Manageability – Ten days of nothing.
Corned beef is so damn good. There’s just no arguing about this. If some dork ass high school debate club was like “Resolved: Corned Beef isn’t that good,” I’d be like shut the hell up you stupid nerds. Plus it’s St. Patty’s season, so here’s a delicious Homemade Corned Beef recipe from Taste of Home, so you can make your own. Stupid nerds.
Let’s start with the basics: CB is easy. You just boil water with all the spices in it, pour it over the meat, and you wait. And wait. And wait. In this case, unfortunately, you have to wait 10 days. So head’s up on that – if you want to make this recipe, I will see you in a week in a half for some reubens. Also, who has 10 days to keep a big stinking bag of beef in your fridge? That’s kinda gross. I put mine in my brand new Martha Stewart dutch oven I got for Xmas – thank you in-laws. It is really good though guys. After the beef rests (for the length of a European vacation), you just have to boil it up with some remaining items and the beef falls apart. Throw it on a rye bread and bring it on home to mama! So good, just like the Irish used to make, I assume.
There you have it. Corned beef for your future self to love. Just make sure you have a shelf ready in the ice box. Drink all those old LaCroix’s and make some room.
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water (or H2O)
- 1-1/2 cups kosher salt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup mixed pickling spices, divided
- 4 teaspoons pink curing salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fresh beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds)
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
Directions
- In a large stockpot, combine water, kosher salt, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pickling spices, pink curing salt and garlic. Bring the brine to a simmer and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled. Maybe… 15 minutes?
- Place one freezer bag inside the other. Tuck the brisket into the innermost bag and carefully add in the cooled brine. Be sure that it pools over and around the brisket, like a little swimmer. Then seal both bags. Try to press as much air out as possible before sealing. Before placing in the fridge, turn the meat a few times to evenly coat it.
- Clear a place in the fridge for the brisket to live. Give it a garden and a water source so it can irrigate and make food. Keep it refrigerated for 10 days so that the meat can properly soak in all the spiced flavor. Be sure to turn the brisket over occasionally so that it remains evenly coated.
- After 10 days, the corned beef is almost ready. Remove the brisket from it’s little home, and destroy all it created. Remove it from the brine. Give the brisket a thorough rinse and cut it in half to fit your pot, if needed.
- Next, place the brisket in a Dutch oven with enough water to cover. Add in carrots, celery and the remaining pickling spices and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and add water if necessary to keep brisket covered. Cook for about 3 hours or until meat is tender.
- Use a sharpened knife to cut the brisket into thin slices. Not an un-sharpened knife. Slap it onto a sandwich or serve with additional vegetables simmered until tender. Or don’t eat it at, all for all I care.
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