Every St. Patrick’s Day, you set your sights on the same prize: a glorious corned beef that you’ll serve with cabbage and potatoes, then transform into Reubens until you tire of them (we’d never). But instead of relying on the vacuum-sealed lump of meat you typically buy at the grocery store, what if you made your own? Read on to learn how to make corned beef that’s a million times more delicious than anything store-bought—and surprisingly easy to pull off.
How to Make Corned Beef for St. Patrick’s Day (It’s Easier Than You Think)
Your dinner guests sure are lucky
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Published Mar 5, 2024
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But First, What Is Corned Beef?
Glad you asked. Corned beef is a cut of beef—most often brisket—that’s been cured, or preserved, with salt. It’s usually seasoned with sugar and other spices (like coriander, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cloves and peppercorns)—you can think of it like pickling or brining. The results are extremely tender and easy to slice. Back in the day, this preservation method also helped the beef keep without the help of refrigeration.
Oh, and despite the name, corned beef has nothing to do with corn on the cob. More likely, it refers to the coarse “corns” of rock salt traditionally used to cure it.
Why Is Corned Beef Popular on St. Patrick’s Day?
Despite being a popular dish to serve on March 17, corned beef isn’t traditional Irish fare. In 19th-century Ireland, beef was a luxury, while pork products, like ham, were more affordable. But once Irish people immigrated to America, they found that beef was more readily available, so it made its way into the traditional bacon-and-cabbage dish.
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Tips for Making Corned Beef at Home
Making corned beef sounds intimidating, but if you’ve dabbled in homemade pickling, you can totally handle it. Here are a few tips to keep in mind before you start.
- Use a Flat Cut of Brisket: When buying brisket from a butcher, you’ll find you have two options: the point cut and the flat cut. The point has heavier fat marbling and is popular for fall-apart slow roasts and barbecue. The flat is leaner and makes neater slices after it’s cooked, so it’s ideal for corned beef.
- Stock Up on Pink Curing Salt: Also known as Prague powder number one, curing salt is a mix of sodium chloride (aka table salt) and sodium nitrite. It preserves the meat and lends it a reddish hue and tangy flavor. It’s easy to purchase online; just don’t confuse it with Himalayan pink salt. (BTW, curing salt should never be sprinkled on food for seasoning and is considered harmful if consumed directly.)
- Plan Ahead: Once you get the beef brisket in the brine, you’ll soak it for at least five days and up to an entire week, so making corned beef from scratch requires some forethought. You’ll also want to secure a large, resealable plastic bag (we like the two-gallon size) to store the brining brisket, and clear enough space in your refrigerator so it has a place to chill.
- Brine the Meat: Besides the pink curing salt and sugar, this is your chance to flavor the corned beef according to your own taste. Store-bought parcels typically include a pre-mixed blend of spices, but you can create your own with any combination of allspice berries, bay leaves, cloves, coriander, juniper berries, mustard seeds and peppercorns, plus any other seasonings your heart desires.
How to Make Corned Beef at Home
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How to Brine a Brisket for Corned Beef
Ingredients
1 cup kosher salt
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon pink curing salt
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 teaspoon juniper berries
2 bay leaves
One 3-pound, flat-cut beef brisket
Directions
- In a large stockpot, combine 2 cups of water with the kosher salt, sugar, curing salt and all the spices. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, cooking until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove it from the heat and immediately add 4 cups of ice water, stirring until the ice is melted and the brine is cool to the touch.
- Place the brisket in a two-gallon plastic bag and pour the brine mixture on top, then press the air out and seal the bag. Place the bag inside a large container to contain any accidental leaks and keep the brisket submerged. Transfer it to the refrigerator to brine for five to seven days.
- Remove the brisket from the brine and rinse it under cool water before cooking.
How to Cook Corned Beef
Once your brisket is sufficiently brined, you have a choice to make: How should you cook it? Luckily, this part is easy, and there are a few methods you can follow.
1. Use an Instant Pot
To cook corned beef in the Instant Pot, place the brined, rinsed beef brisket in the pot with a quartered onion, a chopped carrot and a chopped stalk of celery. Cover it with water by 1 inch. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Release the pressure using a quick release before transferring the corned beef to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice it against the grain and serve.
2. Use a Slow Cooker
To cook corned beef in the slow cooker, place the brined, rinsed beef brisket in the pot with a quartered onion, a chopped carrot and a chopped stalk of celery. Cover it with water by 1 inch. Set the slow cooker to cook on low for 9 hours. Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice it against the grain and serve.
3. Use the Stove
To cook corned beef on the stove, place the brined, rinsed beef brisket in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a quartered onion, a chopped carrot and a chopped stalk of celery. Cover it with water by 1 inch. Bring it to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook until fork tender, about 3 hours. Transfer the corned beef to a cutting board to rest for 10 minutes. Slice it against the grain and serve.
