Corned Beef Brisket

2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons saltpeter
2 cinnamon sticks, broken into several pieces
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
10 whole allspice berries
10 whole juniper berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 bag of ice
1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed
1  onion, quartered
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top 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 and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Chicken Pot Pie

1 (3 1/2-pound) whole chicken

5 cups water

3 carrots, diced

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

4 slices of Bacon

3 green onions, sliced

2 large celery ribs, chopped, tops and leaves reserved

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 (8.5-ounce) can sweet green peas, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon sage

refrigerated pie crust

Cranberry sauce

Bring first 5 ingredients plus celery tops to a boil in a large Dutch oven; reduce heat, and simmer mixture 1 1/2 hours or until chicken is done.

Remove chicken and carrots, reserving 3 1/2 cups broth in Dutch oven; discard celery tops. Let chicken cool; skin, bone, and cut into bite-size pieces.

Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, and set aside.

Sauté green onions and chopped celery in hot drippings in skillet over medium heat 5 minutes or until tender. Gradually whisk in flour until blended. Gradually add reserved broth; cook, whisking constantly, 3 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in chicken, bacon, eggs, carrots and next 5 ingredients. Simmer on low 5 minutes and taste for seasoning.

For a richer pie, replace 1/2 cup of the chicken broth with 1/2 cup Half and Half.

Spoon mixture into a 3-quart baking dish, and top with refrigerated pie crust.


Bake at 450° for 25 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Serve with cranberry sauce or rep pepper jelly.