Pastrami, How I Make...

[Piedmont]

http://web.infoave.net/~amwil/discursion.htm#Pastrami!

The link above is my web site spot where I posted a brine for making Pastrami. To me it is a very good recipe. First off, I trim the briskets free of fat (reserve fat for later use) (How I trim brisket pics are on my site too). I also separate the point from the flat, then proceed to poke holes through out the meat using a thin knife blade.

I suggest making the brine two days before use allowing the seasonings to fully develope the flavor of the brine. Two gallons of this pastrami brine will do three trimmed briskets.

I use a tall round eight gallon drink cooler to keep the brine/brisket in while I allow them to soak for 5 days in a refrigerator. Twice each day I go and slosh the brine/brisket around to agitate and mix up the water so that fresh flavor stays near the meat. Then cook as you would any brisket, but place fat trimmings on top of brisket while cooking.

I have a multi level cooking surface so I place points on top with fat trimmings and allow that to drip down on the remaining flats.

This makes a great Ruebin sandwich!

Piedmont

 

[thirdeye]

I make a very similar brine, the only addition being a sliced onion, but I go way longer on the brine time .... around 10 days to get the texture I want. But then again, I do a fresh water soak and a equalizing rest in the fridge before smoking. Anyways, I have a couple of questions on your technique...

I was curious if you had tried longer brine times than the 72 hours you mentioned? And if so what did you not like about the longer times?

I tend to reduce my base salt when using cures. When you mentioned 4oz of curing salts as an adder; Are you talking pink salts like Instacure #1 or Tenderquick?

 

[boberosabbq]

Pastrami is on my list of things to cook before I die.

 

[backyardchef]

Just made some this past weekend w/ a couple of pre-made corned beefs. Soaked them for a few hours, changing the water and then rubbed them w/ peppercorns, coriander, ground dried garlic and some whatnot. Into the smoke over cherry and hickory for about 6-7 hours to about 185 internal. After that, I let them rest and then refrigerated. When we were ready to eat them, I steamed them to get them hot and ready. :lol:

Just getting started

What was left

 

[Nitrofly]

Pastrami is on my list of things to cook before I die.

Pastrami is on my to do list for 2007.. Also learn the art of sausge
making.. Got a way cool 1000 watt meat grinder from Santa..
Oh ya I want my team to qualify for the Jack.. I have to
finish my music room or the wife won't let me have a party...

 

[Nitrofly]

Is there a difference between a Pastrami brine and a Corned Beef brine???
My butcher makes a killer Corned beef I have Smoked his Corned beef a
couple of times.. Did I just make Pastrami and not know it??

 

[backyardchef]

Is there a difference between a Pastrami brine and a Corned Beef brine???
My butcher makes a killer Corned beef I have Smoked his Corned beef a
couple of times.. Did I just make Pastrami and not know it??

Pastrami is pretty much just corned beef w/ a crust of crushed peppercorns, coriander, etc....which is then smoked (often steam/smoked in delis). So, pretty much....yup, you made crustless pastrami.

 

[RichardF]

Just made some this past weekend w/ a couple of pre-made corned beefs.
Just getting started

BYC- From the picture, it looks like the pre-made corned beefs you used were made from rounds. There is a texture difference between what you made, and pastrami made from a (brisket) flat. From the "after" picture, it looks like your pastrami was a big hit.

I've made a bunch of pastramis and have followed the instructions from the virtual weber bullet site (which is a derivative of a Paul Kirk recipe), with much success. I've tried both a dry-cure and the brine, and prefer the dry-cure.

 

[backyardchef]

Love the dry cure too, Richard. I think one was from a round, the other was a small flat w/ a tiny flap of 'deckle' still attached.

If you have the time and the space, corning it yourself makes a huge difference, imho.

 

[Piedmont]

Reply time and tenderquick

SNIP
I was curious if you had tried longer brine times than the 72 hours you mentioned? And if so what did you not like about the longer times?

I tend to reduce my base salt when using cures. When you mentioned 4oz of curing salts as an adder; Are you talking pink salts like Instacure #1 or Tenderquick?

Never went longer than the five days, I started out doing 2-3 days and felt more flavor was needed so ended up taking it to five which gave me the taste I was looking.

Yes, Tenderquick and similar products.

 

[Serial344]

Just made some this past weekend w/ a couple of pre-made corned beefs. Soaked them for a few hours, changing the water and then rubbed them w/ peppercorns, coriander, ground dried garlic and some whatnot. Into the smoke over cherry and hickory for about 6-7 hours to about 185 internal. After that, I let them rest and then refrigerated. When we were ready to eat them, I steamed them to get them hot and ready. :lol:

Just getting started

What was left

WOW!!
It looks wonderful and very fragrant but I have a question...
Do Beef keep moisture inside after being refrigerated?

