Making your own corned beef at home might seem intimidating, but it's actually a straightforward process that just requires a bit of planning and patience.
In this guide, I'll walk you through how to turn a regular beef brisket into delicious homemade corned beef with a simple curing process using a dry brine.
Would you like to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe page to you, so you can come back to it later!
The result is a flavorful, tender meat that's perfect for St. Patrick's Day celebrations or anytime you're craving this classic dish. This is a recipe where planning ahead is very important because the whole process will take 7-10 days.
Making your own corned beef at home gives you complete control over the ingredients and flavor profile. While it does advanced planning with a 5-7 day curing time, the hands-on time is minimal, and the results are worth the wait.
Whether you serve it with cabbage in the traditional way, use it for a Reuben sandwich on rye bread, or smoke it for a unique twist, your homemade corned beef will be delicious!
Suggested Kitchen Tools for Home Cured Corned Beef
- Kitchen scale (for weighing your brisket)
- Sharp knife (for trimming fat)
- Large ziplock bags or brining bags
- Large container with lid (for soaking)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Skillet (for toasting spices)
- Colander (optional, for rinsing)
Ingredients & Substitutions
The most important ingredient besides the Prague Powder (used for food safety) is the meat itself. Brisket is most commonly used and, while you can use the flat cut, point cut, or a combination of the two, I recommend the flat cut for slicing and the point cut for shredding.
Brisket
- Used in this Recipe: 5-pound beef brisket (flat cut preferred for slicing)
- What it does in this recipe: Brisket is the traditional cut used for corned beef.
- Substitutions: Point cut can be used for a fattier, more shreddable result. You can also use other cuts of beef like sirloin roasts, but make sure you adjust the curing salt based on weight and the cure time may be longer due to the shape of the cut of meat.
Pink Curing Salt #1 (Prague Powder)
- Used in this Recipe: 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds of meat
- What it does in this recipe: Contains sodium nitrite which preserves the meat, prevents botulism, and creates the characteristic pink color of corned beef
- Substitutions: No substitution recommended for food safety
Please note this is NOT the same as pink himalayan salt. You can usually find Prague powder #1 in speciality shops and on Amazon. Here is the brand I used: (affiliate link)Anthony's Prague Powder #1
Coarse Salt
- Used in this Recipe: 3 tablespoons of (affiliate link)coarse sea salt (grinder refill size)
- What it does in this recipe: Slowly infuses the meat with salt during the curing process which provides the correct amount of salt flavor.
- Substitutions: Large grain kosher salt (NOT fine grain salt, table salt, or Himalayan pink salt)
Brown Sugar
- Used in this Recipe: ¾ cup packed brown sugar for 5 pounds of meat
- What it does in this recipe: Adds sweetness and balances the salt
- Substitutions: White sugar can work but brown sugar is preferred for flavor. You can also omit the sugar if preferred.
Pickling Spice Blend
- Used in this Recipe: Homemade blend including:
- 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 tablespoon whole mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 4 crushed bay leaves
- What it does in this recipe: Provides the distinctive flavor profile of corned beef
- Substitutions: Store-bought pickling spice (4-5 tablespoons) with additional bay leaves if needed. You can also use different spices to create different flavor profiles.
- Make sure you decrease the amount of spices if using crushed or ground. For example: 1 Tablespoons of whole black peppercorns would be about 1 teaspoon of ground pepper or 2 teaspoons of crushed peppercorns.
How to Cure Brisket to Make Homemade Corned Beef
Preparing the Brisket
- Select your brisket cut (flat cut is recommended for slicing; point cut for shredding).
- Trim the fat cap to around ½ inch thickness if needed.
- Cut brisket to manageable size that will fit into your brining bag or container.
- 4-5 pounds is the ideal size and will fit into a gallon size ziplock bag.
- I recommend using Freezer bags because they are thicker. You can also use vacuum sealed bags.
Quick Tip
Save your brisket fat: Don't throw away trimmed fat. Freeze it and render it later to make tallow for cooking.
Weigh your trimmed brisket to calculate proper curing salt amounts and spice blend based on the chart below.
Creating the Curing Mix
- Toast all pickling spices in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until fragrant and seeds begin to "dance."
- Immediately remove the pan from heat to prevent burning and allow the spices to cool completely.
- Mix toasted spices with brown sugar, coarse salt, and pink curing salt #1 (Prague powder).
Quick Tip
Salt size matters: Use only coarse salt for this recipe. Fine salt will over-saturate the meat and make it too salty.
Curing Process with Dry Brine
Curing Day
- Place brisket in a large ziplock bag.
- Distribute the curing mixture as evenly as possible over the top and bottom of the brisket.
- Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal tightly.
- Place in refrigerator.
Day 1-7
Day 1 is the day after curing day.
- Day 1-7: massage the bag to distribute liquid and seasonings, flip the bag over, and return to refrigerator.
- By day 3, you'll notice the meat beginning to turn reddish and more liquid forming.
- Continue this daily process for 7 days for briskets that weigh up to 6 pounds. Add an extra day for briskets weighing 7-8 pounds and 2 days for briskets 8-10 pounds.
Final Preparation
- After 7 days, remove brisket from the bag and discard the curing liquid.
- Soak the brisket in cold water for at least 4 hours or overnight to remove excess salt (8 hour soak is recommended).
Quick Tip:
Don't skip the soak: Soaking the cured meat in cold water for 8 hours dramatically improves the final taste by reducing saltiness.
- Rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove any remaining spices.
Your corned beef is now ready to cook using your preferred method.
