(Keto, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free & Dairy-Free)
Jump to RecipeWhen you mention St. Patrick’s Day, it’s hard not to think about Corned Beef and Cabbage. If you live in America, that is! Being an Irish American myself, I was surprised to learn that this meal is actually NOT all that popular in Ireland…not even on St. Patrick’s Day!
Corned Beef History
As it turns out, beef from the cow was often reserved for the wealthy. Therefore, those who lived on the countryside in Ireland were more likely to eat the less expensive pork than beef. In fact, to this day, Irish Boiled Bacon and Cabbage is more likely to be served on St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland, than Corned Beef and Cabbage!
Cooking Corned Beef, and especially the Corned Beef “Brisket”, is said to have become popular in the United States as Irish immigrants settled in America’s urban areas. As those immigrants began making more currency in America than in Ireland, they were better able to afford purchasing the more expensive beef.
What Is Corned Beef?
As funny as it sounds, until I created my own brine to make Corned Beef at home, I wondered whether the commercial Corned Beef was truly made using beef! After all, the meat is usually awfully pink, and does not quite resemble the beef I’m used to seeing.
Corned Beef is a salt-cured beef product that is made using large-grained rock salt, often called “corns” of salt. The distinctive “pink” color of the meat that is present in commercial brands is mostly due to the addition of nitrates or nitrites, which convert the myoglobin in beef to nitrosomyoglobin. This is one very important reason why you might want to salt-cure your own beef brisket at home!
Although the addition of nitrates and nitrites may reduce the risk of bacteria from growing in the beef, these additives have also been linked to an increased cancer risk in individuals. And with growing rates of cancer on the rise, nitrates and nitrites are best avoided at all cost!
Homemade Corned Beef Brine
It was because of the harmful ingredients present in commercially prepared corned beef that I first decided to make my own corned beef brine. However, a look at the list of ingredients and I was immediately nervous! It’s a little intimidating.
However, I assure you that it could not be easier! The hardest part is waiting the 3-5 days it takes to salt-cure the beef. But all good things come to those who wait! And I can assure you that this recipe will produce the best Corned Beef Brisket that you ever did have! Honest!
I have made my Corned Beef Brisket using this recipe for a few years now and I always get incredible compliments on how tasty it is.
Ingredients:
- Water
- Garlic Cloves
- Himalayan Pink Salt, coarse
- Coconut Palm Sugar
- Cinnamon Stick
- Mustard Seeds
- Black Peppercorns
- Coriander Seeds (Optional)
- Allspice Berries (Optional)
- Juniper Berries (Optional)
- Whole Cloves
- Ground Ginger
- Dried Thyme
- Bay Leaves
- Ice Cubes
- Beet Juice or Purple Sauerkraut Juice (Optional)
- Beef Brisket, grass-fed
Herbs
Many of the ingredients needed for this recipe can be found at your local grocery store. Others can easily be found either on Amazon or Mountain Rose Herbs. They have a great selection of organic herbs that can be purchased in smaller portions, for those not planning to use them much.
Coconut Palm Sugar
I chose to use unrefined coconut palm sugar, instead of refined cane sugar, since it is a more natural sweetener. It is made from coconut palm sap by collecting the liquid sap from the coconut palm tree. The sap is then cooked until most of the water has evaporated. What is left is an unrefined, granulated brown sugar that can be used in a 1:1 ratio for the common refined cane sugar.
Why use coconut palm sugar, you ask? For starters, coconut palm sugar contains vital nutrients, such as antioxidants, calcium, iron, potassium and zinc that cane sugar does not. It also contains fiber, which is void in cane sugar. This fiber helps slow the absorption of sugar in the body, giving it a lower rating on the glycemic index than cane sugar.
This is not to say that you should start loading up on coconut palm sugar, by any means! Sugar is still sugar and should be consumed moderately. However, if you are using sugar in a recipe, coconut palm sugar is an excellent alternative to the usual cane sugar we are all accustomed to using.
How do you get it pink naturally?
If you are accustomed to the pink hue of the meat, as in the commercially prepared Corned Beef Briskets, you can add a bit of beet juice or purple sauerkraut juice to your brine. This will not result in a super pink color, but it will add a bit of color, if that’s what you are used to.
However, adding juice to make your meat pink is not necessary. The darker colored beef will still taste the same and will result in what is known as a “New England Corned Beef”.
