Brisket Point Pastrami

[mextorfar]

Hello,

I couldn't find much info on just the deckle, but I bought just that piece and have been brining it for 6 days so far. Tomorrow it will come out, get a water bath for most of the day (while swithicng out water). My question is, should I be doing my rub (right now just planning on ground peppercorn, mustard seed, salt, coriander) the night before and wrapping? Or just do it right before I toss it on my grill. I don't have a full smoker and do not prefer electric ones so I setup my barrel charcoal grill with indirect heat to smoke. Also, the point is only about 3.5 lbs. Think I should plan on about 6-8 hours at 225? And one last question, should I wrap it at about 160 temp? Thanks for the help!

 

[thirdeye]

Following a soak-out I put on the pastrami seasoning and rest overnight without wrapping. I want the surface to dry a bit. I smoke until the internal is 150° provided I have a nice color. For the finish I prefer a pressure cooker, but a steam finish is good too. I just like the pressure finish because it's faster and I get about 2 pints of really good broth.

PS - For your seasoning, I would skip the salt, and does your pastrami seasoning have garlic?

 

[mextorfar]

I am just making my own, no garlic now but I can always add it. I was a little concerned with burning the garlic while it smoked, what do you think? I also cannot get butcher paper with everything going on so I was going to use foil to wrap. 150 degrees is good for that? I like bark but a not dry brisket is more important to me. But also this point is pretty fatty, not sure if that changes anythign.

 

[SmokyMose]

You should really check out the Pastrami mix from Chef JJ....

 

[thirdeye]

Fresh garlic might not be a good choice, but powdered garlic will be fine in your rub. It does not take much garlic, but it's a traditional pastrami flavor.

thirdeye's Pastrami Rub
This is enough rub for 3 or 4 brisket flats
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.

Here is my Garlic Pepper Seasoning, just to give some options. Sometimes I add a layer of both rubs.

thirdeye's All-Purpose Garlic Pepper Seasoning
Ingredients:
3 teaspoons Garlic Powder
3 teaspoons Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Canning Salt (can be omitted for pastrami)
1/2 teaspoon Toasted Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

A point is easier to cook and keep moist because of the higher amount of fat.

Foil, or a foil pan covered, or dutch oven works great for a wet finish. Here is a snip from my pastrami article:

COOKING METHOD #2 Wet Pastrami - Foil Finish
Set up you cooker as described in method #1, using the same cooking temperatures and flavor wood. When the pastrami reaches around 150° internal temperature, (usually 4 to 5 hours), remove from the cooker, wrap in a double layer of foil (adding up to 1/4 cup of water, beer or chicken broth is optional), then return to the cooker (or use your oven). The foil will allow the pastrami to steam/braise during the remainder of the cook. Cook until tender (see note above). Rest before serving. Remember to slice against the grain. Wet pastrami can be served on sandwiches or as a main meat with cabbage and potatoes on the side. Foil time will be 1.5 to 2 hours, but always confirm tenderness rather than depending on time alone.

TIP #1: As an option to braising in foil, you can do this step in a Dutch oven, an oven pan with a cover. These may require more liquid than when using a foil pouch.

 

[Alphonse]

After corning the brisket and then rinsing, I dry the corned beef and apply this rub. I give it a heavy coating of the rub and let it rest for two days in the fridge, not wrapped but tented in a stainless pan.

Here's the rub I make fresh and apply:
I use 4 tablespoons per ft2 of surface and press it into the surface. I then refrigerate for two days.

• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

I really like this recipe - it's as recommended by another website I frequent. The above makes enough to do a medium sized flat. I usually cook the point separately for smoked brisket.

Here's a pan rubbed and ready to go into refrigeration for two days.

 

[mextorfar]

Fresh garlic might not be a good choice, but powdered garlic will be fine in your rub. It does not take much garlic, but it's a traditional pastrami flavor.

thirdeye's Pastrami Rub
This is enough rub for 3 or 4 brisket flats
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.

Here is my Garlic Pepper Seasoning, just to give some options. Sometimes I add a layer of both rubs.

thirdeye's All-Purpose Garlic Pepper Seasoning
Ingredients:
3 teaspoons Garlic Powder
3 teaspoons Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Canning Salt (can be omitted for pastrami)
1/2 teaspoon Toasted Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Paprika

A point is easier to cook and keep moist because of the higher amount of fat.

