The Magic Ingredients

• A long, slow soak in a salt water bath is the magic behind corned beef's savory flavor. If you can brine a chicken or turkey, you can make corned beef. Start with a mixture of 1 cup of salt for each quart of water. Add some sugar or brown sugar, bay leaves, thyme, juniper berries or any other desired seasonings. Sodium nitrite, or saltpeter, gives corned beef its characteristic pink hue. Use it if you can find it, but feel free to omit it if you prefer. Some people add pickling spice, a blend that includes mustard seed, ginger, cloves, bay leaves, red pepper flakes and coriander seeds. You can buy this in the canning section of a supermarket or make your own.

Into the Brine

• Once you've gathered the ingredients for your brine, combine them in a large pot and bring the brine to a boil. This is necessary to dissolve the salt. Allow the brine to cool to room temperature before you add the meat. Toss the meat -- usually a brisket or other tougher cut of meat -- into the pot, cover and refrigerate it at 40 degrees Fahrenheit for up to five days. At this point, you can discard the brine and prepare to cook the meat.

Fork Tender

• The corned beef you buy from the deli counter has already been cooked and is ready to eat. At home, though, you must cook the corned beef before you can safely eat it. To complete the final step in making corned beef, rinse the meat to remove the brine. Place it in a pot with some carrots, chopped onions and celery. Cover the meat with water and bring the water to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for three to four hours. When done, the corned beef will be fork tender and ready to serve.

Serve It Up

• The main fixture at St. Patrick's Day celebrations, serve corned beef with boiled potatoes, cabbage and soda bread. You can refrigerate corned beef in its liquid for up to three days and reheat it or serve it cold. Sliced thinly, it makes delicious sandwiches.