Recipe: Brine for Corning Beef

Nancy, these are from Cooking Live on the food network, I think they are originally Time-Life Books recipes.

Tracey

BRINE FOR CORNING BEEF
4 quarts water
1 1/2 pounds kosher salt
1 pound dark brown sugar
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 sprig thyme
10 juniper berries
10 crushed peppercorns
1 tablespoon baking soda
4 gallons boiling water
1 egg, in shell
Salt, if needed
Cold water to cover meat
1 (5 pound) beef brisket
5 cloves garlic

Bring first 9 ingredients up to the peppercorns to a boil and boil hard for 5 minutes. Leave the brine to cool. Clean a stoneware crock or plastic bucket and its lid with a solution of 1 tablespoon baking soda to 1 gallon boiling water. Rinse well and leave to drain dry. To test the saltiness of the brine put egg, in shell in the cooled brine. If it doesn't float, add enough salt until it does. To draw off any excess blood and to help the brine penetrate, pierce the beef all over with a trussing needle or skewer and place meat in cold water for about 45 minutes. Remove the meat from water and place in crock or bucket. Pour the cooled brine over the brisket. Add garlic to the brine. Place a plate on top of the brisket to submerge. Place a lid or plastic wrap over container. Store in a refrigerator or dry place, at a temperature below 60 degrees. Salting time depends on the thickness of the meat. Allow 3 to 10 days for salting time for brisket. When removing meat from brine, always use clean tongs: this way the brine will stay good longer and be reused with the same kind of meat. It is possible to strain off the brine and reboil it, adding a refresher of about half the above quantities. Naturally the crock or bucket will need a complete cleaning. This should be done before mold appears.

CORNED BEEF
Brisket that has been corned
Twine to tie brisket plus twine to tie bouquet
Cold water to cover brisket
1 onion
2 cloves
1 sprig thyme
2 sprigs parsley
5 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
Cheesecloth for bouquet garni, cut into approximately 6-inch by 6-inch square
6 small white onions
4 small turnips, peeled and cut in half
8 small new potatoes
6 carrots, peeled and cut in half
1 head of cabbage, cut into 6 wedges
1 cup hard cider (optional)
Fresh parsley, chopped for garnish

Roll brisket into cylinder, and tie with twine. Place tied beef in pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Remove the scum as it appears. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. If the liquid is salty after 10 minutes, start again with boiling water. Stick cloves in onion and put in pot. Place thyme, parsley, peppercorns and bay leaf into middle of cheesecloth and tie with twine, and put into pot. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours skimming any scum that appears on the surface. Transfer beef to a clean pot. Strain, cool and degrease cooking liquid. Add onions turnips, potatoes, carrots and cabbage, and optional cider if desired into pot. Cover with strained liquid and cook at a simmer for 1 hour more, or until you can pierce beef easily with a skewer. Remove the meat from the poaching liquid , cut the trussing strings and carve the meat into generous slices. Place them on a warmed platter. Arrange the cooked garnish vegetables around the meat. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley. Serve with horseradish cream sauce.

Yield: 8 servings