O'Kee's Healthy Gray Corned Beef Brisket from Scratch

This gray corned beef recipe features a lengthy brining process of a large brisket in a homemade pickling spice mixture but the results are outstanding.

• Preparation Time: 25 mins
• Cooking Time: 2 hr 50 mins
• Total Time: 3 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 321 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• water to cover
• 8 whole cloves
• 8 cups water
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
• 8 whole allspice berries
• 2 bay leaves, crumbled
• 12 whole juniper berries
• 1 (6 pound) beef brisket, or larger, as desired
• 2 pounds celery root (celeriac), peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 pounds red potatoes, cut into cubes
• 1 pound rutabagas, peeled and cut into cubes
• 4 carrots - peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 4 parsnips - peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 head cabbage, cut into eighths
• 0.5 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1.25 cups kosher salt

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Remove brisket to a cutting board and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

Step 2

Arrange cabbage wedges into the slow cooker; continue cooking until all vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

Step 3

Make brine: Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in salt and sugar until dissolved; remove from heat and add cinnamon stick pieces, juniper berries, cloves, allspice berries, mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, and crumbled bay leaves. Let brine cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.

Step 4

Prepare corned beef: Place brisket in a large ceramic or glass dish deep enough to keep brisket submerged in brine. Pour brine over brisket; weigh it down to keep submerged. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap. Brine brisket in the refrigerator, checking brine level every day, 7 to 10 days.

Step 5

Remove brisket from brine and rinse under cool running water; discard brine. Place brisket in a large slow cooker; add enough cool water to cover brisket by several inches and season with sea salt.

Step 6

Cook on High for 2 hours. Add celery root, red potatoes, rutabagas, carrots, parsnips, and onions. Cook on Low until vegetables are softened and brisket is hot and gray in the center, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of brisket should read 160 degrees F (70 degrees C).

Step 7

Slice corned beef into thin slices and serve with vegetables.