homemade corned beef

This nitrate free homemade corned beef is easy to make, tender, and delicious. Use it to make corned beef and cabbage or in Reuben sandwiches!

Homemade Corned Beef (Nitrate Free)

Tbsp black peppercorns

Tbsp mustard seeds

coriander seeds

Tbsp red pepper flakes

Tbsp allspice berries

Tbsp juniper berries (dried)

Tbsp whole cloves

water

salt

brown sugar

Tbsp pickling spice blend

garlic cloves

cinnamon

bay leaf

½ tsp ground ginger

beef brisket

ice cubes

onion (halved)

cabbage (quartered (optional))

Combine all of the pickling spice ingredients in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container.

Make the brine by putting all of the brine ingredients, except the brisket and ice cubes, into a pot and bring to a boil. Once it boils, take it off the heat and let it cool completely.

Put the brisket, brine, and ice cubes into a brining vessel, and keep it in the refrigerator or on ice for 5-7 days.

Once brining is finished, take the brisket out and rinse well with cold running water.

Put the brisket in a large pot with water to cover, the halved onion, 2 Tbsp pickling spice, and bay leaf.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Cover and cook for about 3-4 hours, adding the optional quartered cabbage during the last hour, until tender.

Step by step how to make corned beef. Tender, mouth watering meat with a salty sour touch punctuated by spices like dill, allspice, mustard seeds and more! Prep time does not include 10 days of brining the brisket. Cooking time is for Instant Pot, other cooking times will vary.

How to Make Corned Beef

water ((1 gallon))

kosher salt ((See Note 1))

pickling spice blend

tsp pink curing salt ((See Note 2))

garlic

lb beef brisket

beef broth

tbsp pickling spice blend

carrots

potatoes

green cabbage (core removed and quartered)

In a Dutch oven or large stock pot add the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, pickling spice blend, pink curing salt, garlic and stir. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook until salt and sugar have dissolved. Turn off heat and cool.

In a large container or large sealable plastic bag place beef brisket. Pour cooled brining liquid over and cover or seal. Store in a refrigerator for 10 days, turning beef on day 5. On day 10 remove from brining liquid (discard liquid) and follow the directions to cook.

To Make Brine

Stovetop method: Place the corned beef in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pickling spice blend and pour in 4 cups beef broth. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Bring to a boil on high heat. Reduce heat, cover and cook for about 3 1/2 hours. Add water if necessary to keep brisket covered. Slice across the grain.

Oven Braised method: Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the corned beef in a Dutch oven. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pickling spice blend and pour in 4 cups beef broth. Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage. Bring to a boil on high heat. Cover and cook in oven for about 3 1/2-4 hours. Add water if necessary to keep brisket covered. Slice across the grain.

Cooking Methods

Place the corned beef brisket, fat side up, on a rack. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pickling spice blend and pour in 4 cups beef broth. Lock the lid in place, close vent. Select High Pressure and set or 90 minutes, with a natural pressure release, NOT a quick pressure release.

Remove corned beef and cover with foil to keep warm.

Add potatoes, carrots, and cabbage to liquid in pot. Seal with lid and set to HIGH pressure for 3 minutes. Do a Quick pressure release. Serve with corned beef sliced across the grain.

How to Cook Corned Beef in an Instant Pot?

I think the term pressure cooker brings back bad memories or scary stories of exploding kitchen pots, so with a rebranding of the kitchen cooking utensil, a more user friendly name is todays Instant Pot.

For a 5 pound corned beef brisket. Place corned beef on rack. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pickling spice blend and pour in 4 cups beef broth.

Lock the lid in place. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 90 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to rest, sealed for 10 minutes, then uncover.

How to Cook Corned Beef in the Pressure Cooker?

For a 5 pound corned beef brisket, it needs to be cooked on Low, for about 8-10 hours and on High for roughly 4-5 hours. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pickling spice blend and pour in 4 cups beef broth. Adding carrot and potatoes at the half time mark and add the cabbage in the last 2 hours.

Just remember that when ready to serve, slice the brisket against the grain in 1/8 to 1/4&quot; slices. Cutting with the grain and you&#x27;ll have stringy beef jerky. No bueno. Cut ACROSS the grain!

How to Cook Corned Beef in a Slow Cooker?

How to make your own naturally-cured Corned Beef without nitrates.  It is easier and healthier than you may think!  Allow one-week curing time.

Natural Corned Beef (Nitrate-free) 

beef brisket (grass-fed preferred)

bay leaves

mustard seeds

cloves

red pepper flakes

whole black peppercorn

whole cardamom pods

cane sugar

celery juice (1 bunch celery, see notes)

sauerkraut brine or whey (see notes)

beet juice

onion,

celery

carrot

Break up cinnamon stick and bay leaves, lightly smash cardamom.  Mix together with mustard seeds, coriander, cloves, red pepper flakes, salt, and sugar.

Rinse and dry brisket.  Throughly massage spice/salt mixture into meat.  Roll up tying with string to secure. Place rolled up brisket in jar or glass container.

Pour sauerkraut brine (or whey-see notes), celery juice, and beet juice (if using) over the meat.  Make sure meat is fully submerged.  Though in the garlic cloves.  Seal with lid.

Place jar in the refrigerator for 5-10 days.

Brining the meat

Prepare onion, celery, carrot and garlic cutting in large chunks.  Put in the bottom of a crockpot (or dutch oven)

Place meat on top of the vegetables along with the water.

Cook on high for 4-5 hours, until the meat, is tender and easily forks apart.

Cooking the Corned Beef

Will definitely try! Always wanted to do but scared of nitrate.
Tnx!

Great recipe and felt so proud to have made it from scratch like that :-)

Home-cured corned beef is extremely flavorful, incredibly tender and easier to make than you might think! Just make sure to plan ahead: this corned beef recipe calls for one week&hellip;

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Homemade Corned Beef (Nitrate Free)

How to Make Corned Beef

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homemade corned beef and cabbage

Top 4 homemade corned beef recipes from across the web

The most viewed homemade corned beef recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Corned Beef (Nitrate Free)

How to Make Corned Beef

Natural Corned Beef (Nitrate-free)

homemade corned beef and cabbage

The most viewed homemade corned beef recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine