I wondered if there was a corned beef thread but I was not expecting the only one to be so old.
Have you ever brined your own? Here is a recipe 3-4 pounds of meat.
Corned Beef
1 cup no iodine or kosher salt
2 Tbsp curing salt (salt with sodium nitrite) or 1 tsp saltpeter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp black peppercorns
10 whole cloves
10 allspice berries
10 juniper berries
2 bay leaves
3-4 lb brisket flat
Bring 2 cups water, salt, sugar, curing salt or saltpeter, spices, and bay leaves to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Pour into a large bowl and add 4 cups of ice water. The brine mixture should be cool to the touch.
Place the brisket into a large zip-top bag and pour the brine mixture into the bag.
Seal the top, carefully removing as much air as possible.
Refrigerate for at least five days, and up to two weeks. Flip every day or two.
Soak in cool water before cooking.
Brisket flat is traditional because it was a cheap cut. The flat has much less fat than the point which is better for slow cooking. Low-graded meat of any semi-lean cut is suitable. Also suitable are game meats, such as elk or gamey deer.
The recipe calls for refrigeration and a plastic bag. Cool (at or below 60° F or 15° C) but not chill temperatures are appropriate and quicker. Glass, ceramic, or stainless containers are better than plastic. Weight to meat to prevent any part from touching air.
When brining this way be extra careful to soak out the salt.