Corned beef is a salt-cured meat that has become a staple in many cuisines around the world But what exactly is corned beef and what type of meat is used to make it? Here is a complete guide to understanding what meat makes up corned beef
What is Corned Beef?
Corned beef is a salt-cured cut of meat, traditionally made from beef brisket It gets its name from the “corns” or large grains of rock salt that were historically used in the curing process The meat is submerged in a brine solution of salt and spices for anywhere from 3 to 10 days. This curing gives the meat its signature pink color and tender, salty flavor.
While any meat can technically be corned or cured, today corned beef almost always refers to cured beef brisket. The brisket comes from the lower chest area of the cow and contains a high amount of fat marbling which helps keep the meat moist during the cooking process.
The Meat Used to Make Corned Beef
As mentioned above, corned beef is made from beef brisket. The term “brisket” refers to the chest area between the front legs of the cow. This area contains a lot of connective tissue which must be broken down through the slow cooking process to make the meat tender.
There are two sections of the brisket – the flat cut or first cut, and the point cut. The point cut contains more fat marbling while the flat cut is leaner. Either cut of brisket can be used to make corned beef, but many prefer the flat cut as it has less fat.
The Curing Process
The curing process is what gives corned beef its signature flavors:
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The meat is submerged in a saltwater brine solution known as the “pickle”. The brine is made up of water, salt, spices, and curing salts.
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Typical spices added to the brine include black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, bay leaves, and juniper berries. This gives corned beef its distinctive seasoned flavor.
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Curing salts containing sodium nitrite are also added. This prevents bacteria growth and gives the meat its pink color.
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The meat soaks in the brine for 3-10 days depending on the size of the brisket. This allows the salt, spices, and curing salts to fully penetrate and cure the meat.
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After curing, the corned beef is ready to be cooked. It can be boiled, braised, or smoked into pastrami.
Why Brisket is Used for Corned Beef
There are a few reasons why brisket is favored for making corned beef:
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Brisket contains lots of fat marbling and connective tissue. This keeps the meat moist and tender during the long cooking process needed to break down these tissues.
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The brisket comes from the hard-working chest area of the cow. This gives it a robust, beefy flavor that stands up well to the strong seasonings in the brine cure.
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Brisket is also an affordable cut of beef, making corned beef accessible for many home cooks and families.
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Traditional Jewish delis used brisket for many dishes as it follows kosher dietary laws. Irish immigrants adopted it for their corned beef to save money.
Other Meats Used for Curing
While brisket may be the most common, other meats are also used for making cured or corned meat:
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Beef navel/plate – Makes “buckboard bacon” with a ham-like flavor.
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Pork shoulder – Used to make picnic ham and corned pork.
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Beef round – Leaner cut sometimes used for corned beef.
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Lamb breast – Cured in some Middle Eastern dishes.
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Goose or duck breast – Cured for dishes like duck pastrami.
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Fish like salmon can also be cured in a similar brining process.
Cooking Methods for Corned Beef
There are several ways to cook corned beef brisket after it has been cured:
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Braising: The traditional corned beef and cabbage dinner. The meat cooks for 2-4 hours submerged in liquid like water, beer, or broth until fork tender.
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Boiling: Simmering the brisket in just enough water to cover the meat. Takes around 3 hours.
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Smoking: After curing, the meat is smoked for up to a day to make pastrami.
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Grilling: The brisket can be lightly smoked or grilled after curing to add flavor.
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Slow cooker: Layer veggies at bottom, add 1 cup broth, place brisket on top and cook on low 8-10 hours.
No matter the cooking method, always cook corned beef low and slow to properly break down the connective tissues. Cook until a fork can easily pierce through the meat.
Nutrition of Corned Beef
A 3-ounce serving of cooked corned beef provides:
- Calories: 231
- Fat: 15g
- Sodium: 915mg – 38% DV
- Protein: 21g – 42% DV
- Iron: 2mg – 12% DV
- Vitamin B12: 1mcg – 18% DV
While corned beef makes a tasty and protein-packed meal, it is high in sodium due to the curing process. Those restricting sodium intake may want smaller portions.
