CORNED BEEF BRISKET

I'm getting ready for St. Patrick's Day that is just around the corner.  So I thought I could make my own and I must admit the it tasted pretty good.  Even my wife said that it was very good.  In addition to that, the neighbors happened over just as it was finish cooking, so I gave them a slice or two and got a "very good" review.  Comment was made that it is very good, nice and moist.  So, I guess I did a good job.  

I started by going to our favorite grocer and purchased a whole trimmed brisket.  It had approximately 1/2 inch of fat on the top with very little fat on the other side.  I left the fat on it but you could trim it if you want too.  I did cut most of the fat off after it was cooked.  

I put it in the following brine;

 1 gallon water                                                                                                                                                    9 ounces salt                                                                                                                                                        5 ounces brown sugar                                                                                                                                    6 ounces pickling spice                                                                                                                                    2.7 ounces prague powder no. 1                                                                                                                    2 ounces minced garlic

Both the prague powder and pickling spice were purchased from SausageMaker.com.  thru OUR STORE

I mixed all this together in a food grade plastic container and it looked like this;

I was really excited as I placed this container of brine and brisket in the refrigerator.  Everyday, I looked at it and stirred it around to make sure all the the spices continued to get mixed.  I really don't know for sure that this is necessary, but it made me feel good. On the third day, I turned the brisket over in the brine.  And then on the sixth day, I removed it and I cut it in half to give you a look at what it looked like after it was cured in this brine.

Notice the dark rich red color of this cured beef.  After it is cooked it looks like the picture at the top of this blog.  

The whole brisket weighed 5.8 pound.  I "eyeballed" it and cut it approximately in half.  One half went into a sealed container and back into the frig.   After wiping most of the pickling spices off the other half it went into the covered crock pot (slow cooker) along with

                                1/2 medium size head of cabbage cut into five pieces                                                                              2 large cooking onions cut each into six pieces                                                                                          6 small red potatoes cut in half

Turned the slow cooker on high for approximately 4 hours                                                           Then turned it down to low for approximately 2 hours                                                                         As I put a fork in it, the brisket started to separate easily.    Between 160-165° F internal. 

Using a spatula and a fork I pulled it out of the cooker and let it rest covered with a clean cloth on a cutting board for approximately 10 minutes while I spooned the cabbage, onions and potatoes into a big bowl. Remember that each slow cooker may vary so you may need slightly more or less time.  

I then sliced the brisket across the grain approximately 1/2 inch thick and served on a plate with a side of the veggies and I added some good horseradish sauce.  UMM UMM GOOD

This was well worth me making it myself.  I've had other corned beef that was commercially produced and this is definitely a far more superior product for me and our family.