Corned beef Reuben

Trim excess fat from the brisket, keeping a good amount on, then separate it into the fattier point and the leaner flat. The flat becomes the corned beef.

Combine eight cups of boiling water, three and a half cups of kosher salt, one cup of brown sugar, two tablespoons of allspice berries, four star anise pods, two tablespoons of yellow mustard seeds, four teaspoons of cloves, one cinnamon stick, eight teaspoons of sodium nitrate and six bay leaves in a pot until combined.

Add eight cups of ice to cool the liquid, then add both the point and the flat, top off with a little more water to submerge, and brine at least seven days and up to 10; his was brined nine days.

Pull the meat out, discard the brine, rinse the meat and pick off any stuck cloves, then replace the water.

Leave the flat in the fresh water with half an onion, two celery ribs, six garlic cloves and two bay leaves.

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and simmer about three hours until tender.

Slice the corned beef as thinly as you can manage.

Spread Russian dressing on one side of the bread.

Pile sauerkraut on a plate, top with slices of swiss cheese and microwave until the cheese melts and coats the sauerkraut; invert it onto a piece of bread, which lifts cleanly because the sauerkraut is against the plate.

Slap that onto the rest of the sandwich with the sliced corned beef.