How to brine a brisket

1. This monster is a 2.5kg beef brisket. It’s a cheap cut, full of fats and connective tissue. Think belly pork but not as fashionable and thus considerably cheaper Photograph: Tim Hayward 2. Divide roughly in half and untie one section. This will be your pastrami piece. The rolled section is the salt beef Photograph: Tim Hayward 3. To 4l of water add 400g salt, 150g sugar, 30g Prague Powder #1 (optional), 3 bay leaves, 4 cloves garlic, 25g pickling spice (I mixed mace, allspice, juniper, coriander, ginger, dried chilli and just a couple of cloves. You can go wherever you fancy with flavourings). Bring the whole lot to the boil and then allow to cool Photograph: Tim Hayward 4. Pack each piece of brisket into doubled, heavy-duty resealable freezer bags. Ladle half the brine over the rolled piece (intended for salt beef). Stir 100g of honey into the second half of the brine and ladle into the second bag over the pastrami piece Photograph: Tim Hayward 5. Exclude as much air as you can and then seal both bags. Mark clearly, including the date and place in the fridge. Turn them over daily Photograph: Tim Hayward