Ingredients:
Water (about 2 quarts) Spices (8 whole cloves, 13 juniper berries, crumbled bay leaves, a teaspoon of ground ginger, 9 allspice berries, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 teaspoon mustard seeds, 1 cinnamon stick chopped, 2 tablespoons of saltpeter*) 1 cup Kosher salt 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 lbs ice 1 beef brisket (around 4 to 5 lbs, and trimmed) 1 onion, quartered 1 carrot (large), rough chop 1 celery stalk, rough chop
Directions:
–Put the water, salt, brown sugar and spices in a stockpot (around 6 to 8 quarts). –Cook on high heat until you can no longer see the salt or sugar in the water. Turn off the heat and add the ice to the pot. Stir gently until all the ice has melted (you are looking for a temp of around 45 or 50 degrees). –Once cooled, place the brisket in the brine. Make sure the entire piece of meat is covered in the liquid. –Place in your fridge and let it sit for seven days. Ensure that the beef is submerged for the entire time (you can place a plate on top to weigh down the meat). Another method is to put the beef in a zip–lock bag and then add the brine to the bag, although this method often results in a much larger mess. –Once seven days have passed, take the beef out of the brine and rinse. –Put the brisket in a pot with the onion, carrot and celery. Put just enough water to cover the meat by around half an inch. –Bring the water to a boil. Immediately after the water reaches a boil, turn down the heat and leave it at a simmer for two to three hours. Once the meat is fork–tender, it's done. Remove from the pot and enjoy! *It should be noted that the saltpeter does nothing to the taste of your meat; it only adds the pink color that people expect corned beef to have. Saltpeter is not always readily available, so do not be afraid to make this dish without it. It will taste just as good.
