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Corned Beef Spices (Homemade Corned Beef Seasonings)

Corned Beef Spices (Homemade Corned Beef Seasonings)

Homemade Corned Beef Spices adds a powerhouse of flavors to any of our Corned Beef recipes: Baked Corned Beef, Instant Pot Corned Beef, Smoked Corned Beef, Sous Vide Corned Beef and Reuben Sandwich. Corned Beef seasoning takes just 10 minutes to custom blend. 

Other popular Irish recipes: Steak and Ale Pie, Shepard’s Pie and Instant pot Potato Soup

Corned beef seasonings in a small bowl.

Corned Beef Seasoning

This corned beef spice packet is designed to replace or accentuate the corned beef seasoning packet that comes with most store bought corned beef. We’ve found there’s not nearly enough included in the little package to properly highlight the unique flavor of corned beef.

Seasoning In Corned Beef Packet

Wondering what’s in that corned beef seasoning packet? We did a little digging and quickly saw it varies from brand to brand. Our mix includes the most common spices utilized in all of them: 

  • Black Peppercorn
  • Mustard Seeds (Also in Pickled Mustard Seeds)
  • Coriander Seeds
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Dried Ginger
  • Fennel Seeds
  • Dill Seeds
  • Bay Leaves
  • Cardamom Pods
  • Whole Cloves
  • Cinnamon Stick

For any of the above, you can sub in pre-ground spices for ease! The recipe card below details how to make substitutions.

Note in the picture below, the final texture is very coarse. This is why we hand crumble the bay leaves into the mix vs. adding them to the grinder. Side by side photo showing a store bought spice mix vs a homemade mix.

Spices For Corned Beef

Other spices you can add in, if desired, include:

  • Star Anise
  • Allspice Berries

Both have very strong flavors so start with two and work your way up upon tasting the final mixture.

Variations

Here’s how to adjust the corned beef spice packet to suit your preference:

Spicy – Amp up the heat by doubling the red pepper flakes.

Mild – Remove the red pepper flakes all together.

Like Garlic? This corned beef spices mix can handle a hit of garlic powder (try 1 tsp).

Various seasonings in a silver saucepan.

Pickling Spice For Corned Beef

While similar, this isn’t the exact mix that comes in pickling spices. They can be used interchangeable although pickling spices are much less flavorful as not nearly as many spices are used. 

How Much To Use

We measured how much came with our corned beef and it measured 1 tablespoon (as pictured below). Clearly not enough to season the entire corned beef roast. 3-4 tablespoons is what we recommend using, which is the equivalent of one batch of the below.

Uncooked corned beef brisket on a grill.

How to Store

If you’re left with more corned beef spices than needed, for this years Saint Patrick’s Day feast, just store the rest in an airtight baggie in the freezer for next year. If stored outside the freezer the potency of the mix will diminish quite a bit if you’re not using it within 6 months.

More Popular Spice Mix Recipes

Montreal Steak Seasoning
Creole Seasoning
Jamaican Jerk Spice
Prime Rib Rub
BBQ Rub

overhead shot of seasonings in a blender.

If you’re unsure of the corned beef cut you should pick up, check out our Best Cut of Corned Beef guide for tips!

Corned beef spices in individual bowls.

Corned Beef Spices

Homemade Corned Beef Spices adds a powerhouse of spice flavors to any of our Corned Beef recipes: Instant Pot Corned Beef, Smoked Corned Beef, Sous Vide Corned Beef and Reuben Sandwich. Corned Beef seasoning takes just 5 minutes to custom blend. 
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Course: Homemade Spices
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Corned Beef Recipe, Spice Mix
Servings: 1 Packet
Calories: 135kcal
Author: Darcey Olson
Cost: $5

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp Black Peppercorn (*Note 1)
  • 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds
  • 1 tsp Coriander Seeds
  • 4 Cardamom Seeds
  • ¼ tsp Fennel Seeds
  • ¼ tsp Dill Seeds
  • 2 Whole Cloves
  • 3 tsp Dried Bay Leaves
  • 1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick, Cut into 1/2" Pieces
  • ½ tsp Ground Ginger

Instructions
 

  • Pre-heat a saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the black peppercorn, mustard seeds, coriander, cardamon seeds, fennel seeds, dill seeds, whole cloves and toast for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.
    1 Tbsp Black Peppercorn
    1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard Seeds
    1 tsp Coriander Seeds
    4 Cardamom Seeds
    ¼ tsp Fennel Seeds
    ¼ tsp Dill Seeds
    2 Whole Cloves
  • Add the bay leaves, red pepper flakes and cinnamon stick and toast for a minute, stirring constantly to ensure they don't burn.
    3 tsp Dried Bay Leaves
    1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
    1 Cinnamon Stick, Cut into 1/2" Pieces
  • Set the bay leaves aside and add the toasted spices to a spice grinder (or coffee grinder) and pulse a few times until coarse. Transfer to a small bowl.
  • Crush the bay leaves and add to the bowl along with the ground ginger. Stir to combine.
    ½ tsp Ground Ginger
  • Store in an air-tight container for up to 6 months or freeze for up to a year.

Notes

Note 1 - To use ground spices, vs whole seeds, use 1/4 the amount called for above. 

Nutrition

Calories: 135kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 417mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 682IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 180mg | Iron: 5mg
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Recipe Rating




Zee

Wednesday 29th of March 2023

Trying it today