I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
supermarket OK to use?

Here is Sheldon's recipe:
Corned Beef

Choose good grade of thin-cut corned beef (I prefer Nathan's).

Cook in the largest pot you own. Seriously, cook in lots of water.
First, rinse corned beef and and discard spices if present (old spices
were used up), or save spice packet if present. Start in cold water.
Bring to the boil (uncovered). Simmer 1/2 hour, dump water! Yes,
discarding water removes excess salt/nitrites. Okay, now the actual
cooking begins. Start in cold water (again? yes, again!). Add spice
packet (if none exists or since you dumped the first batch, add new
pickling spices. Bring to the boil, lower heat to low simmer. Simmer
aproximately 1 hour and add peeled carrots (whole) and unpeeled
potatoes (whole), bring to simmer again and add cabbage wedges. Simmer
til veggies are tender and remove. Continue simmering til corned beef
is tender yet firm; test with fork (your forking may vary). Remove
corned beef to roasting pan fat side up, cover liberally with brown
sugar, tent loosely with foil, and place in 325 F oven for 30-45
minutes. Remove corned beef from oven (now place veggies in oven to
reheat). Let corned beef rest uncovered 15 minutes. With sharp knife
slice thinly accross grain, and serve with veggies, mustard, and beer.
---


Recipe Type
Holiday, Main Dish, Meat


Author: Sheldon

On Sat 12 Mar 2005 08:14:38a, Ginny Sher wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
> supermarket OK to use?

Nothing wrong with supermarket pickling spices as long as they're fresh and
sealed. I've used both Spice Islands and McCormick's premium brand.

As to the amount, a lot of it is simply personal taste. I like a fairly
strong flavor, so i would probably use at least 1 tablespoon.

HTH

--
Wayne Boatwright
____________________________________________

Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day.
Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974

Ginny Sher > wrote in
:

> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
> supermarket OK to use?
>
>

Hag and I did a thread on making corned beef from scratch...using a
brisket or bottom round roast...It was just a couple yrs ago or less.

We tried various methods and posted recipes.

--
No Bread Crumbs were hurt in the making of this Meal.
Type 2 Diabetic 1AC 5.6mmol or 101mg/dl
Continuing to be Manitoban

Ginny Sher wrote:
> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
> supermarket OK to use?


Be aware that my recipe is NOT for how to corn beef, only for how to
cook corned beef.

You can use any pickling spices, but I've tried many commercial blends
and none compare with Penzeys. Other pickling spice blends go heavy on
the mustard seeds, the least expensive spice. Penseys pickling spice
blend uses a lower proportion of mustard seeds and contains far more of
the more expensive spices... and of a greater assortment... it is also
of fresh full potency ingredients.

Penzeys Pickling Spice
"A high-quality blend for all pickling and canning, and packed with
flavorful spices for traditional recipes. Use 2-3 tsp. per quart for
bread and butter pickles, pickled eggs or onions, canned tomatoes and
peppers. For dill pickles, add fresh dill sprigs and garlic cloves.
Also nice for sauerbraten. We use less mustard seed than most pickling
spice mixes, as mustard is the least expensive spice around. Penzeys
pickling spice has the proper blend of spices, mustard and bay leaves.
Hand-mixed from: yellow and brown Canadian mustard seeds, Jamaican
allspice, cracked China cassia, cracked Turkish bay leaves, dill seed,
Zanzibar cloves, cracked China ginger, Tellicherry peppercorns, star
anise, Moroccan coriander, juniper berries, West Indies mace, cardamom
and medium hot crushed red peppers."
---

Sheldon

On 12 Mar 2005 10:08:56 -0800, "Sheldon" > wrote:

>
>Ginny Sher wrote:
>> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
>> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
>> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
>> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
>> supermarket OK to use?
>
>
>Be aware that my recipe is NOT for how to corn beef, only for how to
>cook corned beef.
>
What I was thinking of preparing is "corned beef and cabbage". I
really don't know anything about "corning beef" and I gather from your
post it is different than what I was hoping to make. I bought a
"corned beef" brisket at Costco and want to follow your directions for
cooking it. It is in the celophane type wrapping and covered in
spices. I'll put it in a big pot of water, etc. etc. and ultimately
replace the spices that came on it with some picking spices,
preferably from Penzey's. I was really hoping to find out the amount
of pickling spice needed for something around 3 lbs.

Thanks.
Ginny

Ginny Sher wrote:
> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
> supermarket OK to use?
>

Sheldon's recipe for cooking corned beef looks just fine. Here's a
recipe for making corned beef. I know that's not what you are looking
for, but look at the spices it uses halfway down the recipe in the
steamer. You can use the same mixture and proportion of whole spices if
you want instead of using mixed "pickling spices". (I'd also add a bay
leaf, and leave out the salt.) But any decent brand of store-bought
mixed pickling spices should work too. Don't but really cheap pickling
spices because it will be mostly mustard seeds. (If you *like* lots of
mustard, buy mustard and use that -- it's even cheaper than cheap
pickling spices)

Best regards,
Bob


TASTE
SHOW#TS4838

JEWISH STYLE CORNED BEEF

1-12 pound whole brisket
4 quarts water
2 cups Kosher salt
1 teaspoon saltpeter
5 bay leaves
7 cloves garlic, smashed
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 teaspoons whole peppercorns
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup white sugar



Place all ingredients except garlic and brisket in a large pan and bring
to a boil and cool. Place garlic and brisket in non-reactive pot and
cover with brining liquid, cover with a plate and weight for 3 weeks,
turning after 1 1/2 weeks.

