What Is The Best Cut Of Beef For Corned Beef?

Corned beef is one of those favorite foods that we take for granted. We love waking up to a breakfast of corned beef hash, sitting down for a reuben sandwich over lunch, or celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a corned beef and cabbage dinner. But, we hardly ever think about how corned beef is made. What makes corned beef corned? And, just what cut of beef is it? The answer to the first question is simple. Corned beef, as you may have guessed, does not contain any form of corn. Corning is a form of dry curing using large pellets of salt called "corns." Today, the meat is actually brined in salt water.

The answer to the second question is more complicated. Corned beef is most often made with brisket, a cut from the cow's pectoral muscles. There are two parts to a brisket: the flat or first cut (the leaner, flatter side of the muscle) and the point or second cut (which has more marbling and a fat layer known as the fat cap). Choosing which one of those two cuts is the best is one of the most important things to do when making any corned beef dish.

The flat cut has a uniform, rectangular shape and is the part of the brisket near the cow's rib cage. It's best for any dishes where you want even slices, such as a corned beef sandwich or breakfast hash. If you're making corned beef and cabbage, the point cut, also known as the deckle, is for you. The point is cut from an area closer to the shoulder where the meat is juicy and tender. The best way to cook the point is low and slow in a pot or slow cooker, letting the fat melt into the meat. That lush, rich flavor is what makes the point ideal for corned beef.

If you want to home cure corned beef, you can experiment with other cuts, such as a beef round cut from the cow's hindquarters. Again, pay attention to the fat content when deciding how best to cook the meat. Regardless of what cut you use, in addition to the brine, you'll want to add spices like mustard seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, and perhaps some sugar. Sodium nitrate is added during curing to commercially prepared corned beef to preserve the meat and give it the characteristic pink color. Some chefs and home cooks, however, use beet juice for the latter purpose. Of course, if you want to enjoy corned beef at any time, there's always the canned option, which works well in a corned beef hash.