Corned Beef Brine Method (Print Version)
# Ingredients:
→ Pickling Spice Ingredients
01 -
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (yellow or brown)
02 -
1 tablespoon whole allspice
03 -
1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds
04 -
1 tablespoon pepper flakes
05 -
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
06 -
2 teaspoons cloves (whole)
07 -
9 cardamom pods
08 -
2 teaspoons powdered ginger
09 -
6 big bay leaves, torn up
10 -
Half a stick of cinnamon
→ Brine Ingredients
11 -
1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water
12 -
2 cups (300g) of kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) OR 1 cup plus 3 ½ tablespoons Morton's
13 -
5 teaspoons of pink curing salt (optional)
14 -
3 tablespoons pickling spice mix
15 -
½ cup (90g) of brown sugar
→ Brisket Ingredients
16 -
One 5-pound beef brisket
17 -
1 tablespoon pickling spice
# Instructions:
01 -
On medium heat, toast cardamom pods, cloves, mustard seeds, pepper flakes, peppercorns, coriander seeds, and allspice in a small pan until they smell amazing. Take them off the heat, lightly crush them in a mortar and pestle, and then mix them in a small bowl with the powdered ginger and crumbled bay leaves.
02 -
Grab a big pot and boil a gallon of water with 3 tablespoons of the spice mix (save the rest for cooking later), a cinnamon stick, kosher salt, pink salt if you've got it, and the brown sugar. Once it reaches a boil, take it off the heat to cool down, then pop it in the fridge till it's super cold.
03 -
Place the brisket inside a large container and pour the brine all over it until it's fully submerged. If the meat won’t stay down, press it with a plate to keep it in place. Another option is to use a 2-gallon freezer bag and put it in a container. Let it sit in the fridge for 5 to 7 days, making sure to turn it over daily so every bit gets brined.
04 -
Rinse the brisket with cold water after removing it from the brine. Place it in a big pot, add enough water to cover it by an inch or so (add more if you like your meat less salty). Throw in 1 tablespoon of pickling spice, boil, then let it gently simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 hours until it’s soft enough to pierce with a fork.
05 -
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board. Cut it into two pieces along the grain, then slice thinly against the grain for the best texture. Serve and dig in!
# Notes:
01 -
The pink salt keeps the meat pink in color; without it, expect a greyish look.
02 -
Don’t confuse pink curing salt with Himalayan salt—it’s sodium nitrite and harmful if eaten directly.
03 -
Use the leftover cooking liquid to boil veggies for a tasty side dish.
04 -
Corned beef can stay good in the fridge for up to a week after it’s cured.
05 -
The brine amount is for a 5-pound brisket. Use less if your meat is smaller.