Beef brisket is soaked in a salty seasoned brine to make home cured nitrate free corned beef.
Easy Home Cured Corned Beef
It’s really easy to make home cured corned beef as long as you plan ahead and have some extra room in your refrigerator.
Most of the packaged corned beef contains a lot of sodium and many contain sodium nitrate which is the preservative that turns the meat pink. Sodium nitrate has also been linked to some health risks and if I can avoid a suspect ingredient I will. Even if it is something I only eat a few times a year.
Home cured nitrate free corned beef is super flavorful and tastes far superior to any other pakaged corned beef. Even though it’s not as pretty as the pink corned beef, it’s nitrate free and delicious and I am oaky with that!
Here is what you will need
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- Flat cut beef brisket which is leaner than point cut brisket. You can also use a bottom round (preferably grass fed).
- sea salt
- garlic
- pickling spices pre-made or you can make your own. I prefer the pre-made to save on buying spices that I don’t use that often.
- water
- a large pot, a ceramic bowl or stasher or plastic bag
Here is how to make it
Place the brine ingredients into a pot
Cook the mixture until the sugar and salt have dissolved, and add crushed ice to the brine mixture, and allow it to cool.
Pour the brine over the meat
Store the beef in the brine in a glass or ceramic dish for up to 7 days in the refrigerator.
Drain and rinse the beef off and place the meat into a slow cooker or a large pot and cover it with water. Sprinkle it with garlic and pickle spice and cook.
Tips
- Brining the Corned Beef – Be sure that the beef is completely submerged in th brine and turn it over every day to ensure even coverage.
- If you use a plastic or stasher bag to brine the beef, place it in a bowl in the refrigerator to contain possible overflow of the brine.
- Add a Natural Pink Tint -Add 1/4 cup beet juice to the brine. Please note that it will not be as pink as the packaged corned beef.
Storage
- Store cooked leftover corned beef in and air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Leftover Ideas
- Use leftover corned beef to make Reuben sandwiches with homemade sauerkraut.
- Make corned beef hash: cut the meat into little cubes, fry it with onions and potato cubes that are cut into the same size as the meat.
Try these recipes for St. Patrick’s Day
PrintHomemade Corned Beef Recipe – Nitrate Free
Beef brisket is soaked in a salty seasoned brine for a flavorful homemade corned beef brisket
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
- Category: dinner
- Method: slow cooker
- Cuisine: Irish
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 pound piece of grass fed beef round or brisket
- 4 cups filtered water
- 3/4 cup Himalayan Sea Salt
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 5 tablespoons organic pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
- 6 garlic cloves crushed with the back of a spoon
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup crushed ice
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pickling spice
- 1 clove garlic crushed
- Enough water to cover the meat
- 1 head of cabbage cut into wedges
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients except for the beef and ice into a large sauce pan and heat it over medium heat.
- Cook and stir the brine occasionally until sugar and salt have dissolved in about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Turn the heat off and add 1 cup crushed ice.
- Allow the brine to cool off by placing it in the refrigertor for an hour or longer. It should be at least at room temperature before adding the beef.
- Place the meat in a ceramic dish or plastic bag and add the cooled brine making sure the meat is entirely covered.
- Place the meat in the brine in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days, turning the meat each day.
- When it’s time to to cook the corned beef, remove it from brine and rinse it off.
- Place the brisket into a slow cooker and cover it with filtered water
- Add the pickle spice and garlic and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours
- Add cabbage wedges an hour before serving.
Stove Top Instructions
- Place the rinsed corned beef into a large pot, add the water, garlic and pickling spice. Bring the water to boil.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours
- An hour before serving add the cabbage wedges to the water.
Notes
Nutrition information is provided by Nutrifox, an online calculator and is meant to be used for informational purposes only. Even though I try to provide accurate information, these figures should still be considered as estimates.
Keywords: corned beef, nitrate-free corned beef, brisket recipe
I love that this meal is nitrate free! And delicious!
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i absolutely love that you created your own corned beef! I had done this years ago and loved it! Your recipe is so easy and delicious! I love how much healthier your recipe is than a store made corned beef! My family will love this healthier version!
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I’ve never even thought about making corned beef, but I love this healthy alternative!! Sounds wonderful, thanks for sharing!!
I’ve never made corned beef at home but that all changes now. Thanks for the amazing recipe and happy St. Patrick’s day!
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This is a “must make.” I try to stay away from nitrates, but I’m a sucker for corned beef. I can’t wait to give this a try.
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Love corned beef! I didn’t know it was this easy in the IP! Definitely need to make this for St. Patty’s Day.
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Thanks Jean, but it’s actually cooked in a slow cooker. I will have to give it a try in an instant pot
This brining method is genius! Really takes the meat to the next level!
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Thanks Joni!
Loooove all the garlic! Haha. I’ve never made my own corned beef (or even bought it, actually). But my hubby loves it, so I need to give this a go.
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I always say that you can never have too much garlic Raia.
I always wondered how to make my own…this made it So easy and it was delicious!
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I’m excited to make this alternative with coconut sugar! Thank you! SO looking forward to this dinner!
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Huh. I never knew it was this easy to make corned beef from scratch. It takes a bit of time but with so little effort. Thanks for the tutorial!
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You are welcome! and it tastes so much better too!
I’ve never made truly homemade corned beef. This looks simple! Just in time for St. Paddy’s Day. 🙂
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Annemarie it really is simple and tastes great!
I have never made corned beef before – thank you for the easy to follow tutorial!
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Thank you so much for this healthy, nitrate-free, corned beef recipe! My family is so looking forward to *finally* eating the corned beef tomorrow.
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I love corned beef and would love to make the brine myself. So excited to see there are organic pickling spices. Can’t wait to try it!
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I love corned beef but don’t eat it enough! Thanks for your easy to follow instructions, this was cooked perfectly and will definitely be making it again!
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I have to give this a try! I’ve never done this brining method, but you’ve outlined the steps so well. What a healthy and delicious meal!
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This is awesome! I have always wondered how to make corned beef at home. So glad to read your instructions. So much details. I didn’t have enough days to brine the beef for this St. Patrick’s day, but I will try this next time!
Oh and pinned for later!
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