Dry brine corned beef?

[cdevito]

I am starting my brisket to bring for corned beef today for a boiled dinner on St. Patrick's day. I used the methods on this site for several successful runs, but today I came across a method of dry brining corned beef from Kenji on Serious Eats. I use many recipes and techniques from that site (although not quite as many as I use from here), so I figure it must have some validity.

Ever since reading about dry brining many years ago in these pages, I almost never cook a protein, including fish, without dry brining. But I never heard of this for something like corned beef, and I have to admit that I am intrigued! I don't have time to follow it, but I was wondering if anyone here has heard of this technique for corned beef and tried it?

https://www.seriouseats.com/homemade-corned-beef-brisket-with-potatoes-cabbage-carrots-recipe

[Jerod Broussard]

I tried it, too bland for me. Prefer Meathead's route.

[Jerod Broussard]

ecowper dry cure to Meathead's wet cure

[ecowper]

You mean Meathead’s corned beef cure of Prague Powder #1 and Kosher Salt, in a wet brine, is more flavorful than the same thing in a dry brine? Could be, I have not directly compared.

[Jerod Broussard]

ecowper by bland I mean not salty enough. That's with desalination of the wet and nothing with the dry.

[cdevito]

Thanks for the feedback, you just saved me the cost of a brisket and a week of time. I'll stick with Meathead's method - I have always had good results with it. I add the spices and sugar to the brine and pierce the brisket all over with a BBQ fork so it has a chance to get into the meat...

[ecowper]

See my note above to Jerod.

[ecowper]

What Kenji is doing is more like an Irish Spiced Beef. I am actually making one for St. Patrick’s ….. here’s my cure, which comes from an Irish chef. I adjusted a few things, like converting to SAE measurements and changing Spanish to Hungarian paprika.

1/4 cup whole peppercorns
1/4 cup allspice berries
1/4 cup juniper berries
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp whole cloves
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Hungarian sweet paprika
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup kosher salt
1 tsp Prague Powder #1 or Saltpeter

roughly grind the pepper, allspice, juniper, coriander, mustard, cloves and bay leaves. Then mix the rest of the ingredients in. Allow to sit in a container overnight. Use 3 tablespoons per pound of brisket. Rub the cure into the brisket well, put in a baking dish, cover with plastic wrap. Turn and rub the brisket daily for 5 to 7 days. You can braise or smoke the brisket. It can be served hot or cold. I’m taking mine to a St. Patty’s gathering as a cold appetizer.

[texastweeter]

I dry cure mine, dry cure all my cured meat except city hams. Have 2 hunts of brisket I dry cured, then desalinated, applied the rub and refrigerated for 3 days uncovered (I find this makes it stick better into a crust like bark, even if I finish by steaming) that I just put in one of my pits to be made into pastrami.

[cdevito]

Interesting info from ecowper and texastweeter. My current project is already in the wet cure but I'll do some research on the Irish Spiced Beef and give it a try.

Thanks!

[JoeSousa]

I am using Kenji's recipe right now. Have a brisket in the fridge dry brining and getting ready for Friday. When I make bacon I dry brine it and have used Kenji's recipe in the past for corned beef and it is excellent. I have only used one other recipe for corned beef and that was 12 years ago.