Corned beef brisket

[stouty109]

Has any one smoked corned beef brisket befor? I smoked 2-4lb last year. They were good but I wana do better this year. I have 3-4lb flat cuts this time. Any pointers?

 

[so ms smoker]

 Sorry I can't help off the top of my head. Be sure to use the search engine above. Pretty sure you will find what you are looking for..

  Mike

 

[foamheart]

I have tried in the past, I have tried Alton Browns using Salt Peter, I have tdone the cryo packed Corned beefs, Last year I tried corning here, and I have one in the brine right now for Monday. I am a huge critic of what I do, I am one of those anal people that expects perfection but never seems to get there.

Heres last years thread and the current thread. Plus if you check the search engine there is bunches of corned beef and pastrami threads.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/151591/corned-beef-brine

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/158629/corned-beef-pastrami-foamheart-second-attempt

I  can say since no two people expect the same thing, peruse the search engine till you find your notes. 

Good luck with it.

 

[alblancher]

So you want to make some Pastrami!  How did  you prep them after smoking?  Give us a few more details and someone may be able to offer some specific advise

 

[stouty109]

Well I usally cook 16lbs in a couple diff roasters with cabbage and water and that little seasoning packet that comes with it. Last yea i also put two in my horizontal smoker for 5 hrs at 200-230deg. I think it was to quick too hot. So this time I have them brining in water and that lil spice packet. I was going to smoke them at 180-190 for at least 10hrs.

 

[weekend smoker]

Try making it into Pastrami......

After the brine and rinsing it, put the following dry rub on it and let is sit overnight before smoking:

3 TBS - crushed black pepper

1 TBS - white pepper

2 TBS - coriander

1/2 TBS - onion powder

1 TBS - paprika

2 TBS - dark brown sugar

pinches of mustard powder, garlic powder and crushed time

I also add a little pinch of cayenne

Good luck with it

 

[bigwheel]

I have had pretty good success on corned packers by cooking at around 250 with plenty of smoke and pulling at around 180 or when it seems to not want to go much higher. Have pulled some at 175. Not required to get as well done as normal old brisket. Flat might be more likely to dry itself out but should be sorta similar. Kindly keep us up to speed on how it turns out. 

 

[alblancher]

Yep,  open the package, let soak overnight to get rid of some of the salt, season them up with Weekend's rub, let rest in fridge a couple of days, smoke at 225 till you get the smoke you want.  I know some of the delis will knock off the extra rub and steam them after they come off the smoker. 

Lots of good eating there.  You can also brine your own briskets and start there.

 

[h2so4ca]

So I have seen several threads now on Pastrami where the author talks about soaking the brine back out of the corned beef.

I just finished making a great Pastrami with a corned beef brisket and I found no need to soak the brine out of it. It had the correct 

amount of salt for pastrami. So is there something I'm missing here or is it just a personal taste issue?

 

[alblancher]

Maybe you like more salt?  Cook or zap a small piece and test for salt.   If you don't soak again the salt should stay about the same.   Different recipes, different commercial producers etc.  In my opinion it's better to have to put a bit of salt on a sandwich then to be chasing the water bottle all night.  I think the thing to remember is that corned beef has already been brined.  The Pastrami rub and smoke is for additional flavor

Now if you're serving corned beef sandwiches at a bar,  you need lots and lots of salt.  

 

[hambone1950]

So I have seen several threads now on Pastrami where the author talks about soaking the brine back out of the corned beef.
I just finished making a great Pastrami with a corned beef brisket and I found no need to soak the brine out of it. It had the correct 
amount of salt for pastrami. So is there something I'm missing here or is it just a personal taste issue?

I believe it is just taste. I have bought several corned beefs over the years and smoked them. I have soaked a couple and not soaked a few more and I don't find them too salty. When you do them like pastrami , if you heat the slices in boiling water or steam it , you take some more salt out too.
Lately , I just give the meat a good rinse in cold water and then add my rub. I think they come out fine. Maybe I just like salt. :biggrin:

 

[h2so4ca]

It just seems to me that if I took a corned beef and cooked it like I normally would to make corned beef I wouldn't soak it first to

remove the brine so if all I'm doing is now adding smoke for flavor. And Pastrami is just smoked corned beef why would I want to 

now soak it to remove the brine (salt). I'm sure its just a taste thing and everyone likes things a bit different I was just wondering why

at least half of the recipes I've read on here talk about soaking it out.

