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Talk about pastrami!

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DesertRaider

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Last week I tried my hand at pastrami. First time, used store bought corned beef, and took some advice on a couple of different sites for prep and rub. The prep was basic, soak in water for eight hours to remove excess salt, season with rub, then place on fridge for eight to twelve hours. I missed the part about wrapping in plastic:doh:. Then it was off to the smoker after reapplying the rub to keep it all even. Cooked two of them along with some back ribs (which were really good).

The end result of the pastrami was a decent flavor, though not as much as I was hoping for, a little drier than what I wanted, but not a total loss. It's all gone and I didn't think to take pics.

My questions are general. First, when using either store bought corned beef or if you pickle your own, do you separate the flat from the point? And on that note, is it better flavor wise to pickle your own or is store bought just as good? Next, for soaking purposes, do you soak a long time, or go by weight? Finally, the rub recipe I used was from a couple of sites. One was the spruceeates site, and the other part was amazingribs. Just wasn't as pastrami flavored as I wanted.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, and when I try again I promise to get a pic or two before eating:icon_smile_tongue: And thanks in advance!
 
I soak store bought CB for at least three days changing water every day. Rub with coarse BP granulated garlic and coriander then smoke for 4-5 hrs. Steam on a rack in a large covered roasting pan on stove making sure pastrami doesn’t get in water until it probes tender. Cool in fridge and slice away!
 
I soak for several hrs changing the water several times.
Rub with ground picking spice, onion and garlic powder. I don't add salt, as I just spent several hours getting rid of it. Smoke to a it of 160. Into a foil pan with a rack to keep it off the bottom. Add some liquid and foil. Steam to a IT of 200. Cool and slice.
 
CentralOhioBBQ said:
pickle your own. makes all the difference if you ask me. I use meatheads recipe.
Click to expand...

exactly as mentioned above. I just did this recently with brisket flats, making corned beef from meatheads recipe and then turning it into pastrami and it was fantastic!
 
DesertRaider said:
...My questions are general. First, when using either store bought corned beef or if you pickle your own, do you separate the flat from the point? And on that note, is it better flavor wise to pickle your own or is store bought just as good? Next, for soaking purposes, do you soak a long time, or go by weight? Finally, the rub recipe I used was from a couple of sites. One was the spruceeates site, and the other part was amazingribs. Just wasn't as pastrami flavored as I wanted.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated, and when I try again I promise to get a pic or two before eating:icon_smile_tongue: And thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I've only purchased whole corned briskets 4 or 5 times, I smoked them whole, but cut them roughly in half for a better fit in my pressure cooker for the finish.

Some brands of corned beef are as good as some home corned recipes, but the majority of the home corned recipes are better than store bought.

I soak by weight and thickness. For an average thickness flat that weighs 4 to 5 pounds, I'll soak around 5 to 6 hours.

You can play around with a basic pastrami rub and dial it in to your taste. Here is my pastrami rub, and my garlic pepper seasoning. Sometimes I'll add a layer of the garlic pepper seasoning for a slight change-up of flavor.

PASTRAMI RUB:

(this recipe makes enough rub to season several corned briskets, any leftover can be stored in a zipper baggie in the freezer for several months)

4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper (more if you like it peppery)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
2 teaspoons Canadian/Montreal Steak seasoning
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dried
1 teaspoon paprika
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

thirdeye's All-Purpose Garlic Pepper Seasoning
Ingredients:
3 teaspoons Garlic Powder
3 teaspoons Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Canning Salt
1/2 teaspoon Toasted Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Paprika
 
Traditional NY deli pastrami is made with a full packer brisket with the point attached and the double slices are the most desirable.

Cure your own. You can control the flavor AND you can start with a better piece of meat than what the typical commercial corned beef producers use.
 
I typically go the easy route & buy the packed CB...but I only buy the point cuts. The extra fat is a plus & acts as a buffer for success.

I have never wrapped it in plastic as I always season just before it hits the smoker. Smoked till tender, like a regular brisket, hasn't failed me yet.
 
thirdeye, thanks for the tips and the rub recipes. Will be helpful in the future. Big difference in the rub I used was equal parts pepper and coriander. I'll have to look for the Canadian/Montreal Steak Seasoning. I also followed the link supplied by FrkYrPrk to your review/tutorial. Good stuff to know, and I appreciate it. While this is a new effort, I understand the feelings you and others expressed about brining it myself. And, I'm giving that serious consideration. Final question, how much does the pressure cooker add? I don't have one, so, figured it's worth finding out:grin:
 
Thanks everyone for your advice. Gives me lots to work with, and great reason to experiment. Many many times!!!!
 
DesertRaider said:
thirdeye, thanks for the tips and the rub recipes. Will be helpful in the future. Big difference in the rub I used was equal parts pepper and coriander. I'll have to look for the Canadian/Montreal Steak Seasoning. I also followed the link supplied by FrkYrPrk to your review/tutorial. Good stuff to know, and I appreciate it. While this is a new effort, I understand the feelings you and others expressed about brining it myself. And, I'm giving that serious consideration. Final question, how much does the pressure cooker add? I don't have one, so, figured it's worth finding out:grin:
Click to expand...

The pressure finish is for tenderness, and it generates really good broth. It's faster than a steamed finish. I have several pressure cookers, but I like to use my pressure canner because of it's size. If you shop around you might find it's worth it to have a pressure canner.
 
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