You take a brisket and basically pickle it prior to roasting and you have corned beef. If you take it after brining it, and roll it in pepper, smoke it, and then roast it you have Pastrami.
Corned beef is good in the crock pot with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, onion and tomato. Don't forget to serve with pain yellow mustard on the table. I had some the other night and it was good but a little too lean.