12 cups water
1 1/2 cups kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
4 Tbsp black peppercorns
1 Tbsp whole allspice
2 cinnamon sticks, snapped in half
1 Tbsp whole cloves
1 Tbsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp whole coriander seeds
1/2 to 1 whole head of garlic (depending on taste), cloves separated and crushed, no need to peel
1 ounce sodium nitrate if you care about the meat staying pink. I omit.
Mix all ingredients together until salt and sugar is dissolved. Submerge meat completely. Brisket is brined 3 to 4 weeks for full flavor. ***Make sure the meat stays completely submerged***
***You have to brine in a non-reactive container; so big ziploc bag, stainless pot, enamel pot, glass bowl. I use a huge enamel stock pot.***
The brine is pretty salty, so I like to boil in plain until tender once it's done brining, but it is also very good in the pressure cooker, oven or on the grill. Smoke the meat and it is pastrami.
If cooking on the grill you've got to cook low and slow (about 225*F) until you can insert a knife and it feel like you're cutting into softened butter, usually to an internal temp of 190*F.