Home Cured Corned Beef

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp whole allspice berries
• 1 Tbsp whole mustard seeds, brown or yellow
• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes
• 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns
• 2 teaspoons whole cloves
• 9 whole cardamom pods
• 6 large bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 stick cinnamon
• 1 gallon water
• 300 g Kosher salt
• 5 teaspoons pink curing salt, optional
• 3 Tbsp pickling spices
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 5-pound beef brisket
• 1 Tbsp pickling spices

Directions

1. For the spice blend, you can use a purchased pickling mix or make one yourself. If you’re making it, add the cloves, cardamom pods, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and allspice berries to a small skillet over medium heat, and toast them just until they smell aromatic. Spices can go from delicious to scorched quickly, so use enough warmth to wake them up without letting them burn. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the spices to a small bowl. Lightly crack them with a mortar and pestle, or use the back of a spoon or the flat side of a knife against a work surface. Move the crushed spices to a small bowl, then mix in the crumbled bay leaves and ground ginger.
2. To make the brine, pour 1 gallon of water into a large pot. Add about 3 Tbsp of the spice blend, saving the remaining mix for cooking the beef later, along with the 1/2 stick cinnamon, brown sugar, the Kosher salt, and the pink salt, if you’re using it. Heat until boiling, then take the pot off the heat and cool the brine to room temperature. After it cools, refrigerate it until thoroughly cold.
3. Set the brisket in a large, flat container or pan and pour in the brine so the meat is covered. If the beef floats, set a plate over it to keep it submerged. Another option is to put the brisket in a 2-gallon freezer bag set inside a container, which catches any leaks in the refrigerator. Add about 2 quarts of brine to the bag with the brisket, press out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for 5-7 days. Turn the brisket over each day so every side cures evenly.
4. When the curing time is finished, lift the brisket out of the brine and rinse it under cold water. Put it in a large pot that fits it snugly, then add water to cover by at least 1 inch. For a milder, less salty brisket, pour in 1 more inch of water. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the pickling spices. Heat to a boil, reduce the heat to a very low simmer with the surface just barely bubbling, and cook for 3-4 hours, until the corned beef is tender when pierced with a fork. At this stage, you can refrigerate it for up to 1 week.
5. Transfer the meat to a cutting board. The spiced cooking liquid can be used for vegetables if you’re making a boiled dinner or corned beef and cabbage. Look for the visible lines running through the brisket; that is the grain, the direction of the muscle fibers. For easier slicing, cut the meat in 1/2 with the grain to start. Then slice it thinly crosswise, cutting against the grain to serve.