Corned beef

• 1 gallon water
• 450 g salt
• 100 g sugar
• 25 g pink salt
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• pickling spice
• 5 lb brisket

Boil the water with the spices until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature, then chill. When cool, add the brisket, making sure it stays submerged. Let cure for five days.

J. Kenji-Lopez Alt suggests a number of best practices:

• Dry cure instead of brine
• Cook for 10 hours at 180 degrees for maximum moisture / tenderness

Notes

Made my first attempt on March 11, 2012. Jessica complained that Ruhlman's pickling spice didn't contain juniper berries, and suggested I add them (since we already had them). Decided against it, since I want to try the recipe unadorned before experimenting. J. Kenji-Lopez Alt notes above that you can use whatever spice mixture you want. The key is to make sure you cure the meat and cook it correctly.