Corned Beef Brine Recipe
Making a corned beef brine is the first step in perfecting a corned beef brisket. Pickling spices, sugar, and salt combine to flavor this St. Patty's day recipe!
Prep Time1 hour hr
Brine7 days d
Total Time7 days d 1 hour hr
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Irish
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 380kcal
- 1 5-pound brisket
- 8 cups water
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 4 teaspoons pink curing salt
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- 8 cups ice cubes
Pickling Spice
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 2 teaspoons allspice berries
- 1 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
- 3 bay leaves
Heat a large dutch oven over medium heat. Toast mustard seeds, cinnamon, black peppercorns, cloves, allspice, coriander, juniper berries, and bay leaves until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add water, pink salt, kosher salt, and brown sugar to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and stir until the sugar and salts have dissolved.
Remove the dutch oven from the heat and stir in the ice cubes. Chill the brine down until it reaches 45°F/7°C.
Transfer the cooled brine to a large 12-quart plastic container. Submerge beef brisket into the brine and place a plate on top to weigh it down.
Place in the refrigerator for 7 days, checking daily to make sure the corned beef is submerged in the brine.
Remove corned beef from the brine, rinse, and pat dry. Now you are ready to cook your corned beef.
- As you trim the fat, try to leave a thin layer of fat behind, approximately ¼ inch thick. This layer will help keep the brisket moist and flavorful during cooking.
- Pink curing salt is only meant to be used for curing meats. It's not pink Himalayan salt and you should never sprinkle it on your food.
Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 20727mg | Potassium: 523mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 22IU | Vitamin C: 41mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3mg