Foil, or a foil pan covered, or dutch oven works great for a wet finish. Here is a snip from my pastrami article:

COOKING METHOD #2 Wet Pastrami - Foil Finish
Set up you cooker as described in method #1, using the same cooking temperatures and flavor wood. When the pastrami reaches around 150° internal temperature, (usually 4 to 5 hours), remove from the cooker, wrap in a double layer of foil (adding up to 1/4 cup of water, beer or chicken broth is optional), then return to the cooker (or use your oven). The foil will allow the pastrami to steam/braise during the remainder of the cook. Cook until tender (see note above). Rest before serving. Remember to slice against the grain. Wet pastrami can be served on sandwiches or as a main meat with cabbage and potatoes on the side. Foil time will be 1.5 to 2 hours, but always confirm tenderness rather than depending on time alone.

TIP #1: As an option to braising in foil, you can do this step in a Dutch oven, an oven pan with a cover. These may require more liquid than when using a foil pouch.

Thank you very much! I really appreciate the help and advice, I have done plenty of pork and steak but this is my first attempt and any cut of brisket.

 

[MJB05615]

Great info all around here. I just did a whole packer brisket into pastrami last week. Cured for 6 days. Dry rubbed and sat in fridge 2 days unwrapped. Smoked to 185' with pecan chunks and maple pellets in Amazn tray. Looked great, but flavor was weak. Still had a slight brisket flavor and pastrami flavor too, but needed more pastrami flavor. I did one 2 years ago and the only difference was I used wet garlic cloves from a jar in the rub. This rub all ingredients were dry. Ay ideas how to increase the pastrami flavor? More pickling spice in the brine? More wetness in the rub? The rub I used was very similar to those listed above. Thanks any suggestions are appreciated. Stay safe.
Mike

 

[thirdeye]

Great info all around here. I just did a whole packer brisket into pastrami last week. Cured for 6 days. Dry rubbed and sat in fridge 2 days unwrapped. Smoked to 185' with pecan chunks and maple pellets in Amazn tray. Looked great, but flavor was weak. Still had a slight brisket flavor and pastrami flavor too, but needed more pastrami flavor. I did one 2 years ago and the only difference was I used wet garlic cloves from a jar in the rub. This rub all ingredients were dry. Ay ideas how to increase the pastrami flavor? More pickling spice in the brine? More wetness in the rub? The rub I used was very similar to those listed above. Thanks any suggestions are appreciated. Stay safe.
Mike

The majority of the pastrami flavor, like smoke, pepper, coriander, garlic and so forth, is built on top of the flavor of corned (cured) beef. But, not all curing/corning recipes are the same. So, can you tell us about your curing method? 6 days might be a minimum amount of cure time.

 

[MJB05615]

Thanks for the fast response. I used Jeff's variation of Pop's Brine.
per gallon of water: 1 heaping tblsp Curing salt #1, 3/4 cup morton coarse kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tblsp pickling spice. Brined for 6 days, turning over each day. Now I used 2 gallons of water, so I doubled all of the ingredients.

 

[Murray]

disco has a good recipe and step by step with some good ideas. Google Old Fat Guy website has a search feature that will provide some good information

 

[thirdeye]

Thanks for the fast response. I used Jeff's variation of Pop's Brine.
per gallon of water: 1 heaping tblsp Curing salt #1, 3/4 cup morton coarse kosher salt, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 2 tblsp pickling spice. Brined for 6 days, turning over each day. Now I used 2 gallons of water, so I doubled all of the ingredients.

I'm not familiar with Jeff's variation, but the main reason I like Pop's Brine is the fact it's a little weaker which gives me a bigger window for cure time. Pop's recommendation for beef roasts or briskets is 10 to 20 days, and I have used 12 to 14 days with good results. So maybe the 6 days of cure time gave you less of a "corned beef" flavor to start with. Or maybe you just like a dry cured/corned method. I know I prefer a dry cured bacon over a brine cured bacon.

 

[MJB05615]

Sounds good. You think longer curing time will add more of the pastrami flavoring I'm looking for?
Do you think if I add more pickling spice to the brine it would help or hurt?

 

[thirdeye]

Hopefully we're on the same page regarding 'pastrami' flavor. What I'm saying is that you have to have a corned beef that has a good flavor to start with. It can be a certain brand you buy at the store, or it can be a recipe that you like. Some are clearly stronger than others. Store bought corned briskets have been both injected and immersed in the brine. Pop's brine can be injected if the cut of meat is 2" or thicker, and also immersed. Think of the corned beef as the foundation for a good pastrami. If you like the pickling spice flavor, by all means use it or use more.

The other half of the pastrami flavor comes from smoke and your rub. You saw all the slight variations of a pastrami rub from above, and the ingredients need to be fresh. I buy spices from a spice dealer at least 2 times a year, and for example, the difference between fresh ground pepper and 6 month old pepper is amazing.

 

[MJB05615]

Thanks, excellent info. I learn new things every day here. Didn't realize I could inject some of the brine into thick meat. This one I started with a whole packer brisket from scratch. In the past I have started with an already brined store bought corned beef flat.