Happy St. Patrick's Day

Pickling Spice
2 Tb. black peppercorns	2 Tb. mustard seeds
2 Tb. coriander seed	2 Tb. crushed red pepper flake
2 Tb. allspice berries	1 Tb. ground mace
2 small cinnamon sticks crushed	3 bay leaves, crumbled
2 Tb. whole cloves	1 Tb. ground ginger

Toss the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds in a small dry skillet and place over medium heat until the spices are lightly toasted. Dump them on a cutting board and smash them with the side of a chef’s knife to crack them, being careful so the seeds don’t roll all over your counter and onto the floor. Scrape the cracked spices into a large plastic container or glass jar or other nonreactive container and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until completely combined. Cover tightly.

Brine
1 gallon water	2 cups kosher salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar	1 ounce (5 teaspoons) pink salt*
3 garlic cloves, minced	2 tablespoons pickling spice
One 5-pound well-marbled (first-cut) beef brisket

In a pot that’s just large enough to hold the brisket, combine the water, salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic, and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the salt and sugar dissolve. Remove the pot from the heat, let the brine cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate until the brine is completely chilled. Place the brisket in the chilled brine and weight it with a plate to keep it submerged. Refrigerate for 5 days. Remove the brisket from the brine solution, discarding the brine. Rinse the brisket thoroughly under cool running water. (Don’t worry, you’re just rinsing the the brine solution from the surface of the brisket. The brine will continue to permeate the beef and work its considerable magic.)

Cook the corned beef