First Pastrami

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lancerh

Newbie
Original poster
Sep 2, 2010
11
10
Thanks to other people's posts I decided to try a pastrami this weekend. I bought a 4lb. corned beef and soaked it overnight to remove the salt. I did not do the fry test but changed the water about 3 times. I made a rub consisting of mostly black pepper and corriander but added a little garlic powder and mustard seed, I also added the spices that came with the corned beef.

Started smoking about 8:30 in the morning in the MES at 225 using cherry wood.

433d267f_InSmoker.jpg


It took a good 11 hours to reach 165 where it was pulled and then into the oven over a pan of boilig water and wrapped in foil at 250 degrees. I decided to do this after reading some other posts and since my last two beef briskets turned out a little on the dry side.

502a4706_FinishedPastrami.jpg


After 3 hours in the oven the pastrami was wrapped in foil and I let it rest for a couple of hours before slicing.

3b5fe726_CutPastrami.jpg


My son and I shared a sandwich at about midnight. Delicious if I do say so myself. Since it was my first one I only made one so the next day it was gone. Next time I will make two!

daf2df41_Sandwich.jpg
 
My first pastrami was sheer accident.  My other half had a corned beef in the slow cooker when the power went out.  What to do?  Being the genius and cheapscate that I am, I fired up the smoker and finished it off.  Way back then, I didn't even know I was making pastrami.  It sure came out good.  Now I am making pastrami the better way all the time.  LOLOL

Good luck and good smoking!
 
Nice job! The sammie looks delicious. Pastrami is one of my favorites. I have a brisket in the fridge thawing out right now. It's destined to be pastrami.
 
Excellent job!.  I use the same rub and steaming the meat near the end of cooking is a winning method for me.  My daughter was in town for the Gasparella parade.  She really enjoyed the pastrami I made when she was home for winter break.  I cooked one up for her and prepackaged it in individual packages.  I love it when my kids want me to make stuff for them.  I love the stuff, my wife hates it.  At least I have one person I can cook it for besides myself.
 
Very Nice! A whole lot better that store bought. I like to stock up on them in March for the rest of the year, I figure 1 a month in the freeze, I just smoked my last one from last year in Feb.
 
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