Jewish Corned Beef (Sous Vide)

This looks and tastes just like the corned beef I ate at the Second Avenue Deli, which was absolutely heavenly.

Equipment:
Large pot – big enough to hold your brisket and the water to cook it.
Sous Vide machine – I have the Anova. It’s inexpensive and works really well.
Vacuum Sealer and bags.
Small pot and steamer basket

 

Ingredients:
2 Quarts Water
4  Pounds Ice
1 Cup Diamond Kosher Salt (or 0.8 Cups Morton Kosher Salt)
2 Teaspoons Prague Powder or “#1 Pink Curing Salt” Buy the smallest amount you can find, since you only need 2t.
1/2  Cup Sugar
1 Tablespoon Whole Mustard Seeds
2 Teaspoons Whole Black Peppercorns
2 Teaspoons Whole Coriander Seeds
2 Teaspoons Whole Dill Seeds
5 Bay Leaves
5-8 Pound Beef Brisket, trimmed, point or flat cut. The point cut is fattier, the flat is leaner.
The choice is yours. Either works well, depending on what you like.
  • Add the water, sugar and salt to a pot big enough to easily hold a gallon
  • Heat and stir until it’s all dissolved
  • Remove from heat, then add all the remaining spices and the ice, and stir until the mixture is chilled.
  • Place the brisket in a vacuum bag, then add the liquid.
  • Vacuum and seal the bag, and place in refrigerator for between 2 to 3 weeks, flipping the bag over every few days.

Two or three weeks later . . .

  • Remove brisket from bag, rinse well and dry with paper towels. Discard everything else.
  • Vacuum seal brisket
  • Place in a sous vide and cook at 170°F for 24 hours. You can also do more or less time at other temperatures, which changes both the texture of the meat and the amount lost to moisture. Hotter, faster cooking means more lost moisture and less meat when you’re all done.
  • Chill cooked beef overnight to make slicing easier.

Serving

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil and insert steamer basket. The water should be well below the basket bottom. We’re steaming, not boiling.
  • Slice the chilled corned beef as desired.
  • Add to steamer basket; steam until hot, then serve!