Jan's Special Beer-Brined Corned Beef

Ingredients 0/16

Step 1

Combin water, beer, onions, kosher salt, brown sugar, curing salt, pickling spice, and garlic in a very large pot. Stir everything together until the salts have completely dissolved. Gently add the beef to the brine, making sure it’s fully submerged by placing a large bowl or heavy plate on top. Cover the pot with plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. Let it soak for four days, stirring it once a day.

Step 2

While the beef is brining, soak your wood chips in apple juice for a couple of hours. When the brining is done, take the beef out and rinse it under cold water until it’s clean. Let it sit out and come up to room temperature before you start cooking.

Step 3

Fire up your grill and get it low and slow, aiming for about 150 to 175 degrees Fahrenheit. Put the soaked wood chips in a shallow aluminum pan right on the heat source to get that smoky flavor going. Place the beef directly on the grill grate and let it smoke for around two hours.

Step 4

Meanwhile, mix together a beer, an onion, brown sugar, pickling spice, garlic, and some black pepper in a large saucepan. Bring it to a boil, then take it off the heat and pour this flavorful mix into a large roasting pan. Nestle the smoked beef into the braising liquid and cover it tightly with foil.

Step 5

Turn the grill heat up to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, place the roasting pan inside, and close the lid. Let the beef roast for 3 to 4 hours until it’s tender and an instant-read thermometer hits at least 145 degrees. When it’s done, remove the beef from the pan and discard the liquid. Let the meat cool enough to handle, then slice it thinly against the grain for the best texture.