Stout Cure/Brine Ingredients:

1 1/2  Quarts  Water, filtered
2 Pints     Beer*
2 Cups     Kosher Salt
1/4    CupSugar, organic
1/4    CupBrown Sugar, light
1Ounce    Pink Salt (sodium nitrate)**
1TSPBlack Peppercorns
1TSPCoriander, whole
1TSPCloves, whole
1TSPMustard Seed, Black or Yellow
1TSPGrains of Paradise, whole
1TSPAllspice Berries, whole
1TSPCardamom Pods, Green or Black (optional)
1TSPStar Anise, whole (optional)
1TSPCaraway Seeds, whole (optional)
1TSPOrange Zest (optional)
1TSPRed Pepper Flakes
7Each      Bay Leaves, bruised
3Each      Garlic Cloves, peeled
2Each      Cinnamon Sticks
2Quarts   Ice
1Each      Beef Brisket, about 5 pounds

Ingredients:

2Pints     Beer*
       Water as needed to cover meat
1TSPBlack Peppercorns
1TSPCoriander, whole
1TSPCloves, whole
1TSPMustard Seed, Black or Yellow
1TSPGrains of Paradise, whole
2Each      Cabbage Heads, quartered
5Each      Carrots, peeled and quarted
6Each      Potatoes, washed and peeled
1Each      Onion, yellow, peeled and sliced
3Each      Garlic Cloves, peeled and sliced

1CupClarified Butter (optinal)
1Recipe   Mustard Ale Sauce
1Recipe   Horseradish Ale Sauce
Stout Cured Corned Beef
Cooked with Cabbage, Carrots and Potatoes
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Stout Cure/Brine Directions:

Rinse off the beef brisket, to remove any of the juices and small pieces of fat (1).

In a large stock pot or 12 quart dutch oven, add the water, beer*, salt, sugars, and pink salt and turn heat to medium.  In a sauté pan over medium heat, add peppercorns, coriander, cloves, mustard seed, grains of paradise, allspice berries and (if using cardamom pods, star anise and caraway seeds) (2).  Mix with a wooded spoon; till the spices start to pop and release their essential oils (you should smell all the spices) (3). 
Place in the refrigerator for 5-8 days to fully cure the brisket.  Remove the brisket from the brine and rinse well to remove any spices.  Notice how the color changes (8), not only from the dark stout, but the brine.  The corned beef should feel firmer, than when it was just raw meat.

Cooking Directions:

Place the corned beef into a large dutch oven or pot and add beer* and enough water to cover the brisket (9).  Add the rest of the spices under Ingredients and bring to a simmer.  Turn the heat to medium low, cover the pot with a lid and cook for 3 hours or till the brisket is fork tender. 
Even though the true traditional Corned Beef and Cabbage was more for royalty in Ireland (Irish Bacon and Cabbage was more traditional for the commoners), this dish has become a celebrated dish in the US.  With enough planning, this recipe will show you how to take a beef brisket and turn it into Corned Beef.

Makes 1 Large Corned Beef

Remove from the heat and add to the water/beer mixture.  Add the red pepper flakes, bay leaves, garlic cloves and cinnamon sticks to the water/beer mixture (4).  Alternatively, you can purchase a store bought pickling spices or create your own mix and use about 3 tablespoons.  Bring the mixture to a boil for about 5 minutes, to dissolve the salts and sugars.  Turn off the heat and add the ice to chill mixture (5).  Check the temp of this mixture to make sure that it is below 36° or chill in the refrigerator till that temp is reached.  Transfer the mixture to a 2 gallon container or zip lock bag and add the brisket (6).  If using a container, add a small plate to the top of the brisket, to make sure the beef is completely submerged (7). 
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Prep the cabbage (10), potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic cloves.  About 2 ½ hours into the cooking of the brisket, add these vegetables to the pot and recover, checking the level of the cooking liquid; making sure there is enough to fully cover the meat and vegetables.  Cook for the remaining ½ hour or until the brisket is fork tender.

To serve, remove the corned beef from the cooking pot and slice across the grain.  Place meat on a serving platter and add strained vegetables.  Use a few tablespoons of the cooking liquid to moisten the meat for presentation (11).  Serve with clarified butter, Mustard Ale Sauce and/or Horseradish Ale Sauce.
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*    For Beer, a stout seems so fitting for this feast.  Samuel Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, Guinness Stout, Anderson Valley Oatmeal Stout or a homebrewed Stout would be more than appropriate for this dish.  Make sure you have enough to serve with the meal as well.

**  Pink Salt or Sodium Nitrate will help preserve and cure the meat.  This can be found at www.sausagemaker.com.  This can also be used to make your own bacon, pancetta and other cured products.