Main Ingredients:
Beef brisket: about 3kg; Cilantro: 180g; Black pepper: 144g; Mustard seeds: 90g; Dill seeds: 90g; Star anise: 40g; Nutmeg: 18g; Cloves: 18g; Chili flakes: 10g; Fennel: as needed.
Additional Ingredients:
Salt: 240g; Prague powder #1: 12g; Brown sugar: 140g; Cold water: 8L.
Taste: Salty and savory; Technique: Other; Time: Several days; Difficulty: Advanced.
Detailed Steps for Making Homemade Salted Beef
Trim according to your preference—we tend to trim off the “nose” (the thick fat on the right side in the picture) and any particularly thick fat on top, but usually prefer to keep the delicious fat intact.
Prepare the brine: 80g cilantro, 64g black pepper, 40g dried mustard seeds, 40g dill seeds, 40g star anise, 8g nutmeg, 8g cloves, 5g chili flakes, 240g salt, 12g Prague powder #1, 140g brown sugar, 8L cold water. You can roughly grind all the spices in a spice grinder—this helps the flavorings penetrate the meat better. Mix the spices, salt, sugar, and water in a large pot or other container.
Submerge the beef brisket in the brine and place it in the refrigerator. Brine the beef brisket for 7-10 days. To achieve a nice pink color in the salted beef, it’s crucial to have the brine constantly circulating around the meat. If you’re an experienced briner, you can interrupt the brining process and monitor the color, but 10 days should yield ideal results. Stir the brine well at least once a day to maintain consistent saltiness.
Heat the water to 140°F/60°C. Place the beef brisket in a bag used for sous vide cooking, vacuum seal it, and transfer it to the water. If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, fold the opening of the bag over and clip it. Cover with a lid or wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap to prevent evaporation. Monitor the water level to ensure the meat remains submerged. Cook for 48 hours. Store sealed in the refrigerator until ready to consume.
Now you can thinly slice the beef, layer it in sandwiches with cabbage for a delicious Irish feast, sandwich it with a soft-fried egg in English muffins, chop it finely and sprinkle it over dishes, or cut it into strips to wrap in Mexican tortillas with crispy cabbage and jalapeños, or layer it with a small piece of Swiss cheese in a slider bun for an easy appetizer. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap or a sealed bag and store in the refrigerator. It can be used over the next few days—similar to the shelf life of other cured meats.
