This is one of the easiest corned beef recipes you’ll find around, but despite that, I think it’s one of the best, most impressive recipes you could make. There’s probably not another recipe with so few ingredients and effort needed to produce such a great product. Anyone who is remotely interested in cooking (and not a vegetarian) should try curing meat at home – it opens up a whole new world of cured meat possibilities. Better yet, while cured meat from a deli or charcuterie is often incredibly expensive, making it at home is so, so cheap.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cups kosher salt;
• 1/2 cup sugar;
• 2 teaspoons pink salt;
• 4 tablespoons pickling spice, divided in half;
• 1 beef brisket, 3-12 lbs;
• 1 gallon of water (16 cups or 4 liters).

n a container large enough to contain the brisket plus water, combine all of the water, salt, sugar, and pink salt. Stir until mixed, then add 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Stir briefly until mixed again, then add the brisket. Weigh the brisket down with a plate. Seal and store in the fridge for 6 days total. After 3 days, give the brisket a flip and weigh down again with the plate.