First pastrami- greyish center?

[Cowgirljac]

Greetings all,

Finished my first pastrami! It tastes great and is family approved :) BUT not perfect. 10 days in cure (I used the bacon cure calculator on here and cure #1, flipped daily) cut a corner and cooked it up to taste for salt and soaked it two hours in cold water. Smoked at 250 to an IT of 165 with cherry. I have a couple of questions for you guys:
1. The very center is more grey than pink. Why? Not enough cure or time in cure?
2. Super tough if not cut VERY thin. Did I overlook it?

 

[pops6927]

Not enough time in the curing brine, definitely. Next time, try my curing brine. Inject if 2" or more in thickness.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/pops6927s-curing-brines-regular-and-lo-salt

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/181560/immersion-bacon-curing-lab-test-results

Two to 3 weeks in the curing brine, closer to 3 the better.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Pastrami gets tender between 195 and 205. It was not cooked long enough...JJ

 

[SmokinAl]

I agree with both of the above, not enough cure time & not cooked long enough.
Personally I like dry cured pastrami, but Pop's method makes it very easy to get it right every time.
With no massaging or flipping, just put it in the brine & in the fridge for a couple of weeks & that's it!!
Al

 

[Cowgirljac]

Not enough time in the curing brine, definitely. Next time, try my curing brine. Inject if 2" or more in thickness.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/pops6927s-curing-brines-regular-and-lo-salt

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/181560/immersion-bacon-curing-lab-test-results

Two to 3 weeks in the curing brine, closer to 3 the better.

Thanks!

 

[tropics]

You can steam it to make it tender!
Richie

 

[ab canuck]

Lots of great info given there, Going to mark that so I have it for when we get to do ours.