Freshly Brined Corned Beef Recipe

Instructions

Making the Brine and Brining the Beef

1. Place 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of water in a large pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Stir all the salt and spices into the boiling water and remove from the heat.
3. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
4. Add the other 1/2 gallon of cold water and stir well.
5. Find a container big enough for your brisket and pour the brine over the fresh meat.
6. Cover this container and place it into the refrigerator for at least 5 days. Flip the brisket over several times throughout the brining process. I let mine brine for about a week, but no more than 10 days or it will get too salty.

Cooking the Corned Beef

1. Drain the brine from the beef, reserving about half of the spices and both bay leaves.
2. Place the meat and reserved spices in a large pot.
3. Cover the beef with fresh water.
4. Place the pot on the stove and bring it to a gentle boil.
5. Cover the pot with a lid but leave the lid askew so some steam can escape.
6. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook the beef for 3 to 4 hours or until fork tender.
7. Remove the beef from the cooking liquid and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Adding Vegetables to the Corned Beef Pot

You can cook vegetables like onion, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots alongside your corned beef. To do so, add several thickly sliced onions or shallots to the pot when starting the cooking. Add the softer quicker-cooking vegetables like thick-chopped cabbage, halved or quartered potatoes, and quartered carrots to the pot 1 hour before removing it from the heat.