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!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 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
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
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