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This smoked corned beef recipe gives you a smoky twist on a St. Patrick's Day classic dish. It is great as a main dish or added to others like corned beef hash or corned beef tacos.
When it comes to March, I'm all about St. Patrick's Day recipes. But not in the traditional sense. I like to take traditional ingredients and use them in a different way - from corned beef fritters to Baileys ice cream to Irish coffee cake.
And my latest recipe is smoked corned beef. Known for it's saltiness and pink hue, corned beef is used in a variety of ways. But smoking hasn't been one of them.
That changed when I got a pellet smoker. Traditionally you take some corned beef and boil it with the spice pack or even throw in the slow cooker.
But smoking it is a game changer. You still get that sweet, sour and spicy flavors but it is enhanced by not only a subtle smoke flavor, but a spice crust that complements the beef.
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Ingredients Notes
- Corned beef - you want about a 3 lb brisket. The spice pack will be discarded as you make your own spices.
- Spices - black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, mustard seeds and coriander seeds all complement the beef and enhance the flavors. Notice there is no salt as the beef is already cured in salt.
- Beef stock - you need some liquid when when cooking in the smoker. I use beef stock, but bone broth or even chicken stock helps cook the beef.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions can be found in recipe card below.
Add the rub ingredients to a small bowl. Rinse the corned beef to remove some of the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Rub the ingredients outside of the beef.
Preheat smoker to 250°F. Add the corned beef to the smoker and smoke for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Remove and add to a pan with the beef stock.
Cover with foil and place back in the smoking, cooking until the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F.
FAQs
Corned beef is brisket that has been preserved through salt-curing, which gives the beef its distinctive pink color.
Smoked corned beef is basically pastrami. The main difference is pastrami uses certain spices like herbs and paprika and is then steamed after being smoked.
As with any type of smoked beef recipe, you cook to temperature and not to time. However, in general it should around 8-9 hours to have the corned beef fully cooked.
It's not necessary, but by wrapping in foil around 165°F, it helps you push past that stall that typically happens.
Corned beef is done when it reaches an internal temperature between 205°F and 210°F.
If you don't have a thermometer, you'll know it is done when you can slice through them like butter.
Side Dish Options
While the corned beef is the star, you need some good sides. Some options include
- Crispy roasted potatoes
- Shaved Brussels sprouts with bacon
- Sauerkraut
- Maple glazed carrots
- Truffle mashed potatoes
Equipment
The type of equipment you use can have a big impact on the flavor of the smoked corned beef. Since this is a smoked recipe, you need to impart some smoked flavor. You have a few different options, including:
- Pellet grill - my favorite as I love the simplicity and flavor.
- Charcoal grill - you can use indirect heat and add some wood chips to the charcoal to create that smoke flavor.
- Smoker - whether it is electric, gas or charcoal, any of them will work to make a great dish.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use oak or cherry wood for smoking. You want a good hard wood for the smoke flavor.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- If you think corned beef can be too salty, place in a large container of water for 2 hours, which helps pull out some of the salt. I like the saltiness though.
- Wrap in foil at 165°F to speed up the cook time and get past the stall.
- Let the beef rest for 30 minutes before serving which lets the juices stay inside.
Other St. Patrick's Day Recipes
If you’ve tried this smoked corned beef recipe or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Smoked Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 3 lbs corned beef brisket
- 2 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds
- 2 cups beef stock
Instructions
- Preheat smoker to 250°F. Remove the corned beef from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.
- Mix rub ingredients in bowl and rub outside the corned beef.
- Place in the smoker, close the lid and smoke for 3-4 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
- Remove the corned beef from the smoker and place in an aluminum foil pan with the beef stock. Cover with aluminum foil and place back in the smoker. Continue to smoke until the internal temperature reaches 205-210°F, about 4-5 hours.
- Remove from the smoker, letting it rest for 30 minutes before slicing.
Notes
- Use oak or cherry wood for smoking. You want a good hard wood for the smoke flavor.
- If you don't want to make your own spice rub, just use store-bought.
- If you think corned beef can be too salty, place in a large container of water for 2 hours, which helps pull out some of the salt. I like the saltiness though.
- Wrap in foil at 165°F to speed up the cook time and get past the stall.
- Let the beef rest for 30 minutes before serving which lets the juices stay inside.
Chris Pattee says
No brine time??
Ryan says
Corned beef is already brined typically. I'm saying remove from the packaged brine and rinse dry. Sorry if that didn't make sense!