 

[backyardchef]

Not sure if I understand the question...But, it once sliced, I think the beef immediately starts to lose quality. It needs to be eaten right away. If you mean, did it lose moisture from being cooled before I steamed it, the answet would be no. Or at least, it was still really moist and tender. Does that help at all?

Edit: I've also noticed (and read somewhere-- Cook's Illustrated?) that a brisket resting in it's juices in the refrigerator overnight before slicing will reabsorb liquid. Sounds crazy, but it is true.....

 

[thirdeye]

Not sure if I understand the question...But, it once sliced, I think the beef immediately starts to lose quality. It needs to be eaten right away. If you mean, did it lose moisture from being cooled before I steamed it, the answet would be no. Or at least, it was still really moist and tender. Does that help at all?

Edit: I've also noticed (and read somewhere-- Cook's Illustrated?) that a brisket resting in it's juices in the refrigerator overnight before slicing will reabsorb liquid. Sounds crazy, but it is true.....

How can you NOT eat pastrami once you slice it? LOL

 

[Piedmont]

Moisture in Beef

WOW!!
It looks wonderful and very fragrant but I have a question...
Do Beef keep moisture inside after being refrigerated?

You are correct that beef can be dry, after cooking I suggest that you allowit to 'rest'. I actually foil beef once it reachs 190 degrees, then place inside an ice chest (with out ice) for up to 24 hours before slicing. But you should at least allow to 'rest' before slicing at least one hour on a large hunk of meat. You actually could insert a temp probe and once the internal temp reaches 150 degrees then go ahead and slice.

I slice and freeze my pastrami and or texas brisket, vacuum seal, then to reheat, place sealed beef in a sink of hot water then after its thawed, microwave carefully/slowly.
Piedmont

 

[backyardchef]

How can you NOT eat pastrami once you slice it? LOL

I'd hit that! :biggrin:

 

[Biggun]

I've got two "ready-made" CB's in for their 24-hour soak now. Have used up all my sale-priced (.67/lb.) flats, these will be the first points I've tried- I'm sure a bit fattier, time will tell- gonna cook tomorrow. St. Patty's coming soon, leaving some freezer room for day-after sales.:twisted: Now that I finally spent some big $$ and got Tenderquick shipped from Morton's, some home cured will be next!

 

[thirdeye]

I've got two "ready-made" CB's in for their 24-hour soak now. Have used up all my sale-priced (.67/lb.) flats, these will be the first points I've tried- I'm sure a bit fattier, time will tell- gonna cook tomorrow. St. Patty's coming soon, leaving some freezer room for day-after sales.:twisted: Now that I finally spent some big $$ and got Tenderquick shipped from Morton's, some home cured will be next!

BobberQer is the one that got me hooked on the longer soaking times for the store-bought flats. Upwards of 48 hours. He also uses potatoes in his soaking water which was also new to me.

 

[Biggun]

BobberQer is the one that got me hooked on the longer soaking times for the store-bought flats. Upwards of 48 hours. He also uses potatoes in his soaking water which was also new to me.

T-Eye, I've seen people all over the charts on soaking time, and I have to guess that both personal preference and original saltiness of the product both come into play. All of the pastrami's (15 or so) that I have done have been the brand my chain carries around St. Patty's day ("Mosely"? or similar), and all have come out great with a 24 hour soak. (Of course, if Murphy's Law prevails, it'll come out tasting like a salt lick!):shock:

As I said, I'm ready to put that to rest and try my own cure!

 

[Piedmont]

Packer cut beef brisket vs prepare corned beef

Note that the recipe that I put forth was for use with a packer cut beef brisket not the prepare corned beef you find at St. Patrick day. The PCBB is raw and not seasoned, it has been too long since I bought a prepared corned beef but I thought they were already soaking in a brine of some sort then you add the seasoning packet, please correct me if I'm wrong. That been said, I don't recommend my recipe for a prepare and store bought corned beef.
Piedmont

 

[thirdeye]

Note that the recipe that I put forth was for use with a packer cut beef brisket not the prepare corned beef you find at St. Patrick day. The PCBB is raw and not seasoned, it has been too long since I bought a prepared corned beef but I thought they were already soaking in a brine of some sort then you add the seasoning packet, please correct me if I'm wrong. That been said, I don't recommend my recipe for a prepare and store bought corned beef.
Piedmont

Sorry for the confusion, the 24 and 48 hour soak times we were talking about were not in a corning brine, but in fresh water in order to leech some of the injected brine from those store-bought corned briskets.