Sous Vide Corned Beef

Take slow cooking to a whole new level with this Sous Vide Corned Beef. This method leads to a tender, perfectly cooked corned beef…every time!

This post may contain paid links. For more information, please see our disclosure policy.

This recipe is not good for weeknights. It’s an easy recipe, but it’s not good for weeknights. Why is that? Well, the corned beef cooks for ~48 hours. On second thought, if you start the sous vide process early, then this is a great recipe for weeknights. You just have to plan ahead!

With St. Patrick’s Day quickly approaching, packages of corned beef will become more readily available at your local grocery stores. If you’re lucky, they might even go on sale! Every year, I grab several packs and make homemade pastrami. We then freeze that pastrami and use it throughout the year to make Reuben sandwiches, Reuben Dip or Irish Nachos.

This year, I decided to experiment a little bit. I decided to sous vide one of those packs of corned beef. We’ll get into how the sous vide style of cooking works in a bit, but let’s talk more about corned beef first.

What is Corned Beef?

Corned beef gets its’ name from the fact that the beef brisket is cured with large grains of rock salt, which are also known as “corns” of salt. In North America, corned beef is commonly available in two forms – raw beef that comes packed in a liquid brine, or beef that is cooked and canned. We’re focusing on the raw version in this recipe.

Corned beef is commonly available in Jewish delis, where it is often sliced and used to make Reuben sandwiches or corned beef sandwiches. Reuben sandwiches are typically served hot, and they consist of sliced rye bread layered with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Thousand Island or Russian dressing. Instead of boiling it, an alternative way of cooking corned beef is to smoke it. This is a shortcut to making Homemade Pastrami. Fun side fact: A Rachel is a variation of a Reuben sandwich where pastrami is used in place of corned beef and coleslaw is used in place of the sauerkraut.

While corned beef is often considered Irish, it is actually not a traditional Irish dish. Instead, Irish immigrants to America found corned beef to be a cheaper alternative to bacon. Thus, corned beef and cabbage is more Irish-American than actually Irish. Nevertheless, corned beef should be readily available every March as St. Patrick’s Day approaches.

Corned Beef Point vs. Flat

Corned beef is typically available in two different cuts: the point cut and the flat cut. So what’s the difference? The point cut of beef brisket is fattier with more marbling. This in turn leads to meat that is juicier and more flavorful. Alternatively, the flat cut is leaner and more uniform which is better for traditional sliced corned beef. Which one is better? Well that’s entirely personal. I typically opt for the flat cut as I like my brisket leaner, but there is no correct answer here. Pick the style you prefer!

What is Sous Vide?

Sous vide, which is French for “under vacuum,” is a method of cooking where the food is cooked at a low temperature for a long time. The food is vacuum-sealed and then submerged in water where it is cooked for much longer than normal cooking times. A sous vide wand is used to ensure that the temperature of the sous vide bath remains exact throughout the entire cooking time.

The low-temperature, long-cooking style of sous vide is somewhat similar to using a smoker. However, unlike smoking, meats cooked sous vide style do not run the risk of drying out because they are vacuum sealed in a plastic bag throughout the cooking process. For this Sous Vide Corned Beef, the meat cooks for 48 hours. Yes, 48 hours. Remember, though – the meat can’t dry out because it is in a vacuum-sealed bag.

Another unique feature of sous vide is the fact that you can cook the food to a very precise temperature. In the case of this Sous Vide Corned Beef, the water temperature is set to 140°F. The pouch containing the meat is surrounded entirely by 140°F water. Since there is no other heat source, there is literally no way for the temperature of that meat to go above 140°F.

In a way, sous vide might be one of the easiest ways to cook meat. Want a medium-rare steak that is perfectly cooked? Set that sous vide wand to 130°-135°F and walk away. The texture will be perfect. The only downside is you have to walk away for a long time.

As sous vide cooking does not involve a direct flame, the meat does not have the same seared edges that you might be used to. To overcome this, I typically sear or broil the meat for a minute or two after removing it from the sealed bag. For this Sous Vide Corned Beef, I broiled the corned beef roast for 3-4 minutes, and it was perfect. Slice it up and put it on a sandwich for me!

Sous Vide Equipment

I admit that sous vide cooking might not be the first choice for everyone – heck, it’s not my first choice! However, it does yield amazing results if you plan ahead. For sous vide cooking, you’ll need a sous vide cooker to maintain exact water temperature. I’ve had this Anova sous vide wand for years, and it’s great. You’ll also need a large Dutch oven or stock pot for cooking. And while it’s not absolutely required, a vacuum sealer makes sous vide cooking much easier. (I’ve included notes in the recipe card below for how to use the “water displacement” method if you don’t have a vacuum sealer.)

How to Serve Sous Vide Corned Beef

While the more traditional manner of serving corned beef is to pair it with boiled cabbage and/or potatoes, I prefer my corned beef in sandwich form. Once the Sous Vide Corned Beef is cooked, I slice it thinly and then turn it into Reuben sandwiches on rye bread with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut and Russian or Thousand Island dressing.

How to Save Leftovers

Leftover corned beef should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Corned beef also freezes well. Just place the corned beef in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Let thaw overnight before reheating.

While this style of cooking corned beef might not be traditional, I can assure you that it will yield a delicious meal. If you like to experiment in the kitchen, then grab a sous vide wand and try cooking corned beef for 48 hours. You’ll be amazed at the taste and flavor – I certainly was. Cheers!

Did you cook this Sous Vide Corned Beef recipe at home? Leave a comment, or snap a photo and tag me on Instagram (@Spicedblog) – I’d love to see your version!

Sous Vide Corned Beef

Take slow cooking to a whole new level with this Sous Vide Corned Beef. This method leads to a tender, perfectly cooked corned beef…every time!

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 2 days days

Total Time: 2 days days 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 302kcal

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 2½-3 pound corned beef brisket see note
• 2½ Tbsp ground black pepper
• 1½ Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp mustard powder

Instructions

• Remove the corned beef from the packet and rinse well. Discard the spice packet. Place the brisket in a large bowl and cover with water. Let soak for 2 hours, changing the water every 30 minutes. (see note)
• Using paper towels, pat corned beef dry.
• Using a small bowl, combine the spices (black pepper, coriander, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and mustard powder). Press the spice mixture evenly into all sides of the corned beef.
• Heat water bath to 140°F.
• Place corned beef in a vacuum sealer bag; seal bag. (See note)
• Cover the water bath with a lid or aluminum foil to reduce evaporation.
• Cook for 48 hours, adding water as necessary to ensure that the bag stays submerged the entire time.
• {Optional} Remove corned beef from bag and place under broiler on HIGH for 3-4 minutes. (Note: I personally like giving corned beef a quick sear once it’s done, but this is entirely personal.)
• Slice corned beef against the grain into thin slices.
• The corned beef can be served in a traditional manner with boiled cabbage and potatoes or it can be used to make amazing sandwiches.

Notes

Corned beef briskets typically come in packages filled with liquid and a pickling spice packet. For this recipe, we will discard the spice packet and drain the juices and pickling spices.

The purpose of soaking the corned beef is to remove some of the salt that comes from pre-brined corned beef. When corned beef is boiled in a large pot of water, a lot of the salt is removed. However, since we’re cooking this corned beef sous vide style, we want to remove some of the salt first.

If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, you can use the water displacement method. Place the corned beef in a ziptop freezer bag and lower it unsealed into the water bath. When the top of the bag is just above the water level, squeeze the bag to push out as much air as possible. Seal the bag.

Looking for more corned beef or pastrami recipes? Check out these other favorites: