I have used sheets of cheesecloth gathered into a bundle and secured with plain white string to hold the corned beef spices in the pot. Another alternative would be the metal containers used to steep loose tea. I usually toss an ancho chile or two into the stew pot, whole, and relish the eating of it later on. Regards from sunny San Leandro Louis Cohen N37° 43' 7" W122° 8' 42" http://members.home.net/louiscohen