Homemade corned beef may seem like an intimidating recipe to tackle, but trust me, it’s easier than you can imagine and will make for a show-stopping St. Patrick’s Day dinner!
Making homemade corned beef may seem like a tough task, but once you learn this recipe, you may never buy store-bought again!
I have made homemade corned beef annually for several years to perfect my recipe and technique for a perfect St. Patrick’s Day corned beef and cabbage. This year, I feel like I finally nailed it from start to finish. The corned beef is tender and well-seasoned and pairs perfectly with cooked potatoes, cabbage, and carrots.
What is corned beef?
Corned beef, as we know it, is brisket cured in a brine made with water and a mixture of salt and spices. The name, coined by the British, alludes to the large grains of rock salt used in curing. At the time, these grains were the same size as corn kernels.
The Smithsonian Magazine has a great essay that digs into the complicated history of corned beef. It had a heyday in the 17th century when its popularity soared across the trans-Atlantic trade routes. However, it’s worth noting that due to oppression from the British, many Irish people could not afford to eat beef despite being the ones producing this highly in-demand product. Even at war, ships were allowed to stop in Ireland to purchase corned beef.
While corned beef became popular with Irish immigrants in the United States, it’s very different than the corned beef that Irish people were known for producing in Ireland in the 17th century. Specifically, Irish immigrants purchased corned beef–made from kosher brisket–from neighboring Jewish communities because it was affordable. It was often served with cabbage and potatoes as a reminder of their homeland. It was also during this time that Irish immigrants began transforming St. Patrick’s Day from a religious festival to a holiday celebrating their heritage. Thus, corned beef and cabbage became an iconic Irish-American dish with a complex history rooted in Irish perseverance and tenacity.
How do you make homemade corned beef, and what is pink curing salt anyway?
The most important part about corned beef is the pink curing salt #1, or Prague powder #1. It is a mixture of 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% sodium chloride. This is NOT Himalayan pink salt. Prague powder is what gives cured beef its signature pink color. It’s also a preservative and flavor and texture enhancer. It extends the shelf life of the beef and makes it taste extra delicious.
Can I make corned beef without Prague powder?
Yes, you can technically make corned beef without the pink curing salt. You will not achieve the same pink color. You may not be able to cure it as long as you don’t have the effects of the preservatives from the nitrites. Some sources say you can use the naturally occurring nitrates in celery and convert them to nitrates to create a homemade brine. The challenge is that you won’t know exactly how many nitrites you add to the beef. Adding too much will produce a bitter taste and a bad texture, and too little will be ineffective.
Why is pink curing salt pink?
As mentioned above, pink curing salt is just table salt mixed with a small percentage of sodium nitrite. The table salt is dyed pink to indicate the presence of nitrite in the salt because sodium nitrite can be toxic if eaten as a seasoning on food. Don’t let that scare you! While sodium nitrite can be harmful in very large quantities, it would be unlikely that you’d ever accidentally add too much to corned beef to cause bodily harm. You’d be far more likely to negatively impact the taste and texture of the beef to the point of not wanting to eat it before you’d ever have corned beef that contains a dangerous level of nitrites.
If you stick to my recipe, you’ll end up with a perfectly juicy, tender, flavorful corned beef and absolutely zero calls to poison control, I promise! As someone very nervous about curing, the use of sodium nitrite is the main reason I held off sharing this recipe for so long. Now that I understand it better, I can promise that it is not as scary as it sounds. Just stick to the ratios outlined in the recipe below, and you’ll have an absolutely delicious corned beef for St. Patrick’s Day!
What you need
- Brisket flat: You’ll use a brisket flat to make the corned beef. You can trim off the fat if you like, but I prefer to leave it on and allow my guests to cut off as much as they like. I think it adds to the flavor and tenderness of the beef. Plus, the little bits of fat make for amazing corned beef hash later in the week!
- The brine: You’ll use pink curing salt, also known as Prague Powder #1. You’ll also need pickling spices. You can make your own pickling spice, but I buy a jar of premade. You’ll also use kosher salt and brown sugar.
- For cooking: After the beef cures, you’ll simmer it with onions, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme.
- For serving: You’ll serve the beef with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots.
How to make it
- Step 1: Prepare the brine. Combine the kosher salt, brown sugar, pickling spices, and pink curing salt in a large pot and bring it to a boil. Once the salt and sugar dissolve, turn off the heat. Ideally, you’d use a pot large enough to fully immerse the brisket. However, if you don’t have that, you can prepare the brine in one pot and then transfer it to another container with the brine. You can use enameled cast iron, as I did. You can also use stainless steel, ceramic, or anodized aluminum. You can use a food-safe brining bag or food-safe plastic container. Do not use copper or cast iron without enameling or non-anodized aluminum pans.