How to Cure Your Corned Beef Brisket
It’s really as easy as putting all of the herbs and water into a pot and boiling it. Once the water has boiled and the sugar has dissolved, the brine must be cooled completely before adding the meat by adding ice cubes to the brine and refrigerating it. This cooling process may take several hours in the refrigerator, so it’s best to start this process in the morning or plan to let the brine cool overnight.
Once cooled to 60⁰F to 70⁰F, the beet or sauerkraut juice can be added to the brine and then the meat. I usually put my brine and meat in a large 8 quart bowl with plastic wrap over it. However, you could use a large baking dish with a lid, if you have one big enough. Just be sure to keep the meat fully submerged in the brine.
Then, all you have to do is wait! The meat should remain in the brine for 3 to 5 days. During this time period, you should flip your meat and stir your brine once a day. But other than that, there is nothing more to do except wait.
When your meat is fully cured, you simply remove the meat from the brine, rinse it and cook it as usual. The brine can be discarded.
Homemade Corned Beef Brine
Equipment
- Stock Pot
- 8 Quart Bowl or Large Glass Dish
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 2 Quarts Water
- 5 Garlic Cloves, Minced
- 1 Cup Himalayan Pink Salt, coarse
- ½ Cup Coconut Palm Sugar
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 1 Tbsp Mustard Seeds
- 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorns
- 1 Tbsp Coriander Seeds (optional)
- 1 Tsp Allspice Berries (optional)
- 1 Tsp Juniper Berries (or more Bay Leaf)
- ½ Tsp Whole Cloves
- ½ Tsp Ground Ginger
- ½ Tsp Dried Thyme
- 2 Bay Leaves, crushed
- 2 Cups Ice Cubes
- ⅓ Cup Beet or Purple Sauerkraut Juice (optional)
- 3 Pounds Beef Brisket, grass-fed
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients (except beef brisket, beet or sauerkraut juice and ice cubes) in a large stockpot.
- Bring brine to a boil, stirring frequently.
- When sugar and salt have dissolved into the water, remove the brine from heat and add the ice cubes to begin cooling the mixture.
- Place the brine in the refrigerator for several hours (6-8 hours) to cool the mixture completely. The brine should be as cool as 60°F to 70°F before adding the meat.
- Once the brine has cooled, add the beet or sauerkraut juice and stir to combine.
- Place the beef brisket in a large baking dish or 8 quart bowl. Pour the brine over the beef, until it is submerged in the brine completely. Seal the container with a lid or plastic wrap.
- Place the beef brisket in the refrigerator in the brine for 3-5 days. Be sure to flip the meat and stir the brine once each day.
- After 3-5 days, remove the beef brisket from the brine and rinse in cool water. Cook corned beef as usual.
How to Cook a Corned Beef Brisket
Cooking a Corned Beef Brisket couldn’t be easier, either! Since all of the seasoning generally happens during the curing process, there usually isn’t much seasoning needed during the cooking process, whether you cure your own Corned Beef Brisket or buy it at the store.
So here’s my super simple method of cooking corned beef. The only ingredients required are:
- Corned Beef Brisket
- Pickling Spice
- Water
Put it all in a crockpot and cook it on low for 8 hours. Done!
Corned Beef Brisket
Equipment
- Crock Pot
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 3 Pound Corned Beef Brisket
- 2 Cups Water
- 1 Tbsp Pickling Spice
Instructions
- Rinse corned beef brisket and place in crock pot, fat side up.
- Add water and pickling spices.
- Cook on LOW for 7-8 hours (or on HIGH for 3-4 hours).
- Remove beef from crock pot and transfer to a serving platter. Slice beef against the grain.
- Serve with Roasted Garlic Cabbage and Roasted Irish Vegetables.
Notes
Side Dishes
The only thing you need is an equally delicious side dish or two. Try this delicious Roasted Garlic Cabbage aside your Corned Beef Brisket. Many people steam or boil their cabbage, but many of the nutrients are lost in the water, when cooked this way. Roasting the cabbage retains many of its nutrients and tastes delicious! I also like to make a Roasted Irish Vegetable dish that goes well with Corned Beef and Cabbage.
Whatever you like to do, I hope it turns out delicious. And even though this is an Irish “American” traditional meal, I hope it brings out the Irish in you, anyway!
What do you serve on St. Patrick’s Day? Please share below.
Related Articles:
