Been using this recipe from Bon Apetit for 5 years now with great results. I use it for venison, bear, and goose breasts as well.

But with beef I use tri tip, which I buy untrimmed with the fat cap and then trim the fat to what I want. Tri tip makes great corned beef, texture is just right.

The addition of a lager to the brine and a Guinness stout or draught to the cooking water does make a difference.

Good stuff, got a few brining right now.


Homemade Irish Corned Beef and Vegetables

Spicy Horseradish Cream and malty Guinness Mustard amp up the flavor of this home-corned beef. You might need to special-order the brisket from your butcher, and you'll have to start brining the meat eight days before you cook and serve it. The Insta Cure No. 1 is optional, but it's nice to use because it gives the meat its traditional pink color. Save the leftover corned beef and vegetables for the sandwiches and hash.
6-8 servings

Recipe by Bruce Aidells
Bon Apetit
March 2008

Brine

* 6 cups water
* 2 cups lager beer
* 1 1/2 cups coarse kosher salt
* 1 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons Insta Cure no. 1* (optional)
* 1/4 cup pickling spices
* 1 6- to 8-pound flat-cut beef brisket, trimmed, with some fat remaining

Corned beef and vegetables

* 1 12-ounce bottle Guinness stout or other stout or porter
* 4 bay leaves
* 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
* 2 whole allspice
* 1 dried chile de árbol,** broken in half
* Cheesecloth
* 12 baby turnips, trimmed, or 3 medium turnips or rutabagas, peeled, quartered
* 8 unpeeled medium white-skinned or red-skinned potatoes (about 3 pounds)
* 6 medium carrots, peeled
* 4 medium onions, peeled, halved through root ends
* 2 medium parsnips, peeled, cut into 2-inch lengths
* 1 2-pound head of cabbage, quartered
* Horseradish Cream
* Guinness Mustard

*
*Insta Cure No. 1 is a mixture of sodium nitrate and salt that is used in cured and smoked sausages to prevent botulism. In this brine, its only purpose is to prevent the meat from turning gray, so you can certainly leave it out. You'll find Insta Cure No. 1 at sausagemaker.com.

Preparation
For brine

*
Pour 6 cups water and beer into large deep roasting pan. Add coarse salt; stir until dissolved. Add sugar; stir until dissolved. If desired, stir in Insta Cure No. 1. Mix in pickling spices. Pierce brisket all over with tip of small sharp knife. Submerge brisket in liquid, then top with heavy platter to weigh down. Cover and refrigerate 4 days.
*
Remove brisket from brine. Stir liquid to blend. Return brisket to brine; top with heavy platter. Cover; refrigerate 4 days. Remove brisket from brine. Rinse with cold running water. Can be made 2 days ahead. Wrap corned beef in plastic, cover with foil, and refrigerate.

For corned beef and vegetables

*
Place corned beef in very large wide pot. Add stout and enough water to cover by 1 inch. Wrap cheesecloth around bay leaves, coriander seeds, allspice, and chile, enclosing completely, and tie with kitchen string to secure. Add spice bag to pot with beef; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until beef is tender, about 2 1/4 hours. Transfer beef to large baking sheet.
*
Add turnips and all remaining vegetables to liquid in pot; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until all vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to baking sheet with beef. Return beef to pot and rewarm 5 minutes. Discard spice bag.
*
Cut beef against grain into 1/4-inch thick slices. Arrange beef and vegetables on platter. Serve with Horseradish Cream and Guinness Mustard.

Gracias for this, amigo! Great timing!

Great timing would have been last week since it takes 7 or 8 days to brine the meat in the fridge.