Homemade Corned Beef Brine

This corned beef brine takes just a few minutes to make, turning that tough beef brisket into the most tender and delicious meat you have ever had. If you are used to buying yours from the grocery store and just cooking it on the stove, you are going to be amazed at the taste and texture of this homemade version! It is so easy; you will wonder why you never did it before! You only need some spices and a large pan to let it soak for a week.

Homemade Corned Beef tastes even better than what you can get at the deli and is easier to make than you think! It’s fantastic on sandwiches, with vegetables, or in a breakfast hash. All you need is the best brine recipe, which you can make yourself.

Homemade Corned Beef is leagues away from anything you can buy at the grocery store or the deli. My recipe yields flavor-packed brisket that basically melts in your mouth! Don’t be intimidated by the curing time. Once the meat is soaking in brine, flipping once a day is the only thing left to do. Honestly, the hardest part of this recipe is the waiting game! And once it’s done, you’ll have the tastiest corned beef brisket you’ve ever had in your life.

The meat has to soak for about a week to 10 days for the best results. During that time, you have to flip it over once a day so it can get evenly soaked. Other than that, you have nothing else to do but wait. Then, on the cooking day, you can prepare your side dishes while your corned beef cooks. I alternate between this instant pot corned beef recipe to have the meat and veggies done in less than two hours or my famous crockpot corned beef.

Other times, I use my corned beef to make sandwiches. I love corned beef and Reuben sandwiches. They are my top two favorite sandwiches, followed by pastrami. I also like to use for hash and chipped beef dishes. There are quite a few meals you can make with corned beef, really. You can also chop it up and put it in salads or casseroles.  The seasoned, tender meat is good in so many dishes.

Why you will love this recipe 

• So simple: Just crush, boil, soak, and cook. That’s all there is to it!
• Spices are the only ingredients: The only ingredients are spices and water.
• Very inexpensive: Buying corned beef already brined can be expensive. Doing it yourself at home is cheap.
• Incredible taste: You have never had a brisket that tasted this good.

What you’ll need to make homemade corned beef brine

Special items:

• Mortar and pestle – For crushing herbs and spices.
• Bowls – To mix the spices.
• Large pot – For boiling the brine.
• Frying pan – To toast the spices.
• Large flat pan – For brining the meat.

Ingredients:

Pickling spices:

• Whole allspice berries – These add a flavor of anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg as well as pepper.
• Whole mustard seeds – Although they are sharp and pungent if tasted, they are mild and nutty when soaked for a long time.
• Coriander seeds – Ground, they add a bright, citrusy, sweet, and tart flavor.
• Red pepper flakes – For just a touch of spiciness.
• Whole black peppercorns – Just a little hot with a bit of sweetness. The bold flavor adds a lot to this brine.
• Whole red peppercorns – Also known as white peppercorns depending on where you get them, are similar to black peppercorns only a bit milder.
• Whole cloves – Hot, fruity, and rich, I love the strong aroma and taste of cloves. It reminds me of the holiday season no matter what time of year it is.
• Whole cardamom pods – The complex flavors of the cardamom pods and seeds are menthol with hints of pine, fruit, and a touch of bitterness.
• Large bay leaves – Bay leaves do not have as much flavor as everything else, but they do add a background of eucalyptus or grassiness.
• Ground ginger – Already ground, this sweet spice is always delicious and adds that warm homey taste to whatever it touches.
• Stick cinnamon – Adding a stick of cinnamon to the water mix will allow all of the other flavors to enjoy its sweet and citrusy smoky taste. 

For the brine:

• Water – Clean cool water.
• Pink curing salt – This salt is 100% toxic to humans, and should never be used as table salt. It can be used only for curing, and it serves to inhibit bacterial growth.
• Pickling spices – From the recipe above.
• Brown sugar – Use light brown for a mildly rich taste or dark brown for a taste more like molasses.
• Beef brisket – Mine was about five pounds.

How do you homemade corned beef brine?

1. Mix the spices: First, add the allspice, seeds, red pepper flakes, peppercorns, cloves, and pods to a small frying pan over medium-high heat and toast until fragrant. Watch carefully because they can burn easily and quickly. Then, pour the toasted spices into a small bowl and use a mortar and pestle to crush them before mixing in the ginger and bay leaves.
2. Chill the brine. Mix the brine ingredients. Bring to a boil so all the flavors get infused into the brining solution. Turn off heat and cool, then place in the fridge until it’s very well-chilled. 
3. Cure the brisket. Take a large container that can fit both the brisket and the brining solution. You can also use a 2-gallon bag for this. Place the meat in there, and cover with the brining liquid. Chill from 5 to 7 days. Flip once every day, so every part of the meat is cured evenly.

Expert tip

Getting the best spices for brining

When I make a recipe for any spices, herbs, or seasonings, I emphasize that whatever you put into them must be the highest quality and the freshest. You could go to the dollar store and buy inexpensive generic stuff, but you will get what you pay for. Some of it tastes pretty good. Others do not even taste like what the labels say they are supposed to be. In this recipe, you can get everything from allspice berries to peppercorns fresh from a local spice store or online.