How to Cook your Homemade Brisket
There are many ways to cook the corned beef, from a traditional boiled dinner with cabbage, carrots, and potatoes to smoking the corned beef for a twist.
One of my favorite ways to make corned beef and cabbage is in the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper and you can find my recipe here: Ninja Foodi Corned Beef & Cabbage
Another way to cook the corned beef is to sous vide it. The result is a perfectly cooked and tender corned beef. Here are the instructions: Sous Vide Corned Beef
If you have a smoker, try smoking your home cured corned beef and you won't be disappointed!
I used my Ninja Woodfire Grill & Smoker to smoke my homemade corned beef and was blown away by the texture and flavor! Here is the recipe: Smoked Corned Beef in the Ninja Woodfire
Storage Instructions
You can store your cured brisket in the fridge for up to 48 hours after curing and rinsing.
You can also allow it to dry in the refrigerator overnight on a rack and then freeze it in an airtight container. Use within 3 months for the best quality.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, these are completely different products. Pink curing salt (Prague powder #1) contains sodium nitrite which is essential for food safety during the curing process and creates the classic pink color of corned beef. Himalayan pink salt is just colored table salt and won't provide any curing properties.
After 7 days of curing, the meat should have changed from its original red/pink color to a deeper reddish hue throughout.
If you are concerned that the cure hasn't penetrated the meat enough, you can cut the brisket in half and look for the same deep red color all the way through the meat.
This is different from the color of raw beef and you will be able to tell the difference.
When cooked, properly cured corned beef will maintain its pink color rather than turning gray like regular cooked beef.
The amount of sodium and sodium nitrate is greater in Prague Powder #2 than in Prague Powder #1. This is because Prague Powder #1 is designed for short cures from days to weeks and contains less nitrates.
Prague Powder #2 has more sodium nitrate and the compounds in the #2 powder break down and create more sodium nitrate and it is designed for longer cures and also for meats that will not be cooked after curing.
Nitrates can affect your health and should be used as directed. You can use too much, so please follow the guidelines to maintain health and food safety.
What to serve with Homemade Corned Beef
Once your corned beef is fully cooked, serve it up with these amazing side dishes!
Home-Cured Corned Beef from Brisket Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 pound beef brisket flat cut for slicing or point cut for shredding
- ¾ cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 Tablespoons Coarse Sea Salt
- 1 teaspoon Prague Powder #1
Spice Blend
- 1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns
- 1 Tablespoon whole mustard seed
- 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon whole cloves
- 4 bay leaves crushed
Would you like to save this recipe?
I will email this recipe page to you, so you can come back to it later!
Instructions
Toast the Spices
- Put the following spices into a small skillet over medium high heat. Stir constantly to toast the spices. This only takes a few minutes and will bring out the flavors in the spices. Once you can smell the spices and the mustard seeds start dancing in the pan, immediately remove the pan from the heat and turn the stove off. Allow the spices to cool completely before mixing up the dry cure.1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns, 1 Tablespoon whole mustard seed, 1 Tablespoon fennel seeds, 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon whole cloves, 4 bay leaves
Prepare the Brisket
- Trim the fat cap down to about ½" if needed. Make sure you have a bag large enough to fit the brisket into to cure in the refrigerator. I recommend using a gallon size freezer bag for brisket up to 5 pounds.5 pound beef brisket
Mix the Dry Cure
- In a medium size bowl, combine the brown sugar, coarse sea salt (best to use the salt grinder refill of coarse sea salt) and the toasted spice blend. Mix well.¾ cup brown sugar, packed, 3 Tablespoons Coarse Sea Salt, 1 teaspoon Prague Powder #1
Cure the Brisket
- Curing Day: Place the brisket into a large sealable bag (ziplock freezer bag or vacuum seal bag). Put half of the curing and spice mix on the fat cap side of the brisket and spread it out as much as possible. Put the remaining curing and spice mix on the other side of the brisket and spread it out. Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal it. Place the bag into the refrigerator lying flat with the fat cap side up.Day 1: Remove the bag of brisket from the refrigerator and massage the brisket through the bag. This will move the curing and spice mix around on the meat. You will see some liquid in the bag on day 1. Flip the bag so the fat cap side is down and put the bag back in the refrigerator. Day 2: Repeat massaging and flipping the bag of corned beef. Flip the bag so the fat cap is up. Day 3: Remove the bag of brisket from the refrigerator and massage the brisket through the bag. There will be more liquid in the bag by day 3 and the brown sugar and salt should be fully disolved. The whole spices will not disolve. Flip the bag so the fat cap side is down and put the bag back in the refrigerator. Days 4,5,6: Repeat the massaging and flipping the brisket.
Soaking & Preparing the Brisket for Cooking
- Day 7: Remove the corned beef brisket from the bag and discard the curing liquid. Fill a container with cold water and submerge the corned beef. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, but 8 hours is recommended.
- Rinse the corned beef to remove all of the spices. Your homemade corned beef is now ready to be cooked.
Notes
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE COOKING UP IN YOUR KITCHEN! TAG ME @THESALTEDPEPPER ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN YOU MAKE A DISH!
BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓
Scott
Thanks for the recipe. In the photo group numbered 1 to 4, you trimmed off a section of the brisket--i.e. vertically, separating the brisket in two rather than cutting off fat. Was that just to trim to fit for brining or cooking, or for some other purpose?
Louise
It was for brining purposes. You want the brisket to fit in your brining bag and leave enough room for the brining liquid that occurs from the dry brining to be able to circulate around the beef when you flip it as it sits in the fridge. I hope you enjoy your homemade corned beef!