Homemade Corned Beef Recipe • The Prairie Homestead (2024)

Have I ever told you how horrible of a cook I used to be?

It was bad, you guys. Really bad.

So bad that when Christian and I got married, my speciality was broiled spam sandwiches. (For realz.)

So bad that it was years before I fed my family pork chops that weren’t reminiscent of corrugated cardboard.

So bad that once I cooked a store-bought corned beef for only a few hours (without added seasonings) and then proceeded to shred it (instead of slice it), which resulted in bright pink strings of chewy, flavorless beef, which prompted Christian to think corned beef was the devil. (Can’t say that I blame him.)

Let’s just say I struggled.

All that to say, if I can end up loving to cook and writing a cookbook 12 years later, then I think there’s hope for pretty much anyone…

Anyway. It was many years before I tried corned beef again after that original incident, but I eventually got back on the horse (ya know, the whole “get bucked off and get back on” thing…) and it was totally worth it.

Nowadays, I make homemade corned beef from scratch to avoid the junk in the store-bought versions, and it’s unbelievably easy. In a nutshell:

1. Stick a beef brisket in brine.
2. Let said brisket bask in the brine for 5 to 10 days(“brisket bask in the brine” say that 5 times fast)
3. Cook the brisket long and slow.

BAM. This one is hard to mess up, folks. Even if you struggle in the kitchen (like my old self).

Homemade Corned Beef vs. Store-Bought Corned Beef

First off, you probably already know this, but corned beef doesn’t have anything to do with corn. Shocking.

The “corn” in corned beef actually refers to the large grains (or corns) of salt that are used in the recipe. Makes sense, huh?

Good. Now we’re on the same page.

Corned beef is a salt-cured meat, and it usually contains pink curing salt or saltpeter (not to be confused with kosher salt, pink Himalayan salt, or table salt).

The only downfall I see to *not* using saltpeter in this recipe is that the resulting corned beef will be more brownish (like a typical brisket or roast) than bright pink. But that doesn’t really bother me much.

REVISION: After doing a bit more research, I am recommending that you DO use curing salt (aka prague powder) in this recipe, due to the time the beef is submerged in the brine. Ya know, because botulism. If you want to omit it, that’s up to you. But I will be using curing salt in my corned beef moving forward.

Corned beef reminds me a bit of a good ham– salty and spiced–except it’s made with beef, not pork, of course. Once you try this homemade corned beef recipe with the brine that packs a punch from the mustard, cinnamon, and juniper berries, I have a hunch it’ll become a regular on your table.

(This post contains affiliate links)

Homemade Corned Beef Recipe

You Will Need:

• 4 quarts water*
• 2 cups coarse salt (use one cup of salt per 2 quarts of water, I use Redmond Salt)
• 1/2 cup unrefined whole cane sugar (like this or regular brown sugar works too)
• 4 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon juniper berries
• 1 teaspoon prague powder/curing salt #1 (where to buy- affiliate link)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 10 allspice berries
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 beef brisket (5 lbs)

*The water needs to completely cover the meat during the brine process, so the exact amount of water required will depend on the size of your brisket and the size of your brining container. Reduce the salt if you use less water (thegeneral rule of thumb is 1 cup of coarse salt per 2 quarts of water).

Place the water, salt, prague powder, sugar, garlic, and all the herbs and spices in a stockpot and bring to a simmer. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved, then set aside to cool.

Put the brisket in a large non-reactive container and pour the cooled brine over the top. The brine should cover the meat completely. If the brisket wants to float to the top, weigh it down with a plate. (I use these large food-grade plastic tubs with lids for brining.)

Let the brisket brine in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 days. The longer it sits, the saltier it will be. If you are in a hurry, you can brine for a shorter amount of time, although the finished product might not be as flavorful.

To Cook Corned Beef:

You Will Need:

• 1 brined corned beef brisket (above)
• 1 medium onion, cut into wedges
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 allspice berries
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (omit this if your corned beef has been brining the full 10 days or longer– it likely will be salty enough, otherwise, I use Redmond Salt.)
• 1 12 oz beer (stouts or porters are good options)- optional
• 1 pound small red potatoes
• 2-3 cups carrot chunks

Thoroughly rinse the corned beef until cool water– this will prevent the finished product from being too salty.

Arrange the onion wedges and garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker, then place the corned beef on top, fat side up.

Add the mustard seeds, bay leaves, allspice, pepper, salt, and beer. Fill the slow cooker with hot water until the corned beef is almost completely covered. (As it cooks it will sink down a bit.)

Cook on low for 5 hours, then add the carrots and potatoes. Cook for another 2 to 3 hours, or until tender.

Thinly slice the corned beef across the grain and serve with the carrots, potatoes, grainy mustard, and/or cabbage, if desired.

Homemade Corned Beef Notes:

• To cook cabbage in the slow cooker with the corned beef, placed a cored and quartered head of cabbage on top of the beef one hour before the cooking time is complete.
• If you’d rather skip the beer, no worries– just use additional water.
• If you’re missing some of the spices and herbs called for in the brine recipe, it’s not a huge deal. You can omit or adjust quite a bit without hurting the flavor of the finished beef.
• I didn’t have juniper berries when I made my brine, so I used 4 drops of juniper berry essential oil instead.
• If you don’t want to use a slow cooker, add all the ingredients to a large pot, cover, and simmer for 3 to 4 hours on the stovetop until the meat is fork tender.
• Turn leftover corned beef into Reuben sandwiches made with homemade sauerkraut.

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More Beef Tips & Recipes:

• Love beef? Check out my Cooking Through the Cow ebook for tons of tips and recipes for cooking different cuts of beef.
• Cheeseburger Salad Recipe
• How to Cook Short Ribs