I found an interesting recipe for corning beef that includes brown sugar in the brining liquid. It is little tidbits like this that brings out the wee bit of Irish in my blood at various times of the year. Anyone ever use sugar in a brine for beef? I use it all the time when I corn pork for hams but never beef.

I didn't have any brown sugar so I used cane sugar and for flavor I used pomegranate syrup. (I marinate lamb in pomegranate juice all the time for flavor and to tenderize the meat. I suspect it will also tenderize the beef.) As usual, for me, I used a nice tri tip roast that was well trimmed. This recipe called for 8 soak days in the refrigerator which seems unduly long in my mind but I will give it a try anyway.

I've always wanted to try a combination technique combining brining and fermentation. We brine meat for one reason and we ferment meat for the same reason. Ham and corned beef are brining examples and chorizo and all hard sausages are examples of fermentation. Both techniques are employed for preservation purposes. Now what if I was to set the corned beef concoction in the hot sun instead of the refrigerator? I bet it would corn and ferment at the same time in 3 days! Now I have to get Maynard to agree to get his wife to test the finished product. Are you willing to step up to the challenge Maynard?