The easy way is just buy premade corned beef, especially if you have a good local butcher shop that makes it regularly. Unfortunately in southern California the only time it really shows up in stores is around st paddys day so I have resorted to corning my own briskets.
As far as the brine goes I use Alton Browns Corned beef recipe only doubled to accommodate a packer size brisket.
Prep for smoking is super simple, Plain old yellow mustard massage as a base to get everything to stick nicely, followed by a LIGHT dusting of 50/50 garlic and onion powder from a shaker and then a HEAVY coating of black pepper.
Thats it! I smoke it with apple wood at 225*-245* until a it feels relaxed or a tooth pick goes into it like its butter. Generally speaking they take between 10-12 hours.