Add to a steamer pot:
1/4 teaspoon cloves
2 teaspoons peppercorns
1 teaspoon allspice berries
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup salt

Remove meat from the brine and rinse. Add enough water to the steamer
pot to reach just below the bottom of the steamer. Place meat in
steamer.

Steam for 3 hours, until tender.

Suggested wine: 1988 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Elisabeth
Christoffel - Berres

Ginny Sher at wrote on 3/12/05 1:31 PM:
>>
> What I was thinking of preparing is "corned beef and cabbage". I
> really don't know anything about "corning beef" and I gather from your
> post it is different than what I was hoping to make. I bought a
> "corned beef" brisket at Costco and want to follow your directions for
> cooking it. It is in the celophane type wrapping and covered in
> spices. I'll put it in a big pot of water, etc. etc. and ultimately
> replace the spices that came on it with some picking spices,
> preferably from Penzey's. I was really hoping to find out the amount
> of pickling spice needed for something around 3 lbs.
>
> Thanks.
> Ginny

Hi Ginny,
Are you are using Penzey's blend of "Pickling Spices", or their Corned Beef
Spices?
There are two and they are different. Neither jar, by the way, instructs for
how much to use to cook corned beef brisket.

Corned Beef Spices salt free: Hand-mixed from: brown and yellow mustard
seeds, coriander, Jamaican allspice, cracked cassia, dill seed, Turkish bay
leaves, Zanzibar cloves, China #1 ginger, Tellicherry peppercorns, star
anise, juniper, mace, cardamom, red pepper.

Pickling Spice: Hand-mixed from: yellow and brown Canadian mustard seeds,
Jamaican allspice, cracked China cassia, cracked Turkish bay leaves, dill
seed, Zanzibar cloves, cracked China ginger, Tellicherry peppercorns, star
anise, Moroccan coriander, juniper berries, West Indies mace, cardamom and
medium hot crushed red peppers.

If you have to buy a supermarket brand, I would add black peppercorns to
whatever you buy, it will be mostly mustard seeds. Also, if you have some
dill seed, toss them in, and a couple bay leaves, at least.

Now, I have a 3lb point cut corned beef I just bought, along with the
attending cabbage, potatoes, turnips and carrots. My mom always made it a
"New England Boiled Dinner" and ALWAYS included turnips and carrots. YUM!

What I plan to do is to rinse off the meat, and I cook mine in my crock pot.
(I LOVE my crock pot!)

What I usually do is layer the cut up root veggies (not the cabbage, I
despise overcooked cabbage!) in the bottom, along with an onion, cut in
half, and the meat on top of the veggies. I add 5-6 garlic cloves which have
been peeled and smashed but not cut up (the smashing releases the flavor,
but keeping it whole makes it easier to fish them out later). The garlic
goes right on top of the meat. I toss in a bay leaf or two, and then I use
about a teaspoon of both corned beef spice and pickling spice (if I have
pickling. if not, 2 teaspoons of the cb spice) and I also use a teaspoonful
of whole black peppercorns. I put them in a bowl and break them up some
with the side of a small cup. Just to flatten the whole spices a bit, it
helps release their flavors.

Then I put in just enough water to not quite cover the meat. The meat will
float, anyway, but you don't want it drowned, just a moist environment.

I put the slow-cooker (crock pot) on low heat and let it go for 9-10 hours.
When I get home from work, I put the cabbage wedges into a sauce pan and
ladle some of the water the meat cooked in into the pot. Bring it to a boil
and let it cook 10-15 minutes, until it's the desired degree of done, which
for me is completely cooked through but not mush. This way, you get the
flavors of the cooking water without overcooking it. If I were making this
on the stove top, I still wouldn't put the cabbage in the pot until the last
15 minutes...same idea.

While the cabbage is cooking, let the meat rest. Fish out the veggies from
the brine. I will usually butter the veggies, that's what my mom always
did, including the cabbage. All on a platter for us to take what we want.

Sometimes I gather up some of the drained garlic cloves and softened
peppercorns and other spices (Not the bay leaves of course) whirr them
together with the stick the blender until they make a paste and add some
dijon mustard for a flavorful condiment for the meat. it's really good!
Horseradish would zip it up.

On a stove top, I still wouldn't overdo the water. Only for 2 hours, rather
than 9-10.

On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 15:33:26 -0500, Sheryl Rosen
> wrote:

>Ginny Sher at wrote on 3/12/05 1:31 PM:
>>>
>> What I was thinking of preparing is "corned beef and cabbage". I
>> really don't know anything about "corning beef" and I gather from your
>> post it is different than what I was hoping to make. I bought a
>> "corned beef" brisket at Costco and want to follow your directions for
>> cooking it. It is in the celophane type wrapping and covered in
>> spices. I'll put it in a big pot of water, etc. etc. and ultimately
>> replace the spices that came on it with some picking spices,
>> preferably from Penzey's. I was really hoping to find out the amount
>> of pickling spice needed for something around 3 lbs.
>>
>> Thanks.
>> Ginny
>
>Hi Ginny,
>Are you are using Penzey's blend of "Pickling Spices", or their Corned Beef
>Spices?
>There are two and they are different. Neither jar, by the way, instructs for
>how much to use to cook corned beef brisket.
>
>Corned Beef Spices salt free: Hand-mixed from: brown and yellow mustard
>seeds, coriander, Jamaican allspice, cracked cassia, dill seed, Turkish bay
>leaves, Zanzibar cloves, China #1 ginger, Tellicherry peppercorns, star
>anise, juniper, mace, cardamom, red pepper.
>
>Pickling Spice: Hand-mixed from: yellow and brown Canadian mustard seeds,
>Jamaican allspice, cracked China cassia, cracked Turkish bay leaves, dill
>seed, Zanzibar cloves, cracked China ginger, Tellicherry peppercorns, star
>anise, Moroccan coriander, juniper berries, West Indies mace, cardamom and
>medium hot crushed red peppers.
>
>If you have to buy a supermarket brand, I would add black peppercorns to
>whatever you buy, it will be mostly mustard seeds. Also, if you have some
>dill seed, toss them in, and a couple bay leaves, at least.
>
>Now, I have a 3lb point cut corned beef I just bought, along with the
>attending cabbage, potatoes, turnips and carrots. My mom always made it a
>"New England Boiled Dinner" and ALWAYS included turnips and carrots. YUM!
>
>What I plan to do is to rinse off the meat, and I cook mine in my crock pot.
>(I LOVE my crock pot!)
>
>What I usually do is layer the cut up root veggies (not the cabbage, I
>despise overcooked cabbage!) in the bottom, along with an onion, cut in
>half, and the meat on top of the veggies. I add 5-6 garlic cloves which have
>been peeled and smashed but not cut up (the smashing releases the flavor,
>but keeping it whole makes it easier to fish them out later). The garlic
>goes right on top of the meat. I toss in a bay leaf or two, and then I use
>about a teaspoon of both corned beef spice and pickling spice (if I have
>pickling. if not, 2 teaspoons of the cb spice) and I also use a teaspoonful
>of whole black peppercorns. I put them in a bowl and break them up some
>with the side of a small cup. Just to flatten the whole spices a bit, it
>helps release their flavors.
>
>Then I put in just enough water to not quite cover the meat. The meat will
>float, anyway, but you don't want it drowned, just a moist environment.
>
>I put the slow-cooker (crock pot) on low heat and let it go for 9-10 hours.
>When I get home from work, I put the cabbage wedges into a sauce pan and
>ladle some of the water the meat cooked in into the pot. Bring it to a boil
>and let it cook 10-15 minutes, until it's the desired degree of done, which
>for me is completely cooked through but not mush. This way, you get the
>flavors of the cooking water without overcooking it. If I were making this
>on the stove top, I still wouldn't put the cabbage in the pot until the last
>15 minutes...same idea.
>
>While the cabbage is cooking, let the meat rest. Fish out the veggies from
>the brine. I will usually butter the veggies, that's what my mom always
>did, including the cabbage. All on a platter for us to take what we want.
>
>Sometimes I gather up some of the drained garlic cloves and softened
>peppercorns and other spices (Not the bay leaves of course) whirr them
>together with the stick the blender until they make a paste and add some
>dijon mustard for a flavorful condiment for the meat. it's really good!
>Horseradish would zip it up.
>
>On a stove top, I still wouldn't overdo the water. Only for 2 hours, rather
>than 9-10.

Wow, that also sounds excellent. I'm saving this advice. I will
probably use regular grocery store spices this time as I have the meat
in my refrigerator now. I'll add the other spices you recommended.
That should improve things a bit. I don't care for overcooked cabbage
either. Blech!

Thanks,
Ginny < recieved Penzey's latest catalogue a few days ago

"Ginny Sher" > wrote in message
...
> I'm thinking of making some corned beef and using Sheldon's recipe.
> Since I've never tried any recipe which calls for pickling, I need
> some help on the amount of spices to use for his recipe. I know it
> will depend on portion. Are "pickling spices" from my local
> supermarket OK to use?
>

<snip w/credit to Sheldon's recipe>

I use Penzy's pickling spices in a spice bag, with a couple of bay leaves
thrown in, for about 8-9 lbs of corned beef.