Corned Beef 2018

[langod]

Alright, so who has their briskets in the brine? What is your "secret" brining spice mix?
Here's our usual Making Corned Beef thread.
I'm looking forward to a nicely "corned" beef brisket this year. I usually follow Alton Brown's Corned beef recipe with a few alterations.

This was my 2016 version:

 

[cw62803]

Wow - that looks delicious!

 

[DoctorShavegood]

Looks great Jim. Somehow every brisket bought for the purpose of corning ends up in my smoker.

 

[langod]

The progress so far. Two briskets --one for St Pats, one for Pastrami later this year.



Brine

Brisket

Day 1

A few days

 

[jason10mm]

I'm doing it for the first time this year. Been in the brine for 3 days so far. I'm using Prague #1 but had a hard time finding consistent recipes. How much salt, sugar, and #1 to use seemed to vary wildly across the web. So I kinda averaged them all out and we'll see Gonna pair it with some soda bread and colcannon (and Guinness, but that is just understood!)

 

[oc_in_fw]

I'm doing it for the first time this year. Been in the brine for 3 days so far. I'm using Prague #1 but had a hard time finding consistent recipes. How much salt, sugar, and #1 to use seemed to vary wildly across the web. So I kinda averaged them all out and we'll see Gonna pair it with some soda bread and colcannon (and Guinness, but that is just understood!)

Have you ever had Mackeson’s Triple Stout? It is harder to find, but worth it, in my opinion

 

[ouch]

I'm already done with my corned beef. Had-

traditional corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and soda bread
corned beef hash and eggs
reubens
corned beef tacos

 

[jason10mm]

Have you ever had Mackeson’s Triple Stout? It is harder to find, but worth it, in my opinion

Oh yes, love the stuff. I'm a little more ambivalent on Murphy's over Guinness. I also prefer Smithwicks when I can get it over Harp (or, as a last resort, Bass or, gulp, Sam Adams) for a Half&Half (which I never refer to as a Black n'Tan and often have to clarify that I don't mean sweet tea!).

 

[ouch]

I'm already done with my corned beef. Had-

traditional corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and soda bread
corned beef hash and eggs
reubens
corned beef tacos

Well, the missus just showed up with another brisket. As I’m currently the only meat eater on the premises, I guess I’ll have to take one for the team.

 

[Chango]

I shoulda visited this thread earlier...

Last time I cooked corned beef and cabbage it didn't turn out so good. I boiled it too high too long and it just fell apart.

This year I decided to go with a slow cooker. Can anyone tell me how long to leave this 3lb brisket in with the cooker on high? I read conflicting info on the web. Some say 10 hrs. Some say 6 hrs. I hope not 10. Or else we're eating at 11 pm.

I didn't get a chance to brine. I put in the brisket with the enclosed spices. Added veggies. Then poured in a Guinness and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

 

[BubblesTGB]

Just woke up from a food coma, but was so worth it. Brined for 11 days, and cabbage was perfect. Some spicy mustard and horse radish. Time for seconds and then pass out.

 

[Intrigued]

I shoulda visited this thread earlier...

Last time I cooked corned beef and cabbage it didn't turn out so good. I boiled it too high too long and it just fell apart.

This year I decided to go with a slow cooker. Can anyone tell me how long to leave this 3lb brisket in with the cooker on high? I read conflicting info on the web. Some say 10 hrs. Some say 6 hrs. I hope not 10. Or else we're eating at 11 pm.

View attachment 868415

I didn't get a chance to brine. I put in the brisket with the enclosed spices. Added veggies. Then poured in a Guinness and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

I know this is too late for your question for this one, but yesterday I had an email from ThermoWorks that included this link for cooking corned beef: Perfect Corned Beef & Cabbage: Thermal Tips

It looked like it had some really good information to help control over or under cooking corned beef.

 

[Chango]

I know this is too late for your question for this one, but yesterday I had an email from ThermoWorks that included this link for cooking corned beef: Perfect Corned Beef & Cabbage: Thermal Tips

It looked like it had some really good information to help control over or under cooking corned beef.

Thanks for the link. 6 hrs was the call for a 3 lb brisket in the slow cooker on high. I dropped the cabbage wedges in at that time and let it go another hour.

The meat was a little bit crumbly. But it held together. I might drop the cabbage in at the 5-5.5 hr mark next time.

Cooking it with the Guinness and Worcestershire sauce was excellent!! I made a mustard gravy with the drippings which was ok. It was really good without it though.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

View attachment 868461 Just woke up from a food coma, but was so worth it. Brined for 11 days, and cabbage was perfect. Some spicy mustard and horse radish. Time for seconds and then pass out.

Chris:

The Mrs. and I were out of town yesterday, but your spread looks delicious...classic!

"[Good] old-fashioned corned beef [and cabbage can be] an emotional experience". Cosmopolitan (1952)

 

[BubblesTGB]

Chris:

The Mrs. and I were out of town yesterday, but your spread looks delicious...classic!

"[Good] old-fashioned corned beef [and cabbage can be] an emotional experience". Cosmopolitan (1952)

Thanks, Christopher. There a few traditions we have and I look forward to them. Keeps me out of trouble. Hahah.

 

[martym]

Wow!! Spectacular

 

[langod]

Here's the results of mine (a few days late)

After brining, cooling overnight and then glazed with brown sugar:

And of course, DINNER! Served with Roasted cabbage "Steaks", roasted potatoes and Spotted Dog

 

[jason10mm]

Mine came out really nice. It got 8 hours in the crock pot on low, with garlic slices in the water. It was VERY crumbly, almost like pulled pork, so maybe it was a bit over cooked? Still tasty!

Any difference between a 5 day brine and 10? Does the salt content of the brine or weight of the brisket determine the time? After 5 days my meat was reddish pink and just salty enough (after a good wash) so I'm not sure what another couple days in the brine would have accomplished.

BTW, langod, what is the deal with those cabbage steaks? That might be something I want to try.

 

[pault]

Here's the results of mine (a few days late)

After brining, cooling overnight and then glazed with brown sugar:
View attachment 869119
And of course, DINNER! Served with Roasted cabbage "Steaks", roasted potatoes and Spotted Dog
View attachment 869120

Very nice.....

For those who enjoy corned beef already packaged, wal mart dropped the price on the st pattys day lot they had in. Flat cuts 4-5 lbs from $3.96 to 2.77 lb. so i save 4-5$ each package. Grabbed four, i am set for a while.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[BubblesTGB]

Here's the results of mine (a few days late)

After brining, cooling overnight and then glazed with brown sugar:
View attachment 869119
And of course, DINNER! Served with Roasted cabbage "Steaks", roasted potatoes and Spotted Dog
View attachment 869120

Looking great, Jim.Like the idea of the glaze. Nice piece of Brisket.