Alton Brown Corned Beef Recipe

This Alton Brown Corned Beef recipe is a tender and flavorful project, which calls for raw beef brisket and a 10-day spiced brine. It’s the ultimate St. Patrick’s Day feast, ready in about 10 days (mostly curing time).

Alton Brown Corned Beef Ingredients

For the Brine

• 2 quarts water
• 1 cup kosher salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp saltpeter (sodium nitrite/pink curing salt) – essential for the pink color and preservation
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 12 juniper berries
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• 2 lbs ice

For the Meat

• 1 (4–5 lb) beef brisket, trimmed

For Cooking

• 1 small onion, quartered
• 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

How To Make Alton Brown Corned Beef

1. Make the spice blend: Place the water into a large stockpot along with the kosher salt, brown sugar, saltpeter (pink salt), cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves, and ginger.
2. Dissolve and cool: Cook over high heat until the mixture boils and the salt and sugar have completely dissolved. Remove from the heat. Stir in the 2 lbs of ice. This cools the brine down rapidly. The brine must be completely cold (below 40°F) before adding the meat.
3. Submerge the beef: Place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip-top bag (or a large non-reactive container). Pour the cold brine over the meat. Seal the bag, squeezing out as much air as possible to ensure the meat is fully submerged.
4. The 10-Day Cure: Place the bag in a roasting pan (to catch leaks) and refrigerate for 10 days. Check daily to ensure the beef remains submerged; flip the bag occasionally.
5. Rinse well: After 10 days, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. Rinse it well to remove excess salt. Discard the brine.
6. Cook the beef: Place the rinsed brisket into a large pot. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cover with water by 1 inch.
7. Simmer: Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to very low. Cover and simmer gently for 2 ½ to 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender.
8. Serve: Remove the meat to a cutting board. Slice thinly across the grain. Serve hot or cold.

Recipe Tips

• Saltpeter (Pink Curing Salt): This ingredient (sodium nitrite) is what gives corned beef its signature pink color and distinct “cured” flavor. Without it, the meat will be grey (like a pot roast) and taste different. It is safe in small quantities specified.
• Why brisket? Brisket is tough and fatty, making it perfect for long curing and boiling. The point cut is fattier and more flavorful; the flat cut is leaner and slices neater.
• Rinsing: Do not skip the rinse after curing. The brine is extremely salty, and if you boil the meat without rinsing, it will be inedible.
• Storage: Once cooked, corned beef keeps in the fridge for up to a week. It makes incredible Reuben sandwiches or corned beef hash.

What To Serve With Alton Brown Corned Beef

• Cabbage and Potatoes: Add wedges of cabbage and potatoes to the pot in the last 20 minutes of cooking.
• Rye Bread: For sandwiches.
• Mustard: Spicy brown mustard or horseradish.
• Pickles: A classic deli pairing.

How To Store Alton Brown Corned Beef

• Refrigerate: Store cooked meat in its cooking liquid or wrapped tightly for up to 1 week.
• Freeze: Freeze slices or chunks of cooked beef for up to 3 months.
• Uncooked: If you cure it but don’t want to cook it yet, you can freeze the cured (rinsed) raw brisket for up to 1 month.

Alton Brown Corned Beef Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 350kcal
• Protein: 24g
• Carbohydrates: 2g
• Fat: 26g
• Saturates: 10g
• Sugar: 1g
• Salt: High

Nutrition information is estimated per serving.

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