In the quaint neighborhood of Willow Creek, an annual tradition unlike any other marked the calendar each March: the St. Patrick’s Day potluck. Among the sea of green decorations and the lively tunes of folk music, Sean O’Malley, a third-generation Irish-American and a recent keto enthusiast, was determined to bring a taste of Ireland to the table without straying from his dietary path.
The challenge was to create a Keto Corned Beef that would honor his family’s heritage while adhering to his new eating habits. Armed with a brisket, a collection of spices, and a resolve as strong as his ancestors’, Sean set about transforming the traditional dish into a keto-friendly feast.
His brisket, a hefty 4 lbs cut, was the centerpiece of this culinary endeavor. The distilled water, a clear, pure base for the brine, awaited the addition of kosher salt and pink curing salt—a crucial ingredient for achieving that distinct corned beef pinkness and flavor, not to be mistaken with Himalayan salt, as Sean would remind anyone who lent an ear.
The pickling spice, a fragrant mix of whole spices, was measured with a generous hand, ready to impart the robust, aromatic flavor synonymous with corned beef. Garlic, pressed and chopped, was added to the mix, its pungent aroma promising to infuse the brisket with its unmistakable essence.
As the brisket soaked in the brine, a transformation began, one that Sean watched with anticipation. This was more than just a meal; it was a connection to his roots, a tribute to the generations that came before him, and a testament to his ability to adapt tradition to his lifestyle.
When the day of the potluck arrived, Sean’s Keto Corned Beef was the talk of the neighborhood. As friends and neighbors gathered, adorned in shades of emerald and gold, they marveled at the dish that managed to be both a nod to tradition and a reflection of modern dietary consciousness. Sean served slices of the tender, flavorful corned beef with a side of laughter and stories of Ireland, bridging the gap between past and present, one delicious bite at a time.
Ingredients
- 4 lbs beef brisket
- 1 gallon distilled water
- 8 ounces kosher salt about 7/8 of a cup
- 2 teaspoons pink curing salt NOT HIMALAYAN SALT!
- 6 tablespoons pickling spice
- 4 cloves garlic pressed or cut up
Instructions
Curing the Meat
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Find a large pot and put the meat in it.
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Add the distilled water, kosher salt, pink salt, and pickling spice and the cloves together. Stir well.
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Add the brisket to the curing solution and put in the refrigerator.
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Add the meat to the curing solution. If it floats put a plastic container filled with brine on top of it to force it down. Make sure to completely cover the meat with the brine. Leave it to cure in the pot for 7 days. Stir the solution once a day.
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When the meat is done it may be red, tan or even gray.
Cooking the Meat
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Dump out the brine. There are 3 ways to cook the corned beef.
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Simmer it in a pot. I hate this because the fat gets all over the pot. I hate cleaning it. If you want to do this, simmer for a half hour, dump out the water. Add fresh water and simmer for 3 hours.
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Cook overnight in the oven. Follow the instructions to Harlan Kilstein’s Keto Overnight Brisket
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Barbecue the meat. Follow the directions to Harlan Kilstein’s Perfect Keto Brisket (leave off the rub and sauce)
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Let cool before slicing.
