Thank you for all of your replies. I've learned more in 2 days from all of you than I have learned in all of my internet searches. It's nice to receive advice from people who know what they are talking about and are generous in sharing their knowledge.
I received several recipes from @Norm Matthewsthat are some of the easiest and best that I have received. He has kindly given me permission to share them with you. I hope that he will consider posting them on the recipe gullet. At this time of year this is such a popular topic and his recipes are definitely keepers.
CORNED BEEF
FOR THE BRINE
2 quarts water
1 cup Canning and Pickling salt
1 tablespoon Tenderquick
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon mustard seeds, crushed
1 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 cinnamon stick, crushed
4 dried bay leaves, crushed
8 whole cloves
1. Make the brine: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add salts, sugar, and spices; remove from heat, and stir until salts and sugar dissolve. Let cool.
2. Make the corned beef: Place brisket in a nonreactive container just large enough to hold it. Pour cooled brine over meat. Place 2 small plates on top to keep meat submerged; cover, and refrigerate for 2 weeks.
Cooking Corned Beef
Serves 6-8
3 1/2 lb or so Corned Beef Brisket from above
1/2 to 1 bottle beer
Water to cover, approx 2 cups
10 black peppercorns
1 whole allspice
1 bay leaves
12 sprigs fresh parsley
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
2 whole leeks, green trimmed to fit pot, slice white part to clean
1 medium onion, peeled, quartered
Simmer brisket about 3 hours
Add
7 or 8 whole carrots, cleaned
2 large rutabagas, trimmed and quartered
Simmer 1/2 additional hour
This is a long process but delicious. Please read all three recipes before proceeding.
Here is a recipe for CORNED BEEF from scratch. My family really likes it:
1. FOR CORNING
4-5 lb. front cut brisket
1 to 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar.
In a saucepan, put enough water to cover brisket, add salt and sugar. Heat and stir to dissolve, cool. Place brisket in ceramic or glass bowl and pour water with dissolved sugar and salt over brisket. Cover with plastic and weight with non-metallic weight. Refrigerate 2 weeks.
2. FOR SPICING
8 bay leaves
5 large cloves garlic, coarse chop
1 tbsp. peppercorns, cracked
1 tbsp. coarse salt
3 dried hot peppers, 1 1/2 inches long, seeds removed
Rub spices hard into meat, wrap tightly in foil, put in plastic bag and refrigerate 3-5 days. Unwrap meat, leave spices on,(OMIT THE FOLLOWING and skip down to the next recipe) place in Dutch oven, pour on 2 inches of boiling water and cook, covered, barely simmering 3-4 hours, turning occasionally and adding more boiling water as needed. Let cool, uncovered, in broth. Serve hot or cold. Can be kept in refrigerator one week.
3.CORNED BEEF WITH CABBAGE
This recipe is for use with the usual very salty store-bought corned beef. The washing, soaking in water and changing the cooking liquid are to reduce the saltiness. If you use the brisket prepared as above, you may omit those steps.
I hope this helps.
4 to 5 lbs corned brisket
1 clove garlic, slivered
1 onion stuck with 2 cloves
8 carrots
water
6 onions
6 turnips
1 head of cabbage, quartered
Wash the meat and let it set in cold water for an hour before you cook it. Then slash it in several places and insert the slivers of garlic. Place the beef in a large kettle, add 2 carrots and an onion stuck with 2 cloves and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 1 hour. Then pour off the water and cover with fresh boiling water. Continue cooking until the corned beef is tender but not mushy. This may take 4 to 5 hours, but watch it carefully and test it often with a sharp fork. During the last hour, add 6 carrots, the onions and the turnips. Twenty minutes before you are ready to serve, add the quartered head of cabbage.
Arrange the cooked corned beef on a hot platter and surround it with the vegetables. Serve with baked or boiled potatoes and a variety of good mustards and pickles.
Thank you, Norm. And thank you to everyone for your valuable advice.
