How to Cook Corned Beef for Reuben Sandwiches

Ingredients

For the full recipe with quantities, see the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Corned Beef Brisket with spice packet
  • The cut of meat used for corned beef is a beef roast referred to as a brisket. Corned beef differs from "brisket" in that it is salt-cured. Any size corned beef brisket will work except for very small briskets which might get too dry.
  • For homemade Reuben sandwiches, I prefer the cut referred to as the flat versus the point.
  • The flat is just that, flat. It cooks evenly and slices beautifully for Reuben sandwiches.
  • The point works well for long cooking in a slow cooker or boiling in a pot.
  • The meat from the point works best for shredding.
• Dijon Mustard
  • Plain or grainy does not matter. The mustard adds a little extra flavor, but its primary job is to keep the spices in place.

Instructions

Steps 1-6: Rinsing the corned beef.

• Remove brisket from package. I highly recommend doing so in the sink.
• Place a wire rack in the sink.
• Remove spice packet. Rinse the juices from the spice packet and set aside.
• Turn on the cold water.
• Lay the brisket on the wire rack. Thoroughly rinse the brisket in cold running water. Turn the brisket over and repeat.
• Pat dry, leaving the fat cap intact.

Steps 7-12: Prepping the corned beef.

• Remove the brisket from the sink. Trim off any connective tissue on the flesh side.
• Leave the fat cap intact.
• Brush the fat cap side with Dijon mustard.
• Brush the flesh side with Dijon mustard.
• Sprinkle the spices from the packet on both sides.
• Place the brisket in a baking pan. Add a little water to come up about ½" in the baking dish.

Steps 13-21: Braising the corned beef.

• Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 320 degrees for two hours.
• Remove the meat and check the internal temperature. Corned beef must be at least 145 degrees for safe eating, but collagen and fat do not begin to dissolve until the temp reaches 190 degrees. The meat is safe to eat but needs more time to tenderize. Mine is at 202 degrees and is starting to get tender, but needs more braising time.
• At this time you may find that the fat cap is beginning to shrink, causing the meat to curl. Use a sharp knife to cut through the fat cap from side to side in a couple of places. This should release the fat, allowing the beef to maintain a flat shape. Keep the fat cap in place, just score it. You will remove it later but for now, it will keep the meat from drying out.
• Flip the meat with the fat cap down, cover it with foil, and return to the oven. Continue checking for desired tenderness every 10-15 minutes.
• Remove from oven to a cutting board when tender and discard liquid.
• Use a sharp knife to remove the fat cap. Discard the fat cap.
• Cut a small piece of meat off the end and taste for saltiness. Oftentimes the meat will be too salty for your liking at this point. The saltiness of corned beef varies from supplier to supplier, but it is an easy fix if it is too salty.
• Bring enough water to almost cover the corned beef to a slow boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Place the corned beef in the simmering water and reduce heat to medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Take the meat out and taste it again. If it is still too salty, return it for another five minutes. I generally ask my hubby for a second opinion at this point.
• If perfect, allow to cool before slicing. Notice the way the grain of the meat runs in the last picture? You will see that when I slice it, I slice it against the grain, not in the same direction in the grain. This is the secret to juicy, tender corned beef.