That little spice packet tucked inside the corned beef packaging? It’s doing the bare minimum. Dusty, stale, and about as flavorful as the plastic it came in.
This homemade pickling spice takes five minutes, and the difference is immediate… You’ll smell it the second the peppercorns and coriander hit a hot skillet. Toasting whole spices before cracking them opens up the oils and gives you warm, peppery, aromatic depth that pre-ground powder can’t touch. Ten ingredients, a mortar and pestle (or a few pulses in a spice grinder), and you’ve got a half cup of pickling spice that stores for six months and works in everything from smoked corned beef to pickle brines to pot roasts.
Five minutes of effort for six months of better cooking. That math works.
Why Make Your Own Pickling Spice?
Most store-bought pickling spice is heavy on bay and light on aroma. It works — but it’s flat.
This homemade pickling spice recipe is built specifically for corned beef. Toasted whole spices bring real depth to the cure and the crust, whether you’re boiling brisket, smoking it, or finishing pastrami-style.
It takes five minutes, keeps for months, and makes a noticeable difference.
What Is Pickling Spice?
Pickling spice is a blend of whole warming spices traditionally used in brines for meats and vegetables.
For corned beef, it flavors both the curing brine and the cooking liquid, and when cracked and pressed onto the brisket, it forms the base of that classic crust.
The key: Fresh whole spices, lightly crushed. Never powdered.
🔪 Ingredients for corned beef pickling spice
- Black peppercorns
- Mustard seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Allspice berries
- Juniper berries (optional but traditional)
- Whole cloves
- Crushed red pepper flakes
- Bay leaves
- Ground ginger
- Cinnamon chips (or 1 cinnamon stick, crushed)
Makes about ½ cup.
Equipment
- Dry skillet
- Mortar and pestle or spice grinder
- Airtight spice jar
📝 How to Make Pickling Spice for corned beef
- Toast the Whole Spices
Add peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, juniper, and cloves to a dry skillet over medium heat.
Toast 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Shake the pan often. Do not burn. - Cool and Crack
Let spices cool slightly.
Lightly crush with a mortar and pestle or pulse briefly in a spice grinder. You want cracked, not powdered. Texture matters. - Add Remaining Ingredients
Stir in red pepper flakes, crumbled bay leaves, ground ginger, and cinnamon. - Store
Transfer to an airtight container. Store in a cool, dry place up to 6 months.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- No juniper? Skip it, the flavor will still be balanced.
- Prefer less heat? Reduce red pepper flakes.
- Want a more citrus-forward blend? Add a small strip of dried orange peel.
- Whole star anise can be added sparingly for deeper warmth.
💡 Meat Nerd Tips
- Don’t grind the spices to a powder; powdered spices burn during smoking.
- Toasting wakes up volatile oils and deepens aroma.
- Juniper gives traditional deli character. If you’ve ever wondered why pastrami tastes different from corned beef, this is part of the reason.
- If using for a brine, leave spices whole. If using for a crust, crack them.
🍽️ How to Use Pickling Spice for Corned Beef
- Add 2–3 tablespoons to the cooking liquid when boiling corned beef.
- Press cracked spice into mustard-coated brisket before smoking.
- Add to a curing brine if making corned beef from scratch.
- Use in pastrami before steaming.
This blend was built specifically for beef — not cucumbers.
🧊 Storage
- Store airtight up to 6 months in a glass jar.
- If the aroma fades, it’s time to refresh.
Have you tried this recipe? Do us a favor and rate the recipe card with the ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ and drop a comment to help out the next reader.
Pickling Spice Recipe for Corned Beef
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon juniper berries optional
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 6 bay leaves crumbled
- 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon chips or 1 cinnamon stick, crushed
Instructions
Toast Whole Spices
- In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, juniper, and cloves for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Shake the pan frequently. Do not burn.
Cool and Crack
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Lightly crush using a mortar and pestle, or pulse briefly in a spice grinder.
- The goal is cracked, not powdered.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Stir in red pepper flakes, crumbled bay leaves, ground ginger, and cinnamon.
Store
- Transfer to an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place up to 6 months.
Notes
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❓ FAQs
Pickling spice typically contains black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander, allspice, cloves, bay leaves, and other warming spices.
Lightly crush it. Do not grind to powder. Cracked spices provide better texture and prevent bitterness.
Yes. It works in brines, braises, slow-cooked beef, and even in pickled vegetables.
They are very similar. Corned beef seasoning is often a version of pickling spice.
Stored airtight in a cool, dry place, it keeps for about 6 months.
