So how can I make a "Kosher style" corned beef that tastes like what I got in a good Kosher deli???
The consistency of a brisket simmered or slow roasted is not even similar to the corned beef from a real deli.

G Wiv wrote:Starting the journey to deliciousness

Hit right on the mark with the smoked points, some seriously good eating. I purposefully made a very spicy pastrami rub, out of hand it packed significant punch. 7-hours on the cooker melding with fat, meat and smoke there was still kick, but spicy heat mellowed and coriander seed, black pepper and aromatics moved to the forefront.

Smoked Corned Beef Point





Also did a simmered corned beef with cabbage and potatoes, but even our most spice adverse friend went back for seconds of pastrami/smoked corned beef.

magnificent looking pastrami there gary.

gotta postpone my corned beef and cabbage til Sunday. Flat will be simmered in some Guiness(gotta use this stuff up, not gonna drink it), water, veg, and spices. Cabbage & potatoes boiled/steamed seperate of the corned beef boiling liquid.

j r wrote:So how can I make a "Kosher style" corned beef that tastes like what I got in a good Kosher deli???

I have not tried this David Rosengarten recipe, but it looks right.

If you try it, let us know how it comes out. Good luck.

leek wrote:When I get a corned beef to cook, it always says "sprinkle spice packet over meat" but I can never find a spice packet. What spices would be in this magical packet?

If they simply mean pickling spices, some basics would be...

black peppercorns
mustard seeds
coriander seeds
hot red pepper flakes
allspice berries
ground mace
cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
bay leaves, crumbled
cloves
ground ginger

Thanks for the tips on spices. Maybe I should just smoke it. Yours looks nice!

leek wrote:Thanks for the tips on spices. Maybe I should just smoke it. Yours looks nice!

Thanks, tasted even better.

Reuben on Fri, no picture, Corned beef hash this morning. Love leftover corned beef and pastrami, but tomorrows corned beef crepe with cabbage coulis is going to be about the end.

Corned Beef Hash

Mine turned out quite well. I always forget, though, that the carrots cooked for 8-10 hours are not worth eating

I used my crockpot, put in a layer of celery, carrot, and onions, then put in the meat and added some water. I used a Vienna flat, and they have the spices already in around the meat, so I guess it had essentially been marinating. I added allspice, coriander, hot pepper, cardamom, mace, ginger, cinnamon, clove, mustard, pepper, bay leaf in addition to the spices that were stuck to the meat.

I put my potatoes on about 2.5 hours before I wanted to eat, and the cabbage on top about 1 hour before eating.

HI,

I simmer the corned beef until it is cooked. I then remove corned beef to the oven to keep warm.

I turn up the pot to a boil, then begin adding small red potatoes, carrots and parsnips. I give the root vegetables a head start, then add cabbage wedges. It is probably less than 20 minutes from start to finish.

My Irish grandfather advocated vegetables cooked to a mush. He didn't like my approach, referred derisively as "Those Americans," because they were cooked through but not mush.

***

I smoked a corned beef for pastrami for us and pig ears for dogs on Friday. I could not find any coriander, instead I rubbed it with freshly coarse ground pepper. Steamed the pastrami Saturday afternoon while taking a map. Sunday morning the first floor still smells of smoke.

I have not yet made any Irish soda bread. St. Patrick's Day is not over until this last edible contribution is made.

Regards,

Hi,

I made a Rachel, a Reuben using pastrami instead of corned beef, following Arthur Schwartz's method of pressing the sandwich.

Reubens have long been my default choice in a restaurant. I will likely order fewer in the future. Unless I am at a known destination worthy restaurant renowned for their reuben sandwiches. My home version was better than most restaurant.

Regards,

I was in Walmart (Superstore) and they had Excel briskets...big ones.

razbry wrote:I was in Walmart (Superstore) and they had Excel briskets...big ones.

There's a difference between Excel briskets/corned beef and Ex-Cel briskets/Corned beef. They are two different companies. I'm not making any value judgments between the two, but you should be aware that they are not the same.

After grinding most of the navel for sausages, I had a little left over for regular corned beef. This navel was a little fattier than the others that I have gotten, but still delicious.

Reams corned beef flat from last night turned out great. One of the nicest cuts I have ever done(tender, juicy, poppin with flavor).. Simmered the flat in Guiness, water, bay leaf, carrots, an onion, a head of garlic, and some pickling spice for 4 hours(1 hour per lb.). Served with steamed cabbage and red potatoes.

Reubens tonight(made the Russian dressing yesterday).

There's a difference between Excel briskets/corned beef and Ex-Cel briskets/Corned beef. They are two different companies. I'm not making any value judgments between the two, but you should be aware that they are not the same.

Now you tell me! Well, I've got a big old hunk of meat to smoke this summer.

razbry wrote:Now you tell me! Well, I've got a big old hunk of meat to smoke this summer.

Excel is a division of Cargill with production facilities around the country, Ex-Cel Corned Beef a local producer of corned beef who, as a courtesy, sells local BBQ guys hard to get in Chicago raw/uncured full packer cut brisket for the smoker. Ex-Cel uses choice full packer cut brisket from a selection of sources including Excel.

Which Super Walmart did you buy the full packer cut brisket? Grade/price?

I just had to post a picture of my annual corned beef and cabbage feast.



I always use the same recipe, which calls for simmering the beast in white wine and water, hot sauce, worcestershire, bay leaves, and bits and pieces. Took about 4 hours for two smallish points (probably 4 lbs total). Here in Boston we can get grey, pink, flat, point, and everyone has their favorite cut and cure. Of course. I did a horizontal last year and determined I like point cut (it's fattier, go figure) and that grey or pink doesn't matter much to me.

