Homemade Corned Beef Curing Recipe

Name: Homemade Corned Beef Curing Guide
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 4 quarts water; 1 cup salt; 1 teaspoon saltpeter; 2 (4-pound) beef briskets; 12 garlic cloves; 3 tablespoons pickling spices; 8 bay leaves

Prep: 15 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 15 mins

Servings: 12 to 16 servings

Yield: 4 pounds corned beef

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It's easy to make your own corned beef at home. Just plan ahead. The beef brisket will take about 3 weeks to cure. You can also use bottom round roast in place of brisket if you wish.

4 quarts water
1 cup salt
1 teaspoon saltpeter
2 (4-pound) beef briskets
12 garlic cloves
3 tablespoons pickling spices
8 bay leaves

Boil water. Add salt and saltpeter, stir to dissolve and set aside to cool.
Place brisket in a large crock, zipper-style plastic bag or another non-metallic container. Pour salt water over the meat and add garlic, pickling spices, and bay leaves. Meat should be submerged; use a weighted jar to hold meat under pickling solution.
Refrigerate or set in a cool place for 3 weeks.
Drain and remove bay leaves before cooking.

Tip

Saltpeter is known commercially as potassium nitrate and is used to give the meat a pink coloring.

Recipe Variation

Bottom round roasts may be substituted for the brisket for a leaner corned beef.

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal March 8, 1995. Reprinted with permission.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
662	Calories
42g	Fat
1g	Carbs
66g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12 to 16
Amount per serving
Calories	662
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 42g	54%
Saturated Fat 17g	83%
Cholesterol 240mg	80%
Sodium 7193mg	313%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	1%
Dietary Fiber 0g	2%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 66g
Vitamin C 1mg	6%
Calcium 68mg	5%
Iron 6mg	34%
Potassium 553mg	12%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.