How to Make Corned Beef from Scratch
Updated: Jan. 12, 2021Every editorial product is independently selected, though we may be compensated or receive an affiliate commission if you buy something through our links.
Curious to learn how to make corned beef brisket at home? Our Test Kitchen takes you through the process, step-by-step.
Corned beef has been a staple of old-school diner menus and Irish-American diets for decades. (Just like many of these classic Irish recipes.) You might find it mingling with sauerkraut in a tasty Reuben sandwich or next to potatoes at a St. Patrick’s Day supper. Sure, you can buy it canned or already cured in a store, but nothing beats the flavor—and feeling of total accomplishment—of making your own. So how do you make corned beef from scratch?
The Taste of Home Test Kitchen has found the best way. Follow along with our expert tips and methods below.
A quick heads-up: This recipe requires multiple days. But don’t let the time scare you. The steps are simple and the flavor payoff is second to none. It’ll take about 10 days to brine the meat, so if it’s for a big event, schedule it into your calendar early.
How to Make Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 1-1/2 cups kosher salt
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup mixed pickling spices, divided
- 4 teaspoons pink curing salt
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 fresh beef brisket (4 to 5 pounds)
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
Editor’s Tip: As a shortcut, you can buy pickling spices at your local market, but we recommend going the extra mile with our Homemade Pickling Spice recipe. It’s simple to make, and you might have the ingredients already in your pantry.
Supplies
- Large stockpot (Like this one from our new line of cookware and bakeware.)
- 2 oven roasting bags
- Dutch oven
- Enough room in your fridge to store the brisket for 10 days
Step 1: Get Prepping
In a large stockpot, combine water, kosher salt, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons pickling spices, pink curing salt and garlic. Bring the brine to a simmer and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled.
Editor’s Tip: Pink Curing Salt? Not all pink-colored salts are created equal. Unlike Himalayan pink salt, or other rosy salts on the market, pink curing salt is made using sodium nitrate, which prevents food from spoiling while being stored for a lengthy time. Curing salt is often dyed red so it’s not mistaken for standard table salt.
Step 2: Let’s Wrap
It’s time to play Russian nesting doll with your oven-roasting bags. Open them both and place one inside the other. Tuck the brisket into the innermost bag and carefully add in the cooled brine. Be sure that it pools over and around the brisket. Then seal both bags. Try to press as much air out as possible before sealing. Before placing in the fridge, turn the meat a few times to evenly coat it.
Step 3: Keep it Cool
Clear a special place in the fridge for the brisket to live. Keep it refrigerated for 10 days so that the meat can properly soak in all the spiced flavor. Be sure to turn the brisket over occasionally so that it remains evenly coated.
After 10 days, the corned beef is almost ready. Wake up the brisket from its chilled slumber by removing it from the brine. Give the brisket a thorough rinse and cut it in half to fit your pot, if needed.
Step 4: Time to Cook
Next, place the brisket in a Dutch oven with enough water to cover. Add in carrots, celery and the remaining pickling spices and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat, cover and add water if necessary to keep brisket covered. Cook for about 3 hours or until meat is tender.
Step 5: Dig In!
At long last, your corned beef is ready to serve, hot or cold. Use a sharpened knife to cut the brisket into thin slices. Slap it onto a sandwich or serve with additional vegetables simmered until tender.
To eat the beef at a later date, refrigerate it in the cooking liquid. It’ll keep for several days. Reheat in that same liquid when you’re ready to serve. Next, learn how to make baked corned beef.