I was especially excited this year to have scored some gorgeous yellow and orange carrots from the winters' farmers market, which made the platter look much more colorful than usual. I cook the carrots and cabbage in the simmering liquid and they are just fantabulous.

I serve with colcannon alongside and usually don't have too many leftovers. That's okay, although I do like a good Reuben.

Tried sous vide this year, cooked the corned beef @ 140 degrees for 48 hours. Flavor was excellent but not as tender as I would have liked. Next time I'm going to try dropping the temp to 135 degrees and up the time to 72 hours to see if I can get a better texture while keeping the flavor.

First time cooking corned beef and after these results it certainly won't be the last.

Flat Cut In the Pot


3 Hours Later


After 7 Minutes Under the Broiler


Sliced


Who Needs Manny's?

that time of year, this time corning my own brisket. 1/2 for corned beef, 1/2 for pastrami. Went in the cure last night.

Pastrami 1/2 will cure 8 days(then get rubbed & smoked), corned beef 1/2 will cure 11 days.



slainte

jimswside wrote:that time of year, this time corning my own brisket. 1/2 for corned beef, 1/2 for pastrami. Went in the cure last night.

Pastrami 1/2 will cure 8 days(then get rubbed & smoked), corned beef 1/2 will cure 11 days.


slainte

Very cool Jim, I'm pretty jealous over here! I will do this one day-thanks for documenting your process.

Jeff

jvalentino wrote:

jimswside wrote:that time of year, this time corning my own brisket. 1/2 for corned beef, 1/2 for pastrami. Went in the cure last night.

Pastrami 1/2 will cure 8 days(then get rubbed & smoked), corned beef 1/2 will cure 11 days.


slainte

Very cool Jim, I'm pretty jealous over here! I will do this one day-thanks for documenting your process.

Jeff

thanks Jeff, the time was right, and I have been practicing the curing process over the past year(tasso ham, turkey pastrami & corned veal breast).

Ruhlman and other online sources have been a great tool in determining technique and the safe use of pink salt # 1

jimswside wrote:
Ruhlman and other online sources have been a great tool in determining technique and the safe use of pink salt # 1

Was that the pink salt in the photo you posted on the pictures thread? What is the caution in it's use? I have some and just lightly use it on grilled steak.

LikestoEatout wrote:

jimswside wrote:
Ruhlman and other online sources have been a great tool in determining technique and the safe use of pink salt # 1

Was that the pink salt in the photo you posted on the pictures thread? What is the caution in it's use? I have some and just lightly use it on grilled steak.

what I have in that pic is pink salt # 1, a curing salt with sodium nitrate(93.75% salt - 6.25% sodium nitrate), it is colored pink so it is not mistaken for regular salt. I have read a 1/2 tsp would kill a 110 lb. person(binds the iron or o2 in the blood). But diluted in a cure it is used for preventing botulism and other nasties when curing meats. Plus it makes the beef that bright pink color instead of grey & gives it that distinctive flavor.

you might have a pink himilayan(sp) salt & that is definitely ok & tasty for table use.

Every year I also make corned beef using this Bruce Aidells from Bon Appetit. It turns out amazing every time.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/ ... les-241623

However my favorite way to eat it is in a classic Reuben instead of the cabbage/veggies, so when I cook it I use the same broth (Guinness, spices) but skip the carrots, etc.

This year I am going to brine 2 of em, one for corned beef the other for smoked pastrami.

Sorry I am late to the thread, but while I have not tried a corned beef in it as of yet, this gadget is great for pressure smoking meats:

http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Smoker-- ... 033&sr=8-1
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/81897? ... en=FROOGLE

I'm told you can find it for $150 but I have not seen it at that price.

Picked up a whole brisket (120 cut, 17#'s) from Grash's in Milwaukee last week.
Half of it went into a heavy duty 2 gal zip lock with the following:
Saltpeter (Color Retention)
Fresh garlic, two large heads of USA garlic peeled
Canning salt
Water
Coriander Seeds
Bay leaves
Cardamon
Fenugreek
Mustard seed
Star Anise
All spice
Cinnamon (Ceylon sticks)
and a few other spices i probably forgot about
I have developed this mixture and process over the years to where it is just about fool proof
The zip lock bag is turned every few days.
I used to submerge the brisket in a large Pyrex square but that required a lot more water, salt and spices and was very messy, the Zip Lock bag minimizes spills and allows for less liquid and salt.
For St Pat's, I cook in Guinness and throw in the cabbage, potatoes at the end.
Has not failed yet.-Dick
BTW, the other half will be smoked when the weather gets nicer.

exvaxman wrote:Sorry I am late to the thread, but while I have not tried a corned beef in it as of yet, this gadget is great for pressure smoking meats:

http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Smoker-- ... 033&sr=8-1
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/81897? ... en=FROOGLE

I'm told you can find it for $150 but I have not seen it at that price.

To a traditional BBQ guy like me, that thing is the tool of the devil. Yikes!

stevez wrote:

exvaxman wrote:Sorry I am late to the thread, but while I have not tried a corned beef in it as of yet, this gadget is great for pressure smoking meats:

http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Smoker-- ... 033&sr=8-1
http://www.hammacher.com/Product/81897? ... en=FROOGLE

I'm told you can find it for $150 but I have not seen it at that price.

To a traditional BBQ guy like me, that thing is the tool of the devil. Yikes!

Sounds like a solution in search of a problem.-Dick

Actually the pressure smoker if great for last minute pulled pork and doing beef for sandwiches.
A few times when someone has pulled out of fundraiser/community things I have been able to make up the slack with just 90 minutes notice. Great for when you don;t have the time to do it properly.