Timing Is Everything

• The slab of pink beef you take home from the supermarket is far too salty to be palatable in its original condition. Corned beef was originally packed in coarse, dry salt -- grain-like "corns," the origin of the term -- for sea voyages, military rations or long storage in general. Modern corned beef isn't nearly as salty as traditional versions, but it must still be debrined in some way before it reaches your table. Some cooks soak it overnight in cold water to leach out salt, while others simmer it for 30 to 40 minutes and then change the water. Do not add your spice mix until after this stage or its flavors will be lost.

How Much to Add

• Meatpackers can vary their spice mixtures to suit regional tastes or to set their product apart from competitors' corned beef, but usually the package of spice that comes with your beef contains 1 to 2 tablespoons of mixed spices. That's plenty to add flavor and aroma to your beef, especially if it's served hot. If you like yours extra-spicy or if you'll mainly be using it cold in sandwiches, you can supplement the spice packet with a tablespoon of pickling spice. Most corned beef spice packages are variations on the standard pickling spice mixture, so that's also a good substitute if your beef didn't come with spices.

The Pickling Spice Mixture

• Pickling spice mixtures contain a mixture of sharp and aromatic flavorings. A few are almost universal, including coriander seeds, black peppercorns and mustard seeds. Most mixtures also contain some combination of warm spices such as allspice and cloves, aromatics including bay leaves or dill, or a few flakes of hot chili peppers to add zest to the mix. If you have a favorite commercial mixture you use during pickling season, feel free to use it with your corned beef. Alternatively, you can custom-tailor a mixture of your own that emphasizes flavors you enjoy and minimizes those you don't.

The Extras

• Even if your corned beef came with its own spice packet, you might choose to either substitute your own spice mixture or simply complement the standard flavors with your own additions. For example, if you like your corned beef to have a spicier kick, you might choose to add potent black or brown mustard seeds and extra chili pepper flakes. A large handful of garlic cloves adds greatly to the beef's character, and some cooks like to add tang with vinegar or sweetness with brown sugar. Those last few ingredients aren't necessarily vegetable-friendly, so remove and reserve some beef-flavored cooking liquid for the vegetables first. Top up the water, add those extra flavorings and finish simmering the beef.