Oh well mine was great without that step and 30 folks ate all 18lbs of the first one I did, I don't think I'm going to change my recipe just yet.  

This was mine coming out of the smoker.

5747795700_b0d9245801_o.jpg

• h2so4ca
• Mar 11, 2014

And one of the sandwiches from that day.

2291298547_a39ced86d3_o.jpg

• h2so4ca
• Mar 11, 2014

 

[bigwheel]

The store bought corned beef is always way too salty for me and I am highly salt tolerant. So when making my own I dont get it too salty to start with..lol. Seems simple huh? I dont buy the ready made stuff except when its really on sale..and then I boil the heck out of it and cook the cabbage in the water..lol. We are all Irish on St. Paddy's Day huh? Just need to find some green food coloring to dump in my Bud Lite..lol.

 

[sqwib]

If its a Corned beef round the usual suggestion is to cook to 160° no more as it is a leaner piece than the Corned beef brisket which can be taking much higher and is preferred.

As far as the salt/soak I could be off but I thing the folks that cook them with cabbage don't need to soak as some of the salt is pulled from the meat and the cabbage absorbs some of the salt. But I guess it depends on personal taste, what the finished product will be and there may be a difference in salt content and preservatives varying from one packaging company to another.

But as Al said do  a fry test

Got a corned beef in the Sous Vide machine and one ready for the smoker for Pastrami Saturday.

Pastrami soaking till I get home tonight.

 

[mneeley490]

 
And one of the sandwiches from that day.

2291298547_a39ced86d3_o.jpg

• h2so4ca
• Mar 11, 2014

H2so4, that is a good looking sandwich!!

So I have a corned beef packer that I plan to do this Sunday, but I don't have time to smoke it. My thought was to start out around 9 in the morning, put it in a deep and large foil pan with some water, and then place another foil pan over it. Then into the oven at about 275°? Hopefully it'll be done by dinner time. Does that sound like a plan?

 

[sqwib]

 
And one of the sandwiches from that day.

2291298547_a39ced86d3_o.jpg

• h2so4ca
• Mar 11, 2014

Holy Chit!!

Now that's a ............

.......................................MANwich!

Poor lonely rye bread.

 

[alblancher]

They really don't take long to cook in the oven because you are basically steaming and steam really penetrates the meat.   A full size packer 7-10 lbs? may take longer then just the flat that should take 3 or 4 hours.  If you are eating early and are worried about it you can cook the night before and steam to warm up an hour before dinner.

 

[mneeley490]

 
They really don't take long to cook in the oven because you are basically steaming and steam really penetrates the meat.   A full size packer 7-10 lbs? may take longer then just the flat that should take 3 or 4 hours.  If you are eating early and are worried about it you can cook the night before and steam to warm up an hour before dinner.

I think it's around 12 lbs in the bag. But I plan on trimming off most of the fat because I don't think it's really necessary in this application. So probably 9-10 lbs. trimmed. I could even separate the point from the flat. That could make it cook faster.

 

[jirodriguez]

I'm doing my annual "Corned Beef Packer (Brisket)". Cash & Carry has them on sale so I picked up a 15 lb. corned packer - gonna treat it like a brisket, Smokin Al style.

Trim all the fat cap off and rub it down with the seasoning packet mixed with some granulated garlic, dry mustard, and course ground pepper (not to much... not making pastrami per say).

I will place the brisket on my bottom rack, then put all the trimmed fat on the rack above it. Smoker will be running at 240-250°, probably with some hickory... or apple, not sure yet.

Once the internal temp hits 165° I will remove and toss the rendered fat cap, then transfer the brisket to a foil pan and dump in a bottle of Guinness cover tightly with foil and let it ride till the internal temp hits 190°.

Pull it and let it rest for 1-2 hrs. While it is resting I will cook some cabbage and potato's in the pan juices!

 

[foamheart]

 
Got a corned beef in the Sous Vide machine and one ready for the smoker for Pastrami Saturday.

Pastrami soaking till I get home tonight.

That's the best new idea I have heard in a long time! It should be ....... well my mouth actually started watering. Oh yea!