Home Cured Corned Beef

Home Cured Corned Beef

7 cups water

1 cup Kosher salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick, broken in pieces

1 tsp. mustard seed

1 tsp. black peppercorns

8 whole cloves

8 whole allspice berries

2 bay leaves, crumbled

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 bottle Guiness draught

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1  4-5 lb. trimmed beef brisket

1.  Place water in a large stockpot along with salt, sugar, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat. Add Guiness. Cool until it reaches 45 degrees. You may have to put it in the refrigerator.

2.  Once cooled, place the brisket in a 2 gallon plastic bag; add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container. Cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Turn over once a day.

3.  After 10 days, remove from brine and rinse well under cold water. Place brisket into a large pot; add onion. Cover with water by 1 inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer for about 3 hours or until fork tender. Remove from pot and slice across the grain to serve.

Recipe adapted from Alton Brown and my wonderful friend Gene Floyd