Corned Beef

[Anonymous Modernist 14040]

Anyone have a modernist recipe for Corned Beef? MC@H only has two references to corned beef, both derogatory "and if you do this wrong you get corned beef". What if I want to do it intentionally?

The full book set has several mentions to corned beef, but I am not sure if it has any recipes. Could someone share if there is a recipe for it, I only have access to it via the library. Or if someone has their own recipe, I am all eyes.

Only recipes I have found are here:

http://www.cuisinetechnology.com/blog/recipe-sous-vide/contest-winners-sous-vide-corned-beef-recipes-3172012/

Thanks!

[Anonymous Modernist 15013]

We just did one for dinner last night.

We corned a brisket for 5 days using Ruhlman's pickling spice and some potassium nitrate. Although not MC, it is very tasty. We rinsed it off and vac packed it. We had it in the bath at 143f for ~60hours (I ran out of time to keep it in there for 72hours). MC noted for bricket to do 140 for 72h (tender but yielding) or 145 for 72h (tender and flaky). He did the middle and it was quite delicious. Great flavour and texture. I think i'd try 145 next time maybe though.

On a side note, since the bath was at 143 so we plopped in some MC@H meatloaf sandwiches for 30 minutes at lunch time.. also stellar and super easy.

[Anonymous Modernist 14040]

Thanks vinio, good tip there. I suppose corned beef really comes down to a question of how I want to cure it, followed by how I want to cook it.

[Anonymous Modernist 15013]

Yes, I guess that really goes for anything. We chose wet cure because that it was we knew (and it was good last year). We chose sous vide, because I just made the circulator and wanted to do it. That being said, I don't think I would cook it any other way moving forward. It was very good and I am upset that this is my last sandwich today (boo).

I'd like to get a hold of the technique the MC folks use for the sweet onion sauerkraut. Is it just pickled sweet onions or are they fermented? If they are fermented do you add some brine from sauerkraut to introduce the lactic acid required to ferment or do you add cabbage to introduce lactic acid? How much of either should I add?

Can anyone help me on that?

[Judy Wilson]

Do you mean the Braised Sauerkraut? That one has sweet onions sauteed with our other sauerkrauts as well as some other ingredients.

[Anonymous Modernist 15013]

I had read in the blog that pastrami was served with Taki's sweet onion sauerkraut? I assumed this was made and not bought? Perhpas I am overthinking it?

[Judy Wilson]

Ah, yes. Taki is one of our favorite farmer's at the University District Farmers' Market in Seattle. So that's where that part comes from. We still made it, though I'm not sure if it was a new recipe or a variation of a recipe from MC or MCAH.

Edit: Here's a picture of Taki with Max: http://modernistcuisine.com/2011/12/behind-the-scenes-at-a-lab-dinner-part-1/

[Anonymous Modernist 15013]

Any on the MC Team that can shed some light on this one for me?

[Sam Fahey-Burke]

Taki‚’s Sweet Onion Sauerkraut is the same thing we serve with our pastrami. We make sauerkraut, but there‚’s nothing Modernist about it: Just slice up a bunch of cabbage, lightly salt it, and let it ferment under the pressure of a solid weight. Then mix it, in equal parts, with thinly sliced and sweated sweet onions. Then add cream and reduce it until it‚’s thick.

Sam