the nice texture if you leave it in the freezer for over 2 months. It won't go bad, it will get a little pasty.
I cut up four potatoes into quarters and put them in the bottom of my crockpot. I cut a few chunks of onion over the potatoes. I put the meat in and covered it with water.
I mixed the following up in a bowl.
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground ginger
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground mace
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) dried dill weed
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) coriander
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) mustard seed
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground allspice
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground cloves
5 ml (1 tsp) crushed dried chillies
5 ml (1 tsp) peppercorns
1 pinch cinnamon
Pour the mixture over the water and add a small bay leaf.
I cooked it at low for 9 hours.
I took the corned beef out and took the potatoes out with a slotted spoon.
My dad used to like some of the liquid sprinkled on his meat and potatoes. If you do, pull some from under the fat with a turkey baster.
The carving shots.
We served it with the potatoes and some steamed vegetables. Sorry to the traditionalists, I don't like cooked cabbage.
The Verdict
Like most home made versions, this is way better than the store bought. Great texture, colour and spice mixture. It had just a touch of heat from the chillies and a nice saltiness without being overpowering. It was tender with a good bite.
Dang. I love corned beef.
Disco
The flat was so large, I had to cut it in two to easily brine it.
I put the flat in my brining pot and filled it with water. I weighed the total weight of the water and the meat (5.67 kg). I took the meat out and added the following amounts to each KG of the total weight of both to the water:
60 ml kosher salt
21 ml sugar
1/2 clove garlic crushed
8.5 ml pickling spice
If you are limited to the less logical pound system, that works out to the following per pound of water and meat:
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 clove of garlic
1 teaspoon pickling spice
Bring the water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.
Let the water cool to room temperature and then chill.
Add 3 grams Prague Powder #1 per kg of both or 0.048 ounces per pound.
I injected the brisket with some of the brine every inch or so.
I put the brisket in the brine and let it sit for 7 days, turning daily.
I pulled the meat out and put it on rack and dried it with paper towels.
The chunks were still a little large for one serving for She Who Must Be Obeyed and myself so I cut them in half.
I vacuum sealed 3 of the chunks and froze them. A word of warning on freezing raw corned beef, it will lose the nice texture if you leave it in the freezer for over 2 months. It won't go bad, it will get a little pasty.
I cut up four potatoes into quarters and put them in the bottom of my crockpot. I cut a few chunks of onion over the potatoes. I put the meat in and covered it with water.
I mixed the following up in a bowl.
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground ginger
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground mace
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) dried dill weed
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) coriander
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) mustard seed
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground allspice
0.5 ml (1/8 tsp) ground cloves
5 ml (1 tsp) crushed dried chillies
5 ml (1 tsp) peppercorns
1 pinch cinnamon
Pour the mixture over the water and add a small bay leaf.
I cooked it at low for 9 hours.
I took the corned beef out and took the potatoes out with a slotted spoon.
My dad used to like some of the liquid sprinkled on his meat and potatoes. If you do, pull some from under the fat with a turkey baster.
The carving shots.
We served it with the potatoes and some steamed vegetables. Sorry to the traditionalists, I don't like cooked cabbage.
The Verdict
Like most home made versions, this is way better than the store bought. Great texture, colour and spice mixture. It had just a touch of heat from the chillies and a nice saltiness without being overpowering. It was tender with a good bite.
Dang. I love corned beef.
Disco
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