Uses for Corned Beef
There are endless ways to enjoy corned beef brisket:
- Classic corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day
- Thinly sliced on rye bread for a Reuben sandwich
- Hash with potatoes and onions for breakfast
- Mixed into eggs for corned beef hash
- On pizza with sauerkraut and mustard
- Replace roast beef in French dip sandwiches
- Use as a tasty sandwich filling or taco topper
- Dice and add to soups, stews, pasta dishes
Leftover corned beef also holds up nicely for meals throughout the week. Store slices in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Corning Your Own Beef Brisket is Easy!
Like a lot of great recipes, the process of making homemade corned beef isnt complicated, it just takes time. 7-10 days worth of time, to be exact, so be sure to plan ahead. While it only takes minutes to prepare the brine, the beef brisket will sit in the brine for up to 10 days, meaning if you are planning to enjoy the corned beef on St. Patricks Day, its best to start the process around March 7th-10th.
Start with a High-Quality Beef Brisket
One of the most important steps in this whole process is choosing a great piece of meat to start with. Traditional corned beef is made from beef brisket. While you may be able to find brisket in a grocery store, the quality and flavor wont be near as good as if you sourced your brisket from a local farmer. Reach out to your local farm and ask them if they have brisket available.
We keep brisket in stock here at the farm store ALL year round. Perfect for corning or smoking, youll blow your taste buds away either way 😉 Once you have your brisket, you are ready to get started with the rest of the process.
One nice thing about making homemade corned beef is you dont need a long list of fancy ingredients. In fact, you may only have to buy a few things you dont have on hand already. For making my brisket, I had to buy pickling spice, course kosher salt, and pink curing salt. Note: pink Himalayan salt is not the same as pink curing salt and cannot be supplemented here.
While the kosher salt was readily available at my local grocery store, I had to order the pickling spice and curing salt online. Youll also need brown sugar and garlic cloves. Then youre ready to get started!
What Exactly Is Corned Beef?
FAQ
What type of meat is corned beef?
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.
Is corned beef from a cow or pig?
NO. Corned beef is usually made from the brisket. However any cut of any animal or for that matter vegetable or fruit may be “Corned” Corning is the simply a process of preserving food using a coarse grained salt, or salt corns, so called because they resembled Barley grains or corns.
Is corned beef a healthy meat?
Corned beef adds some important nutrients to your diet, but it’s still processed red meat, linked with an increased risk of health problems like heart disease …Feb 23, 2021
How is corned beef made?
Historically, it was made with large salt kernels that resembled corn (hence the name), but today, corned beef is typically made with a salt brine, similar to pickling, where the meat becomes tender after the long, salty cooking process (which can take up to a week or more). Why Do We Eat Corned Beef on St. Patrick’s Day?
What is Jewish corned beef?
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.
What is corned beef?
Corned beef is beef that has been pickled, or cured in salt for an extended period of time. The term ‘corned’ refers to the large grains of salt, or ‘corns,’ used in the curing process. It’s not about putting corn in anything.
What cut of beef is used to make corned beef?
Corned beef starts with a brisket cut of beef, says Dell. “You could do it with other cuts, but part of what makes a really good corned beef is the fat distribution within the meat. That’s important.”
What is corned beef brisket?
Corned beef can refer to either the cut of beef that you cook at home, or the canned salt-cured beef product. Corned beef brisket is a cut of beef that is often used for cooking at home, especially in Irish and Jewish cuisine.
Is the meat used for corned beef kosher?
In the U.S., corned beef is made from beef brisket, which is a traditionally kosher cut of meat. You might have seen it at Jewish delis, where it’s cured to tenderize it. Historically, any type of meat could be put through the curing process that makes what we know as corned beef today.