How to Cut Corned Beef

Last Updated: November 30, 2023 Approved

Quality corned beef is a staple food in Jewish, Irish, and Caribbean cuisines. The meat is cured with “corn,” or large grains of salt, then slow-cooked for several hours. Since corned beef comes from a tough cut of brisket, it needs to be sliced up with care in order to make it tender. After letting the meat rest, cut it into thin slices across the grain to maximize its flavor.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Cooking and Cleaning the Beef

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1
Cook the corned beef before cutting it. Stick a thermometer into the center of the brisket to ensure its internal temperature is around 165 °F (74 °C), hot enough to melt the tough collagen in the meat. Cutting corned beef early causes it to lose its juices, so leave the brisket whole with all the fat on it.
- At a minimum, cook the beef to 145 °F (63 °C) before cutting it. At that temperature, the beef is safe to eat, although cooking it slowly to a higher temperature makes it taste better.
2
Rest the meat under aluminum foil for 10 to 15 minutes. Move the corned beef to a cutting board as soon as it’s done cooking. Cover it loosely in foil to keep it warm while it rests. Waiting allows the meat to reabsorb the moisture inside of it, so you end up with a juicier brisket and a cleaner cutting board. ^{[1]
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- Remove the beef from heat sources, including hot liquids, to prevent it from overcooking.
- This rest period is the perfect time to finish preparing vegetables or other components you plan on serving with the corned beef.
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3
Choose a sharp knife to cut through the beef with ease. If you are able to, get a knife that is as long as the corned beef is wide. That way, you are able to cut the meat into whole slices instead of uneven chunks. A long meat carving knife is the best tool to have, especially for large briskets. Sharpen your knife to ensure it cuts cleanly through the beef instead of tearing it. ^{[2]
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- Use a meat fork to hold the beef in place while you slice it.
4
Slice through the fat to separate the cuts if you cooked a whole brisket. A whole brisket actually consists of 2 parts. A connective layer of fat separates these parts. Gently pull the beef apart with a meat fork to expose the fat in the middle, then slide your knife horizontally between the brisket to separate the cuts. ^{[3]
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- The bigger portion is called the flat. It’s leaner and has an even thickness.
- The fattier part, called the point, is smaller and sits on top of the flat.
- Flat and point portions are often packaged and sold separately, so you do not need to get a whole brisket to enjoy good corned beef.
5
Trim the fat cap off of the corned beef. Position the beef flat on the cutting board with the puffy, white fat face up. It may be a little browned from cooking, but it’s still easy to recognize. Pin the beef in place with a meat fork, then slide the knife underneath the layer of fat. Cut horizontally along the beef to separate it from the fat. ^{[4]
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- Leaving some fat, about 1 in (2.5 cm) or less, is fine. The fat adds flavor.
- Removing the fat before cooking the beef is possible, but the fat helps seal moisture and flavor in the meat.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Slicing the Beef

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1
Flip the beef over and find its grain pattern. Place the fat side down if you left any on the exterior portion of the corned beef. Look closely to see which way the muscle fibers are oriented in the beef. They look like parallel lines along its entire length. ^{[5]
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- Flat and point portions have different grain patterns, so always cut them separately.
- The grain is not the same as grill marks. If you cooked the beef on a grill, ignore the grill marks and look for the lines formed by the muscle fibers inside the meat.
2
Turn the meat so you are able to cut across the grain. Your knife needs to run perpendicular to the grain, not parallel to it. That way, you shorten the muscle fibers, making the corned beef much more tender. Long muscle fibers are strong and hard to chew. ^{[6]
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- Briskets have long, tough muscle fibers because they come from a weight-bearing part of the cow. Not cutting against the grain potentially ruins good corned beef.
3
Cut from the corner of the leaner end of the meat. The smaller, leaner portion is easier to cut. Hold the corned beef in place with a meat fork, then work your carving knife down into the meat. To cut through cleanly, move your knife back and forth, almost like you’re operating a saw. By doing this, you alternate bringing the knife’s tip and opposite end in contact with the meat. ^{[7]
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- Push the knife downward as you cut through the meat, gently shaving it into slices.
- To make a big piece of beef more manageable, cut it in half. As long as you cut it vertically across the grain, reducing its size before slicing it is safe.
4
Slice the rest of the brisket as thinly as possible against the grain. Slice the corned beef about ¹ ⁄ ₈ in (0.32 cm) thick, if possible. The thinner you are able to slice the beef, the easier it will be to chew. Continue cutting across the grain, slicing the beef into roughly equal portions until you reach its other end. ^{[8]
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- Thicker cuts require more chewing but are still fine to use. Some people even prefer their beef that way. Thicker cuts also serve great in recipes such as corned beef hash.
5
Store leftover beef in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To keep the beef safe to eat, move it into the refrigerator within 2 hours of cooking it. Place it in resealable plastic bags or containers, labeling them as necessary. Alternatively, wrap the beef tightly in foil or plastic wrap to enjoy the leftovers within the next few days.
- To freeze beef, put it in a labeled, freezer-safe container. Freezing it will maintain its quality for up to 3 months.
- Spoiled corned beef looks slimy and has an unpleasant, rotten smell. Throw the beef away without tasting it if you suspect is has gone bad.

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Someone cut my corned beef by mistake after an hour of cooking! What do I do to save it?

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Re-cook it in the same water, if you can.

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Does the grain run the length of the brisket?

Brett Gilbert

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Yes, it will run all the way across it, making it fairly easy to spot. For that same reason, cutting across the grain is necessary to shorten those fibers.

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How I cut the saltiness from the corned beef

Brett Gilbert

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Rinsing the corned beef helps. Put it in a pot of water, heat it to boiling, then rinse the beef off under clean water. Do it twice to eliminate more salt. Soaking the meat for up to 24 hours in cold water or milk also helps. Alternatively, add other ingredients. For example, sugar, cream, or alternative spices mask the salt. You can also add more vegetables.

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Tips

Corned beef is traditionally sliced paper thin when used in deli-style sandwiches. Thicker cuts are good when served with vegetables or in other dishes.

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For dishes like corned beef hash, cut the beef into cubes after slicing it.

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Fat on the beef is edible. Depending on how you like your beef, leaving some of the fat cap on is useful to give the meat a little extra flavor.

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Warnings

Cutting corned beef incorrectly makes it drier and tougher to chew. Always let the meat rest, then cut against the grain to make it as tender as possible.

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Things You'll Need

Corned beef brisket
Aluminum foil
Carving knife
Meat fork
Cutting board

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How to Cut Corned Beef

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Slicing the Beef

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