Pin It Yes, I am well aware that St. Patrick’s Day has come and gone and that this recipe is a little late. But I’ve never been much of a plan-ahead blogger and I am always playing catch up on the holidays. Besides, on the actual St. Paddy’s Day, I was not slaving over a bubbling cauldron of corned beef and cabbage. No, no, my friends, I was wandering around the streets of New York City for the first time, stunned at the pure mass of humanity, the majority of which was dressed in green. I wasn’t there because of the holiday, that was just an interesting side effect. I was there to run the NYC half-marathon the next morning. But I rather sheepishly admit that it was my first time in New York, and it was quite the introduction. I loved it, all the hustle and bustle, all the little restaurants and hole-in-the-wall diners, all the people. I am looking forward to going back to explore at my leisure some time.
Oh, and did I mention that I rocked my race? There is nothing quite like turning out of Central Park onto 7th Avenue and running into Times Square with huge cheering crowds on either side. If that doesn’t give you runner’s high, nothing will. Officially, I beat my previous record for a half-marathon by 3 minutes and came in at 1:45:32 (Unofficially, I was even faster than that but had to make a small pit stop during the race). It was an amazing experience.
Now, onto corning your own beef. This was something I’d wanted to try for a while, after I’d seen mention of it in Cook’s Illustrated. It sounded so simple, and a great way to avoid all the nitrates and nitrites in store-bought corned beef. Since it needed to refrigerate for 5 to 7 days, I started the process a few days before I went off to NYC and we cooked it the day after I returned. This isn’t, of course, my recipe at all, it’s straight out of my favourite reference cookbooks ever, America’s Test Kitchen Family Cookbook. And even though it’s late in the season for corned beef and cabbage, I thought it was worth sharing. Bookmark it for next year. Or do it now…after all, you can actually eat corned beef on days other than St. Paddy’s!
The Results: It really is remarkably easy to corn your own beef, and I would say it’s worth it too. The flavour was fantastic, and I would even dare to say it was better than most store-bought corned beef briskets. Knowing that it wasn’t filled with chemicals certainly helped in that perception. It did not, however, take on that reddish appearance of traditional corned beef, and I have to say, trying to get appetizing photos of greyish boiled meat is not easy! So, not a lot of pictures to share today, because I don’t want to scare you off the process.
The only thing I would do differently next time is to buy a brisket that was more marbled with fat throughout. This became a little tough once it cooled, because all the fat was in one layer on the top, and the meat itself didn’t benefit from the moisture in the fat. But I would definitely attempt this next year and see if I could get that great corned flavour with a better cut of meat.
Corning Your Own Beef
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tbsp black peppercorns, cracked
1 tbsp dried thyme
2 tsp allspice
2 tsp paprika
2 bay leaves, crumbled
One 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 lb beef brisket
In a small bowl, combine salt and spices.
Spear the brisket about 30 times on both sides with a metal fork or skewer. Rub each side liberally with salt mixture. Place meat in a large ziploc bag and remove as much air as possible.
Lay brisket in a large baking sheet or pan and cover with another large baking sheet or pan. Weigh top pan down with bricks or large cans.
Refrigerate 5 to 7 days, turning once per day.
Cook according to your favourite recipe.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I am simply recounting and sharing my own experiences on this blog. Nothing I express here should be taken as medical advice and you should consult with your doctor before starting any diet or exercise program. I provide nutritional information for my recipes simply as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using MacGourmet software and I remove erythritol from the final carb count and net carb count, as it does not affect my own blood glucose levels. I do my best to be as accurate as possible but you should independently calculate nutritional information on your own before relying on them. I expressly disclaim any and all liability of any kind with respect to any act or omission wholly or in part in reliance on anything contained in this website.
Free Bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
Sign up for your favorite recipes delivered straight to your inbox plus get our FREE bonus: Secrets to Keto Baking!
I am bad with planning ahead, and making recipes for holidays:-) Honestly this recipe should be enjoyed all year long, it looks delicious:-) Hugs, Terra
Congrats on the race!!
I really want to try this recipe! Perfect to make all year round!
Great time on your race! I make corned beef a couple times a year and will have to give this a try.
It is a shame brown meat doesn't photograph well, I always hesitate to post "brown" dinner recipes for that very reason, you have now made me rethink it, since I think practical recipes are needed along with the "photographic" ones 🙂 LOL
You can do it, hon. You just have to get used to the mileage. Work up to it…it takes time but it's worth it!
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Interesting tidbit about the sodium nitrate. I will say, if you choose to skip it next year, your corned beef might not be as pink but it will still taste AMAZING!
Carolyn
Blog: All Day I Dream About Food
URL: https://alldayidreamaboutfood.com
Wow, what a great time in your race! I can imagine the high from the cheering crowds in New York – it would make the sprint to the finish that much easier. I'm stowing away this corned beef post for next year.
I've been making my own corned beef for a couple of years now and the taste difference is well, remarkable. Makes the BEST Reuben sandwich ever!
Though…I add pink salt (nitrites) to mine. I think managing your own cure and using a minimal amount worth it; not just for the more appetizing color but I've heard that with bacon at least there is also a taste difference.
Beyond the food…wow, all I can think is 'You Go Girl!' Very impressed indeed.
I'm so happy that you rocked your race!! Congrats! Sometimes I think of you as I'm pushing through the last half mile of my 2.5 🙂 It feels like I will never finish but then I think of my friends like you who inspire me. My official 5k training ends next week then it's up to me to kick my own booty!
Fabulous job on the marathon! 🙂 Inspiring for sure… and I have never tried corning my own beef! Must try it… Looks great, Carolyn!
great one! I have never done this before
ooh, thanks for sharing this! We have been wanting to try this!
Congrats on your race time! 🙂
Mmm, I love corned beef, looks great~ I had no idea how to make it at all.
Thanks for the great idea! Do you think you could include how you cooked it once it was prepped? I can't say that I have a favorite recipe for that part of it either – I have never made corned beef..
Glad your race went well! I'm going to have to try corning my own beef. Thanks!
Congrats on the marathon success! I can't imagine running five years let alone what you did. I like the idea of corning my own beef and if it wasn't for the fact that I'm the only one that likes it, I'd do it. Imagine how many wonderful reubens I could make! I think your photos look fantastic. When I see how red store bought corned beef is, all I can think about is artificial colors. 🙂
I tried corning my own brisket this year as well…with a bit more spice and a lager in the brine. And a salt/sodium nitrate product called instra cure to keep that lovely pink color. Sadly the only way to keep the color is to add such a preservative, but it is a good feeling to know you have full control over how much is added in your own kitchen!. I daresay I will NEVER go back to store bought, especially with the quality of cut I can get for the same price from my butcher. Well, worth the extra time. Yours looks amazing!