I decided to make my own home-corned beef for St Patrick's Day this year. It really came out good and cooked up so tender.

The recipe is from my "Complete Meat Cookbook" by Bruce Aidells of sausage fame and Denis Kelly. I used an oval speckled blue enameled roaster to hold the meat and liquid. This worked great. I followed this recipe precisely, except I had a flat of brisket that weighed 4 pounds. The meat was in the liquid for 9 1/2 days and wasn't overly salty. This was fun to do and definitely worth the small effort.

Make your own corned beef

It's not difficult to make your own corned beef, and the results are delicious. We suggest that you use brisket, but you can also use bottom round.

8 cups water, or more if necessary to cover the meat

1 1/4 cups kosher salt
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons pickling spices
1 6-8-pound whole beef brisket OR piece of bottom round, trimmed of excess fat

1 medium onion, spiked with 3 cloves
3 garlic cloves
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon peppercorns

Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the salt and sugar and stir to dissolve. Stir in the pickling spices. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cooled to 45 degrees F.

Pour the brine into a large bowl or crock and submerge the meat in it, making sure it stays under the surface by using a heavy plate as a weight. Refrigerate for 8 to 12 days. Stir the brine each day and turn the beef occasionally.

To cook the corned beef, remove the meat from the brine and put it in a large pot. Cover with water and add the vegetables, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Simmer over low heat until tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or more if necessry. Thinly slice across the grain and serve hot or cold.