Corned Beef and Vegatables

Ingredients

For Brisket

• 3-4lb. brined brisket

• 5 tbsp reserved pickling spice

• 1 large head of green cabbage; cored and cut into wedges

• 10-12 baby potatoes

• 4-5 medium carrots; chopped into 1 inch pieces

• salt (to taste)

For Brine

• 1 can of guinness (American stout works as well)

• 2-3 shallots

• 5-8 garlic heads, crushed

• 1/2 cup of pickling spices

• 1/2 brown sugar

• 2 cups kosher salt (use only 1/2 if using Morton’s salt)

• 4 tsp pink curing salt (optional)

• 3-4 lb brisket

Instructions

Step 1: Make the Brine

• Toast Pickling Spices: Gently toast 6 tbsp of pickling spices in dry pan for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Be careful not to not burn. Lightly crush the spices in a mortar and pestle, or place them in a bag and hit with a meat tenderizer until lightly crushed

• Prepare Brine: In a large pot or a sealable container (at least 8 quarts), combine the crushed pickling spices, 1 can of Guinness, brown sugar, kosher salt, and pink curing salt (if using). Stir until everything is dissolved.

• Add Brisket: Place the brisket into the brine. If the brisket is too large to fit, Cut it in half. Make sure th ebeef is fully submerged; if necessary, use a plate to weigh down the meat.

• Refrigerate: Cover the container and refrigerate for 4-10 days. Turn the brisket over once or twice a day to ensure even brining.

Step 2: Day of Cooking

• Rinse the Brisket: Remove the brisket from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold water to remove th excess salt and spice from the surface.

• Prepare the Cooking Pot: In a large pot (at least 8 quarts), bring lightly salted water to a boil. Season the water as you would for pasta, using no more than 2 tbsp of salt.

• Cook the Brisket: Add the rinsed brisket and the reserved pickling spices to the boiling water. Cover and cook on a high boil. Cover and cook on high boil for 20-30 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to a low-medium simmer and cook for 3.5-4 hours.

• Taste the Broth: Taste the broth as it simmers and adjust the salt if necessary, as you’ll be adding vegetables later

• Add Vegetables: After 2.5-3 hours of cooking, add the baby potatoes and chopped carrots. Continue simmering for another 30 minutes.

• Add Cabbage: after 3-3.5 hours, add the cabbage wedges and continue simmering for 30 more minutes, checking the tenderness of the beef.

• Check for Tenderness: Continue cooking for up to 4.5 hours, or until the beef is tender and can be easily shredded with a fork or knife.

Step 3: Finishing

• Remove Beef: Once the brisket is tender, remove it from the pot and rest for 1 hour before slicing.

• Check Vegetables: Test the tenderness of the vegetables. If they are done to your liking, remove the pot from the heat. If they need more time, continue to simmer on medium heat for an additional 15-20 minutes.

• Slice the Brisket: Slice the brisket against the grain into pieces about the width of your thumb for a brisket point OR about the thickness of a pencil if using a brisket flat.

• Serve: Serve the sliced brisket with the vegetables and broth. A great addition is Irish soda bread with salted butter.