First time pastrami!

[zakkyc]

Couple buddies and I with our first pastrami. 7 day brine, overnight desalinate, rub, smoke with oak and pecan, and then steam! Made pastrami sandwiches and reubens, they were so good I forgot to actually take a picture of the sandwiches . Definitely gonna do this again, and again, and again.

 

[SmokinAl]

Looks delicious!
I can see your hooked now!
Nicely done!
Al

 

[zakkyc]

Looks delicious!
I can see your hooked now!
Nicely done!
Al

Thank you!

 

[indaswamp]

Looks great to me! What was the salt percentage you used?

 

[tallbm]

Couple buddies and I with our first pastrami. 7 day brine, overnight desalinate, rub, smoke with oak and pecan, and then steam! Made pastrami sandwiches and reubens, they were so good I forgot to actually take a picture of the sandwiches . Definitely gonna do this again, and again, and again.

Hi there and welcome!

That looks fantastic!

If you want to eliminate the need to desalinate then you can add your water weight + meat weight (in grams or ounces) and then go 1.6%-1.7% of that weight as salt and that should be right on with no need to desalinate.

Formulas:
Total Weight (gm or oz) = weight of water + weight of meat
Salt Weight (gm or oz) = Total Weight x 0.0165 (1.65%)

This saves some time and it works no matter how long you leave the meat to brine/cure. This is what is called an Equillibrium brine/cure :)

It's called that because salt wants to distribute evenly and because you did the salt calculation including both the water and meat weight the whole tub of stuff will have approx 1.65% salt distributed through it evenly when you give it time to do so. 7 days is plenty of time plus you can even inject this solution all over and it will cause brining from inside as well as outside :)

Great job. I hope this info helps! :)

 

[zakkyc]

Hi there and welcome!

That looks fantastic!

If you want to eliminate the need to desalinate then you can add your water weight + meat weight (in grams or ounces) and then go 1.6%-1.7% of that weight as salt and that should be right on with no need to desalinate.

Formulas:
Total Weight (gm or oz) = weight of water + weight of meat
Salt Weight (gm or oz) = Total Weight x 0.0165 (1.65%)

This saves some time and it works no matter how long you leave the meat to brine/cure. This is what is called an Equillibrium brine/cure :)

It's called that because salt wants to distribute evenly and because you did the salt calculation including both the water and meat weight the whole tub of stuff will have approx 1.65% salt distributed through it evenly when you give it time to do so. 7 days is plenty of time plus you can even inject this solution all over and it will cause brining from inside as well as outside :)

Great job. I hope this info helps! :)

Thank you, yes this is helpful!

 

[zakkyc]

Looks great to me! What was the salt percentage you used?

Thank you! Since I’m new to this, I’m not entirely sure how to notate the percentages. But I used 24 grams Prague powder #1 and 452 grams Diamond Crystal kosher salt. To 2 gallons of water. I got those ratios from Joshua Weissman’s cooking channel.

 

[DRKsmoking]

Looks great , what did you coat with before the smoke.

I have a week left to go with mine in the brine

David

 

[zakkyc]

Looks great , what did you coat with before the smoke.

I have a week left to go with mine in the brine

David

Thank you! It was a mix of coarsely ground black pepper, coriander seed, yellow mustard seed, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and paprika.

 

[indaswamp]

Thank you! Since I’m new to this, I’m not entirely sure how to notate the percentages. But I used 24 grams Prague powder #1 and 452 grams Diamond Crystal kosher salt. To 2 gallons of water. I got those ratios from Joshua Weissman’s cooking channel.

Ok, well, to get a percentage, take the weight of the meat in kilograms and add that to the weight of the water (3.78kg./gallon). That is your total. then divide how much salt you used (452g.) by the meat+water weight (Kg.) = salt percentage (g./Kg.)

 

[zakkyc]

Ok, well, to get a percentage, take the weight of the meat in kilograms and add that to the weight of the water (3.78kg./gallon). That is your total. then divide how much salt you used (452g.) by the meat+water weight (Kg.) = salt percentage (g./Kg.)

Gotcha. I wouldn’t include the curing salt in that calculation as well?

Ok, well, to get a percentage, take the weight of the meat in kilograms and add that to the weight of the water (3.78kg./gallon). That is your total. then divide how much salt you used (452g.) by the meat+water weight (Kg.) = salt percentage (g./Kg.)Gotcha.

Ok, well, to get a percentage, take the weight of the meat in kilograms and add that to the weight of the water (3.78kg./gallon). That is your total. then divide how much salt you used (452g.) by the meat+water weight (Kg.) = salt percentage (g./Kg.)

Gotcha. Thanks! So I wouldn’t include the curing salt in that calculation as well?

 

[indaswamp]

Yes, if you added curing salt, you can treat that as 100% salt for the calculations.....the error will be very very small.....

 

[indaswamp]

Definitely gonna do this again, and again, and again.

...this is how it starts.... then before you know it, you are looking at a new slicer....then a grinder and sausage stuffer.....then a dry curing chamber.....and on and on!! LOL!!!

 

[zakkyc]

...this is how it starts.... then before you know it, you are looking at a new slicer....then a grinder and sausage stuffer.....then a dry curing chamber.....and on and on!! LOL!!!

Haha!! The wife may have some issue with me going that far! I do have a simple kitchen aid grinder that I’ve gotten into for ground burgers. Sausage is definitely on the list for the future!

 

[tallbm]

Haha!! The wife may have some issue with me going that far! I do have a simple kitchen aid grinder that I’ve gotten into for ground burgers. Sausage is definitely on the list for the future!

I see a dedicated grinder and a dedicated stuffer in your future.
1 time attempting to grind and stuff sausage with your current equipment and you will see why you want to upgrade :D

 

[zakkyc]

I see a dedicated grinder and a dedicated stuffer in your future.
1 time attempting to grind and stuff sausage with your current equipment and you will see why you want to upgrade :D

Haha I’m sure!!

 

[tbern]

That really looks great!! Very nice pictures, thanks for sharing this!

 

[TNJAKE]

Some great looking pastrami. Nice work bud

 

[zakkyc]

That really looks great!! Very nice pictures, thanks for sharing this!

Thank you!

 

[zakkyc]

Some great looking pastrami. Nice work bud

Thank you!