Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

corned beef and cabbage

(1 rating)
Recipe by
Lou Kostura
Belmont, CA

Instead of going to the market and buying a corned beef I started to brine my own briskets and man oh man what a difference in flavor. Just something about making your own. Not to mention the leftovers make great Reuben sandwiches. I've done this process now for about 10 years and it is a bit time consuming, as well as a little tricky to get the curing salt but well worth the effort, my first attempt was with regular salt it tasted ok but it turned brown, I asked my butcher why and he said in order to keep it red you need curing salt not regular salt. Ahh I was enlightened.

(1 rating)
yield 4 serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr
cook time 4 Hr
method Stove Top

Ingredients For corned beef and cabbage

  • BRINE FOR BRISKET
  • 5 lb
    center cut beef brisket
  • 8 Tbsp
    curing salt
  • 1 c
    white vinegar
  • 1 gal
    water
  • 6 Tbsp
    pickling spice
  • CORNED BEEF AND CABBAGE
  • 1
    corned beef
  • 1
    cabbage head quartered
  • 6
    red potatoes, small
  • 1 lb
    baby carrots
  • 1/2 c
    white vinegar
  • 4 Tbsp
    pickling spice

How To Make corned beef and cabbage

  • 1
    To Brine your brisket, trim excess fat from meat. I use only center cut as it is less fatty.
  • 2
    Mix water, vinegar, curing salt ( I ask my butcher for this and if you have a good relationship with your butcher they will normally give/sell you just enough to make a brisket)and pickling spice in a non-reactive bowl
  • 3
    Either place beef in bowl or you can also do this in a zip lock bag, add brine and refrigerate for 30 days. Yes 30 days.
  • 4
    After 30 days remove from brine and rinse.
  • 5
    Place in Stock pot cover with water, add vinegar and pickling spice. Bring to a boil and reduce to low simmer for 4 hours. You can also do this in a crock pot.
  • 6
    Remove beef from pot, dump 1/2 of boiling liquid add a little fresh water, potatoes, carrots and boil until tender
  • 7
    Add cabbage last 10 minutes
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