Easy Corned-Beef & Pastrami Tutorial Part 1

[MisterChrister]

This is an easy one that anyone can pull off with no special equipment and just a few common ingredients. We're trying to burn up the rest of our last steer to make room in the freezer for the next one, and the brisket has been LONG gone. Luckily, you can corn just about any cut of beef. Since I'm the only one at my house that likes a RARE beef roast, I thought I'd corn up a couple of rump roasts. The curing brine is an average of a few different recipes I've found, then I bumped up a few of the spices for a little extra character. The recipe makes a gallon of brine which is enough for two 5-7# cuts. I usually do two at a time, one corned beef and one smoked for pastrami. One roast goes in each 1-gallon ziploc bag with half of the brine mix. The brine is:

4 qts. water
2-1/4 cups kosher salt
1-1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp mustard seed
4 tsp peppercorns
4 bay leaves
5 tbsp pickling spice
10 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup apple-cider vinegar

Some may note that I omitted the nitrates. I don't believe they add much/anything to the flavor, but they are what gives corned beef the classic pink/red color. I can live without that for one less additive in my diet. I digress, the process. You have to get the salt and sugar to dissolve which is easiest in hot water. I don't want to wait for a whole gallon to cool before adding the meat, so I add the salt and sugar to half (2 quarts/8 cups) of the water on the stovetop, heat it until dissolved, then cool it down to at least room temp in the fridge before proceeding. When things are ready, I open a 1 gallon ziploc bag, put in one roast, and drop it into a tupperware pitcher to hold it upright while I add half (4 cups) of the salt/sugar water, half of the spices, and another 4 cups of cold tap water. Then I remove it from the pitcher, zip it shut while removing the air. Then I double bag it, do the same thing with the other one, and swish them around a bit to evenly distribute the spices and pop them in the bottom of the fridge (preferably in a drawer in case they drip a little bit) for 2 weeks until ready to prepare. You should shake them up and turn them over every few days also.

The trimmed roasts; I trim off the fat for better flavor penetration into the meat.


Meat in the bag in the pitcher with half of the salt/sugar water.


Add half of the spices into each bag, then add 4 more cups of cold water (not pictured)


Ready for two weeks in the fridge.


See y'all in a couple weeks, thanks for looking!

[NorthwestBBQ]

Thanks for the great info.

[IamMadMan]

Thanks for sharing...

[code3rrt]

Love it! Thanks, I've been thinking about trying this myself, and you've just made it all so easy.

[twinsfan]

Very nice! My first batch last summer of brisket pastrami was tasty but not very corned. Suppose I rushed it along at 8-10 days.

[Magnum338]

MisterChrister; Do you soak your meat in fresh water before you smoke it?

[rondini]

Try corning a venison neck with that recipe. It makes some some really good eatsssss.
When I do a neck, my wife takes leftovers for lunch till the meat is gone.
Good job on you tutorial, can't wait to see more.

[GMDGeek]

So once two weeks have passed, what are the next steps? This is awesome and I want to try it.

[OakPit]

I've never done this...thanks for the tutorial. Great pics.

[Big George's BBQ]

Looks and sounds Great Will be interested in following it

[MisterChrister]

Originally Posted by Magnum338

MisterChrister; Do you soak your meat in fresh water before you smoke it?

Yes, for about a day with a few water changes for the pastrami. Sometimes the family wants the corned beef boiled (blech) instead of baked, in which case I won't bother with a soak out.

Originally Posted by GMDGeek

So once two weeks have passed, what are the next steps? This is awesome and I want to try it.

The pastrami will get rubbed and smoked in Part 2 in 2 weeks from yesterday!

[The_Kapn]

That is gonna be some killer corned beef and pastrami.

From your comments, do you envision a new thread for part 2 ?
If so, may I suggest you add on to this one later to keep it all together?

These long processes make more sense when they are from start to finish in one thread and the reader does not have to jump around to follow it.
Just a thought.

These types of well documented threads are what makes the Brethren incredibly valuable as a cooking resource.

Thanks for your efforts,

TIM

[Al Czervik]

Great tutorial... Looking forward to the results!

[funman1]

Originally Posted by The_Kapn

From your comments, do you envision a new thread for part 2 ?
If so, may I suggest you add on to this one later to keep it all together?

These long processes make more sense when they are from start to finish in one thread and the reader does not have to jump around to follow it.
Just a thought.

These types of well documented threads are what makes the Brethren incredibly valuable as a cooking resource.

I actually disagree, I find digging through PAGES looking for content, or instructions very annoying!
You're just like where the hell is part two!?!?!
Digging through threads that are like 20 pages is a big pet peave of mine ;)
I like my instructions and info at the top of the thread for easy data retrieval.
But to each his own..


Now.. You have inspired me to try this. Just printed out the ingredients list and will begin this week or next :)

[GMDGeek]

I'm looking forward to part 2 then giving this a whirl!