Corned Beef Hash Rustic Pie
This suppertime pie has all the yummies: homemade crust, seasoned potatoes, and lots and lots of corned beef and cheese. How could you not fall in love with it? I know we have. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Reuben Pudgy Pie
Our favorite pudgy pie is the Reuben: corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese! We always use buttered bread. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Corned Beef Pizza Swirls
You don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this easy Reuben appetizer. Deli meat and cheese make it doable year-round. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Spicy Corned Beef Tacos
Using leftovers in new and exciting ways is my personal cooking challenge. These fun tacos take my favorite Reuben ingredients and turn them into something totally different—and completely delicious. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Reuben Spread
You'll need only five ingredients to stir up this hearty dip that tastes like a Reuben sandwich. It's requested at all the gatherings we attend. —Pam Rohr, Troy, Ohio
Makeover Hash and Eggs
Who knew there was such a thing as healthy corned beef hash?! Loaded with red potatoes and deli corned beef, our lightened-up version of corned beef hash delivers fresh flavors and a dose of fiber. It's so spot on, you'll swear you're in a diner. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Reuben and Rye Strata
This make-ahead dish is so easy to prepare. It's wonderful for brunch, lunch or supper, or as a potluck meal. If you prefer it, substitute turkey pastrami for the corned beef. —Mary Louise Lever, Rome, Georgia
Reuben Bread Pudding
Our Aunt Renee always brought this casserole to family picnics in Chicago. It became so popular that she started bringing two or three. I have also made it using dark rye bread or marbled rye, and ham instead of corned beef—all the variations are delicious! —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona
Reuben Waffle Potato Appetizers
I love Reubens, so I turned the classic sandwich into a fun appetizer with corned beef and sauerkraut on waffle fries. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois
Meal in a Muffin Pan
This meal-in-a-pan breakfast is ideal for busy weekday mornings. I just add fresh fruit and beverages. —Michelle Plumb, Montrose, Colorado
Slow-Cooker Reuben Spread
My daughter shared this recipe with me for a hearty spread that tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. Serve it from a slow cooker set to warm. —Rosalie Fuchs, Paynesville, Minnesota
Reuben Pizza
Fridays are pizza nights at our house. We do a lot of experimenting, so we don't have the same, old thing every week. With only five ingredients, this pizza is a snap to whip up, and it tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. —Nicole German, Hutchinson, Minnesota
Reuben Brunch Bake
I created this when I wanted something different for a graduation brunch for two of our sons. When I realized I had most of the ingredients on hand for the Reuben dip I usually make, I decided to use them in a brunch casserole instead! Everyone asked for the recipe. —Janelle Reed, Merriam, Kansas
Diner Corned Beef Hash
I created my hash to taste like a dish from a northern Arizona restaurant we always loved. We round it out with eggs and toast made from homemade bread. —Denise Chelpka, Phoenix, Arizona
Toasted Reubens
New Yorkers say my Reubens taste like those served in the famous delis there. For a little less kick, you can leave out the horseradish. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
Paddy's Reuben Dip
This slow-cooked spread tastes just like the popular Reuben sandwich. Even when I double the recipe, I end up with an empty dish. —Mary Jane Kimmes, Hastings, Minnesota
Hearty Split Pea Soup
For a different spin on traditional pea soup, try this split pea soup recipe with corned beef. The flavor is peppery rather than smoky, and a tasty change of pace. —Barbara Link, Alta Loma, California
Creamy Corned Beef Casserole
My family really enjoys the flavor of corned beef so I invented this casserole. It is so easy to whip up and your family will love it. —B Overland, Park, Kansas
Reuben-Style Pizza
I love a good Reuben sandwich and thought, “Why not make it into a pizza?” It's got extra cheesy goodness in the sauce, and smells wonderful coming out of the oven. —Tracy Miller, Wakeman, Ohio
Reuben Calzones
I love a Reuben sandwich, so I tried the fillings in a pizza pocket instead of on rye bread. This hand-held dinner is a big winner at our house. —Nickie Frye, Evansville, Indiana
Chicken Reuben Roll-Ups
My Nebraska-native husband loves Reuben sandwiches and anything with chicken, so I combined his two favorites in a fun roll-up. —Ashli Kottwitz, Hermitage, Tennessee
Reuben Rounds
Fans of the classic Reuben sandwich will go crazy for baked pastry spirals of corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut. They're so easy to make, and bottled Thousand Island dressing makes the perfect dipping sauce. —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland
Corned Beef Bagel Dip
I've taken this appetizer to many potlucks over the years, and everybody always enjoys dunking bagel bites into the creamy, kicked-up dip. —Shari Stensrud, Cambridge, Minnesota
Baked Reuben Dip
I love a Reuben sandwich, and this recipe combines all of those flavors into a warm and gooey party dip. —Sylvia Metzler, Chillicothe, Ohio
Makeover Reuben Melt
This twist on a classic Reuben keeps the corned beef and uses a sauce made with Swiss (and plenty of thousand-island flavor). Fresh slaw on top replaces the sauerkraut. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, WisconsinPopular Videos
