First try at homemade pastrami

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whiskeypapa

Fire Starter
Original poster
Apr 5, 2011
35
10
Grand Forks, British Columbia
This recipe took me three weeks to do.  First, you put the 5-8 lb brisket ( trimmed ) into a brine made from

2 T whole peppercorn

1 1/2 T dry thyme

3 T crumbled bay leaves

2 t whole cloves

1/4 cup minced garlic

16 cups water

3/4 cup demerara sugar

3/4 cup kosher salt

bring water, sugar and salt to a boil and add the rest of the spices.  Let steep for 1 hour and when the brine is cool put it in a 2 1/2 gal ziplock bag with the brisket.  Put in fridge for 3 weeks and turn is every 3-4 days.

The picture below is after it has come out of the brine.

6bfc3c6b_SausageMaking002.jpg


wash the brisket and dry off. Then rub the brisket with a dry rub made from

3 T ground coriander

3 T ground pepper ( butcher's blend )

6 cloves of minced garlic

1 1/2 t yellow mustard seeds

2 T kosher salt

1/4 cup demerara sugar

1/4 cup paprika

1 T ground ginger

6f5d694c_SausageMaking001.jpg


after completely covering the brisket, put it in the fridge over night

1d2243a2_SausageMaking005.jpg


The picture below is after it had reached 160 in the smoker.  I then put apple juice in the pan and covered it until it reached 190.

cc0cec35_SausageMaking012.jpg


below - after it reached the temp and taken out of the pan to rest.

549447d7_SausageMaking013.jpg


I then sliced it up to make pastrami on rye sandwiches for friends.  I took enough for 12 sandwiches to work and they all raved how good it tasted.  They all said that I can try my practise work on them

40adae61_SausageMaking014.jpg


There wasn't any left so will have to do it all over again.
 
I may be wrong here but I thought you had to cure the brisket with cure #1 to make pastrami. I think what you made was marinated brisket. After brisket is cured it takes on a bright red color when it is cooked. Which is how pastrami looks. Yours was still brown like brisket. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly to help clear this up. Either way I'm sure it was delicious.
 
I was thinking that too Al. Since no nitrites or nitrates were used is it really cured? It does look quite delicious though.



I though it was strange there wasn't any cure in the recipe as well. Looks tasty either way. Hopefuly Pops will be around soon to check this out and educate us.
I am with you guys, not pastrami, and 3 weeks in totally not necessary. Looks good either way.
 
yeahthat.gif

I may be wrong here but I thought you had to cure the brisket with cure #1 to make pastrami. I think what you made was marinated brisket. After brisket is cured it takes on a bright red color when it is cooked. Which is how pastrami looks. Yours was still brown like brisket. Maybe someone more knowledgeable will be along shortly to help clear this up. Either way I'm sure it was delicious.
yeahthat.gif
 
Pastrami is made from corned beef and is cured... 

It is usually the brisket that is cured to be corned beef but can be other cuts... 

After it is  corned (CURED) then it has spices added and is smoked and usually steamed...
 
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