Ingredients

For the corned beef brisket:

• 1 gallon water
• 2 cups kosher salt
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. saltpeter
• 2 cinnamon sticks, broken into several pieces
• 1 Tbsp. mustard seeds
• 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns
• 16 whole cloves
• 16 whole allspice berries
• 24 whole juniper berries
• 16 whole coriander seeds
• 5 bay leaves, crumbled
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 3 pounds ice
• 1 (10 to 12 lb.) beef brisket, trimmed

For the New England boiled dinner:

• 1 large yellow onion, quartered
• 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
• 5 large carrots, peeled and cut into 3-inch sections
• 10 red bliss potatoes, whole and washed
• 4 large turnips, peeled and quartered
• 5 pounds cabbage, cut in wedges
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Butter, for serving
• Apple cider vinegar, for serving

For Mom’s "goop":

• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup Dijon or whole grain mustard
• ½ cup hot horseradish (or more for extra spicy)

Directions

Serves 12 to 15

For the corned beef brisket:
In a large 6 -8 quart stockpot, add water, salt, brown sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon sticks, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, coriander seeds, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted and the brine is completely cooled.

Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a sterile bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine. After 10 days, remove from the brine, rinse well under cool water and remove any of the spice bits that may be stuck to the brisket.

For the New England boiled dinner:
Preheat the oven to 350⁰F.

Place the brisket into a pot large enough to hold the meat and all of the vegetables. Add the onion and celery; cover with water by 1 inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Add carrots, potatoes and turnips; cook for 30 minutes. Add cabbage wedges, cover and simmer for another 30 to 45 minutes or until the meat is fork tender. Remove the vegetables from the pot, place on a platter and dot with butter. Salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the brisket from the pot and slice thinly against the grain. Place slices of the tender brisket over the vegetables and serve with my mom’s “goop” on the side. I grew up enjoying a little cider vinegar and plenty of butter on the vegetables.

For Mom’s "goop":
In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to serve.