- Step 2: Cool the brine. You must cool the brine to 45ºF before adding the beef. I do NOT recommend adding ice cubes to the brine, as you will dilute it. Instead, allow it to cool at room temperature. If you’re in a rush, add ice packs to the brine or refrigerate it to reduce the temperature without diluting the brine.
- Step 3: Add the beef. Once the brine reaches 45ºF, add the brisket. Place a small side plate on top to ensure the beef remains fully submerged. Cover the container and transfer it to the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. Flip the beef once every 24 hours to ensure even salt penetration.
- Step 4: Cook the beef. After the beef cures, remove it from the fridge. Discard the brine and rinse out the pot. Rinse the beef under cold water and return it to the pot. Add pickling spices, thyme, bay leaves, onions, carrots, and parsley sprigs. Cover with water and transfer to the stove. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours or until the beef is tender. Transfer the beef to a roasting dish and strain the broth into a large bowl.
- Step 5: From there, you can cook potatoes, carrots, and cabbage in the beef broth. I like to broil the top of the brisket to brown the fat a touch.
How to serve corned beef
Slice the corned beef against the grain and arrange it on a large serving platter.
Serve the cooked vegetables around the corned beef, serve with freshly minced parsley on top, and enjoy your St. Patrick’s Day feast!
What to eat with corned beef
If you’re not serving it with cabbage and potatoes, try it with my Irish Boxty Recipe or Irish Champ Recipe!
While I think homemade corned beef is so delicious and even maybe a little better than store-bought (okay, I’m very biased), I totally get that not everyone wants to fuss with curing five pounds of beef! If that’s you, try my corned beef and cabbage with store-bought corned beef instead!
Homemade Corned Beef Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 pound brisket flat
For curing:
- 4 quarts water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons pickling spice (use 1 tablespoon per pound of meat)
- 2½ teaspoon pink curing salt (use ½ teaspoon per pound of meat)
For cooking:
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 2 yellow onions (peeled and quartered)
- 3 carrots (peeled and cut into thirds)
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs parsley
- 5 sprigs thyme
For serving:
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes (peeled and halved)
- 6 carrots (peeled and cut into thirds)
- 2 heads savoy cabbage (cored and quartered)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup parsley (minced)
Instructions
Prepare the brine:
- Place water in a 7-quart large pot with 1 cup kosher salt, ½ cup brown sugar, 5 tablespoons pickling spice, and 2½ teaspoons pink curing salt. See Note 1. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and stir to dissolve the salts and sugar.
- Let stand until the temperature of the brine reaches 45ºF. Do NOT add the beef to the brine if it is above 45ºF. If you’re in a rush, place ice packs in the water to cool it down more quickly without diluting the brine.
Cure the brisket:
- Pat the brisket dry and transfer it to the brine. If your pot isn’t large enough to fully submerge the brisket, transfer it to a brining bag with the brine or another container large enough to fully submerge the brisket. See Note 1. You can place a small side plate on any part of the brisket popping up from the brine to submerge it.
- Cover the pot and refrigerate for at least 5 days and up to 7 days, turning once every 24 hours to ensure even salt penetration.
Cook the corned beef:
- Remove the pot from the refrigerator. Rinse the cured beef under cold water and discard the brine. Rinse out the pot and return the beef to the pot.
- Add 1 tablespoon of pickling spice to the beef. Add the onions, carrots, bay leaves, parsley, and thyme. Cover the beef with water by 1 inch, about 12 to 14 cups total. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours until the beef is very tender.
Finish the corned beef:
- Turn on the broiler.
- Remove the beef from the pot and transfer it to a roasting pan or baking sheet. Broil for 5 minutes to brown the fat cap. Slice the corned beef against the grain. Transfer to a large serving platter and cover with foil.
Cook the vegetables:
- Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl. Discard spent herbs and veggies. Wipe out the pot and return it to the stovetop.
- Add potatoes and carrots to the pot and season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cover with the reserved broth; you should have 10 to 12 cups. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook uncovered until tender, about 40 minutes.
- Return the broth to a boil. Add the quartered cabbage. Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes.
To serve:
- Spoon the cooked potatoes, carrots, and cabbage around the corned beef and ladle a few spoonfuls of the warm broth on top. Finish with black pepper and freshly minced parsley. Enjoy!
