Simple Corned Beef Recipe - Make Jewish Corned Beef at Home (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to best corned beef? ›

Simmering corned beef on the stovetop is a tried-and-true method that results in very tender beef. One of the keys to simmering corned beef correctly is the amount of water in the pot. When there's not ample liquid to cover the meat, your dreams of tender corned beef may be replaced by a tough, chewy result.

In the U.S., corned beef is made from beef brisket. You might have seen it at Jewish delis, and that's because the brisket is a traditionally kosher cut of meat that's cured to tenderize it.

The Jewish form of corned beef usually involves a preparation in which a cut of beef, traditionally the brisket, is cured in a brine solution along with various seasonings and then slowly simmered until the meat is tender and flavorful. Corned beef can also be made from the beef round primal cut.

Place the sealed bag in refrigerator for 12 hours, being sure not to exceed 24 hours. After the soak Remove the Corned Beef Brisket from the bag and discard the water. Preheat the smoker to 225°F. Place the Corned Beef Brisket fat side up in the smoker.

Although the exact origin of corned beef is unknown, it most likely came about when people began preserving meat through salt-curing. Evidence of its legacy is apparent in numerous cultures, including ancient Europe and the Middle East.

There are two basic steps to corned beef: the spice rub, and the cook. The rub is a mix of spices; mustard, black pepper, coriander seed, allspice, clove, and most importantly, the salt that gives this dish it's characteristic hammy flavor.

Corned beef is safe once the internal temperature has reached at least 145 °F, with a three minute rest time, but cooking it longer will make it fork-tender. Corned beef may still be pink in color after cooking. This does not mean it is not done. Nitrite is used in the curing process.

Back in Ireland, there was a traditional dish of bacon and cabbage, and while “corning beef” did exist, most people stuck with pork, not beef, due to its low cost. But when Irish immigrants saw the salty, cured corned beef their Jewish neighbors were enjoying, it reminded them of their own comfort food.

The brining (and sometimes cooking) involves labor, packaging and special equipment expenses (on top of raw material costs), so all things being equal, it will cost more than beef brisket (the cut of beef corned beef is usually made from). ... That's less than half of the price of beef brisket.

Why do Jews only eat brisket? ›

Brisket was a favorite for holiday celebrations, such as Rosh Hashanah, Passover, Hanukkah, and Shabbat. Jewish communities first began to favor this cut because it comes from the breast of the cow, located in the front, which makes it kosher.

Brisket became popular among Ashkenazi Jews due to its low cost; farmers would sell the expensive cuts and keep the cheaper ones. Ashkenazi Jewish refugees brought shtetl cooking with them, and introduced brisket to the general American population.

The cut of beef was decided to be celebratory and important due to its location. Brisket is found in the cow's front breast, making it kosher for Jews to consume. During the 19th century, many European communities faced many challenges and adversities, thus, leading to immigration.

Beef brisket is the cut used to make corned beef. A primal cut, it's a large piece from the breast or lower chest of beef cattle. Brisket is a tough cut with connective tissue throughout, and a whole brisket typically weighs 10 pounds or more.

corned beef, food made of beef brisket cured in salt. Related to the word kernel, a corn is a coarse grain of rock salt. In North America, corned beef is brisket, taken from the lower chest of a cow or steer, that has been brined in salt and spices.

What Exactly Is Corned Beef? Corned beef is made from brisket, a relatively inexpensive cut of beef. The meat goes through a long curing process using large grains of rock salt, or “corns” of salt, and a brine. It's then slowly cooked, turning a tough cut of beef into one that's super tender and flavorful.

Corned beef is most often made from beef brisket (a relatively inexpensive, tough cut of beef) that's been cured in a salt brine with a mix of spices, like bay leaf, peppercorns, mustard seed, juniper berries, coriander seed, and whole cloves.