Hey CQ: 1725 Corned Beef Recipe

Mac in NC

This is the paraphrased version of what I typed out two years ago.[p]To make 6 gallons of corning liquid: [p]10 ounces of sugar
2 ounces of sodium nitrate.
2 ounces of sodium nitrate (get these from a druggist)
3 pounds of salt
3 level teaspoons of black pepper
1 level teaspoon of ground cloves
6 bay leaves
12 level teaspoons of mixed pickling spice
If you like onions, mince one onion 3 inches in diameter
If you like garlic, mince 4 garlic cloves [p]Put all ingredients in a glass jar or pot and add enough water to make a total of 6 gallons (including the ingredients)
The ideal temp. for corning meat is 38 degrees. Higher temps will not harm the end process but for every 15 degrees higher than 38 degrees, add 1/3 more salt. Example: 83 degrees, add 3 more pounds of salt for a total of 6 pounds.[p]Place meat in liquid. weight down so all meat is covered. Cover well. Leave in liquid for 15 days. On the 5th and 10th days, stir the liquid well and flip the meat over. After the 15 th day, remove the meat. Use what you want and store remainder in a cool place.[p]At this stage, the meat will have a dull unappetizing color but when boiled, it will turn a wonderful shade of red. [p]To cook: Place meat in pot with cover. Add enough water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and remove the scum. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 hours or until tender.[p]Taken from Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices
Written by George and Herthe Berter-Waseca, Minnesota

MasterMason

Mac in NC ,[p]Mac, You have sodim nitrate listed twice, is that correct?

Citizen Q

Mac in NC ,[p]Thanks! And to answer Master Mason, I believe it should read 2 oz sodium nitrate & 2 oz sodium nitrite.[p]Cheers,
C~Q

MasterMason

Citizen Q,[p]
thanks, that was what I was guessing, but figured I would ask to be sure

Wise One

Mac in NC , is ther eany way to bring the Big Green Egg in on this? Can you boil it for an hour let's say and then put it on the BGE for another 4 hours at 240? (or boil for 10 minutes until the scum appears and then cook it)?

djm5x9

Bill:[p]I say it is a shame to boil any meat! I say "low and slow" to 170º - 180º internal! It may not be corned beef, but it will be good![p]Stop by sometime for some asparagus, pastrami, and smoked cheese . . .

Mac in NC

Wise One,[p] I suppose you could always give it a try. I'd be sure to cover in bacon to keep the moisture level high. I personally have only prepared corned beef by boiling.
As far as the recipe instructions are concerned, the recipe is a paraphrased version of a post I posted here about two years ago around St. Patrick's Day. The recipe supposedly dates back to 1725 and was developed by a chemist named John Wilson of London, England. [p] Citizen Q had asked me to reprint it after losing the original post. [p]Mac

Mac in NC

MasterMason,[p]Sorry about that. Sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate are the correct ingredients. It was really early in the morning when I typed it up.[p]Mac

Wise One

djm5x9, I'll do it and even bring a couple of cold ones.

Citizen Q

Wise One,[p]Smoked corned beef is pastrami! So you can absolutely bring your Egg in on the action. After brining rub it down with fresh garlic and coat in fresh cracked pepper and coriander. Here's a link to an old post with results.[p]Cheers,
C~Q
[ul][li]Home Brined Corned Beef & Pastrami[/ul]

MasterMason

Mac in NC ,
No worries, that's what I thought when I read it, I actually had to read a couple of times before I was sure that I wasn't seeing things, Thanks for the Recipe, I love corned beef and am going to give it a try.