Yeah, I had sticker shock last time I looked at a brisket. Even the whole muscle in cryovac is still over $3/lb.
I confess to buying the packaged corned beef at times.Not too bad. I prefer the flat to the point and I add more pickling spice to the cooking water. Then, I will trim the excess fat using a meat slicer to get thin slices. The packaged ones do shrink alot.
Still, if I recall, it only takes a few days in brine in the fridge to make your own. I have to go find a recipe, because I don’t really remember. It seems to me it was juicier, more tender and shrank less than the pre-corned ones. Ok, I checked: it takes a week in the brine and I remember using Quick Cure.
I steam the cabbage separately and serve w/boiled new potatoes w/sour cream. We prefer the cabbage still a bit crispy. This discussion is making me hungry.
Steamed cabbage...instead of boiled to a fare-thee-well. Have to try that, the rice steamer works well with veggies.
New potatoes w/corned beef & cabbage - that’s not a calorie disaster. Good working fare - the kind my grandmother made and my coal miner grandfather liked.