I usually use a few local specialty spice shops, but I know of several reputable online spice companies. The Spice House has an excellent reputation for the fast shipping of good quality pure organic spices at reasonable prices. The Spice Lab has some of the most creative spice mixes, like Born on the Bayou and Bad to the Bone. But for basic spices at straight-up low prices, try Spice Tribe. They have everything you need from allspice to vanilla.

In this recipe, you will need whole allspice berries, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, whole black and red peppercorns, cardamom pods, and cloves. A whole stick of cinnamon is also needed. The salt I use for this is large rock-style Kosher, but you can use regular Kosher or pink Himalayan. Red pepper, ginger, and brown sugar can be the stuff you always use.

Recipe variations and add-ins:

• Use brew: Replace some of the water with your favorite beer when you cook it for a delicious flavor.
• Or juice: For something more kid-friendly, try apple cider or juice. They will love it!
• Southwest-style corned beef: Make it Texan by adding some of my taco seasoning to the brine and serving it with Mexican veggies like avocado, squash, peppers, and tomatoes.
• Please give it a kick: For spicy food lovers, give your brine some cayenne pepper or add some jalapenos to the cooking pot.
• Sweeten the pot: To make your brine sweeter, add more brown sugar or a quarter cup of white sugar.
• Smoky: Make it smoky by adding a teaspoon of liquid smoke to the brine. 

Serving suggestions:

You can use this brine to soak other meats or use corned beef in other recipes.

• Try your corned beef brine for soaking a pot roast or tenderloin. Just do not leave it as long. Six to eight hours will be long enough.
• You could also use your corned beef to make these delicious homemade corned beef sandwiches.
• Chop up your corned beef and make it into corned beef stew. Serve it with some crusty French bread and wine.
• With this brine, the beef is so tender it will fall apart easily enough to make chipped beef on toast. Just mix it with some creamy sauce.
• Another way to enjoy this recipe is to make this corned beef hash meal for the family. My kids love this!

Frequently asked questions

What is corned beef?

Although we may have been serving it for years, many people still need to learn what corned beef is. To put it plainly, it is the brisket section of a cow cured in large pieces of salt called corn salt. Other spices often added include brown sugar, allspice, cloves, cardamom, coriander, mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, bay leaves, and ginger. It is the main ingredient in the Reuben sandwich, corned beef hash, corned beef and cabbage.

How long can you leave corned beef in brine?

Although many food experts claim you can leave your corned beef in brine for up to 14 days, I would leave it at most 10 days for a large cut of beef. With this recipe, it is a smaller cut, so I leave it for five to seven days. But make sure you flip it over daily so that all the meat is evenly cured. You want the whole thing to be tender, juicy, and perfectly seasoned.

Should I rinse the brine off the meat before cooking it?

Yes. It is essential to wash off the brine for several reasons. First, because it has a very high sodium count, this is bad for those with high blood pressure or who don’t. High-sodium foods are not good for your heart. It can also cause fluid retention, bloating, and poor sleep. Second, because of the sodium, it is very salty. It will make your meat taste too salty. Finally, the raw meat soaked in it for several days attracts all sorts of bacteria.

How do you cook corned beef?

Once the curing period is over, rinse off your brined brisket carefully. Pour an inch of water into the pot. Add about a tbsp of pickling spices before letting it boil. Next, reduce heat to a very low simmer. Leave the brisket to cook from 3 to 4 hrs. until it’s tender enough to cut with a fork. At this point, it’s done and ready to enjoy! Also, I have linked above how you can cook it in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.

Why is my corned beef so tough?

Did you brine it long enough? Maybe you were in a hurry and only brined it for one or two days? That will not work. The shortest time I would brine my beef is five days. Also, make sure you use enough salt. I used 300 grams, which also equals 11 ounces or 1.2 cups. You could use a little more, but I recommend using at least that. But you also have to make sure you cook it long enough. The internal temperature has to be 145 degrees F, cooked over low heat on the stovetop or in a slow cooker. Last, make sure you cut it against the grain for the most tender meat.

How to store:

• Refrigerate: The corned beef brine should be discarded after use, but the meat can be refrigerated for up to five days in an airtight container.   
• Freezing: Store leftover meat in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to three months.   
• Defrost: Thaw overnight in your refrigerator for the best taste.
• Reheating: You can reheat cooked corned beef in the microwave for 60 to 90 seconds. 

More delicious St. Patrick’s day recipes:

Recipe tips:

• When it is done, your corned beef should be at least 145 degrees F.
• Corned beef is not pink because it is raw. It stays pink because of the nitrites in the curing salt.
• Ensure you bring your beef for at least five days and use enough salt, or it may be tough.
• Always rinse off the brine before cooking.
• Keep the meat in the brine for at most ten days.
• Flip your beef every day as it brines so it gets soaked evenly.