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

Plan 2 weeks for prep! 'Gray Corned Beef' omits the meat pinking saltpeter, which isn't the traditional preparation method anyway; this version will taste 'beefier.' The result is far less salty than commercially-prepared corned beef, and you can have fun creating your own pickling spices to create a complex flavor. While the color might not appeal to you, having corned beef without nitrates will. Serve with oatmeal Irish soda bread and stone-ground mustard.

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

Ingredients

• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• 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
• 1 ¼ cups kosher salt
• 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

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a pot. Stir salt and sugar into boiling water until dissolved; remove from heat and add cinnamon stick pieces, juniper berries, cloves, allspice berries, mustard seeds, peppercorns, ginger, and crumbled bay leaves.

Step 2

Let brine cool to room temperature, at least 1 hour.

Step 3

Place brisket in a large ceramic or glass dish deep enough to keep brisket submerged in brine. Pour brine over brisket. Place something atop the brisket to weigh it down and keep it submerged in liquid. Cover dish tightly with plastic wrap.

Step 4

Brine brisket in refrigerator, checking brine level every day, for 7 to 10 days.

Step 5

Remove brisket from brine and rinse under cool running water. Discard brine.

Step 6

Place brisket in a large slow cooker crock; add enough cool water to cover brisket by several inches and season with sea salt.

Step 7

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

Step 8

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

Step 9

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

Step 10

Slice corned beef into thin slices and serve with the vegetables.