Home-Cured Brisket (Corned Beef) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

5 -7 lbs beef brisket (either point or flat cut, Trim fat as needed)
1/2 cup kosher salt (Do not substitute regular or sea salt)
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon peppercorn
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
3 crumbled bay leaves
1 tablespoon minced garlic

Preparation

Take the brisket and pierce it with a knife or tenderizer. Do each side at least 15x. Place brisket in 1 gallon plastic baggie.
Mix all other ingredients together in a bowl or 2 cup measuring cup.
Reaching inside baggie, sprinkle 1/2 the mixture over the brisket. Turn baggie over and repeat, sprinkling the other side. Seal the baggie after expressing as much air as possible.
Place the bagged brisket in a dish large enough to hold it. It must then be weighted. You can use some cans from the pantry. I used 2 fairly heavy casserole dishes that nested, and placed the second on top of the brisket.
Put the dish with the brisket in the refrigerator. I used bottom shelf in the back as it is the coldest spot. The brisket should be turned over 1x each day for at least 5 days, and no longer than 7 days.
Rinse before using. I gave my brisket a cold-water bath while preparing the other ingredients for a traditional New England boiled dinner.
This recipe is only for curing the beef. When I cooked this cured beef, I simmered it for at least 3 hours, then moved it to a casserole with a cup of broth ladled over it and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing across the grain.