Homemade Corned Beef is much better than store-bought. It's easy to make, as long as you have a large pot, some space in the refrigerator, and 10 days to let the beef cure.
Course:
Main Course
Author: Leona Konkel
Ingredients
8cupswater
½cupsalt
½cupbrown sugar
1cinnamon stick(in pieces)
1teaspoonmustard seeds
1teaspoonpeppercorns
8cloves
8allspice berries
12juniper berries
2bay leaves(crumbled)
½teaspoonground ginger
4cupsice water
4-5poundbrisket
1onion(cut roughly)
1carrot(chopped)
1stalk celery(chopped)
Instructions
Combine water, sugar, salt, and spices in a 8-quart pot. Heat until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat and add ice water to cool. Place brisket in a 2-gallon zipper bag - or do as I had to, since I forgot to get bags, and place in the only stock pot (with lid) that it will fit in. Once the liquid is cold (45F or below), pour over the brisket. Seal/cover and refrigerate for 10 days. Stir the brine every day (I forgot) and be sure that the beef is completely submerged.
Once the 10 days are up, remove the beef from the brine and rinse under running water. Place beef in a pot, add carrot, onion, and celery, and top with enough water to cover the beef by an inch. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat; simmer for about 3 hours, until beef is fork tender. Remove from cooking liquid and discard vegetables. Slice beef thinly to serve.