Got a brisket curing, need advice

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73saint

Master of the Pit
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Mar 8, 2017
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Near New Orleans La
I have a giant brisket a few days in to a 10 day cure. When I separated the flat from the point, I had a really nice flat but the point wasn’t impressive at all. It wasn’t even thick enough to merit injection.

I tossed it into the brine nonetheless, and decided I would try and come up with ideas on what, besides pastrami, to do with it.

My initial thought is to grind it and make pastrami brats. I saved some of the good fat when trimming, and I figured, grind, season with what I use for my pastrami rub, add a binder like nfdm, case & smoke gradually to 165. Ive never done it but how could that not be good? I imagine some mustard and kraut on a bun would be pretty amazing, no?

Or I could just steam and make corned beef. I love a mix of corned beef and pastrami, sliced thin on rye!

Any other ideas on what to do with that point other than the two mentioned above?
 
Are you thinking because of it's thickness the thin point will be fully corned before the flat? I'd be worried that if you made the point into pastrami, the smoker time might dry it out.... so why not keep it as corned beef, and just braise (or pressure cook) it tender. One thought is Golabki, which are Polish cabbage rolls filled with corned beef, potatoes and onions. Beef stock works, but if you pressure cooked the point you would have great stock.
 
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If you eat Black Beans, this is a Favorite Stew. Feijoada is the Brazilian National Dish and is really good. The Corned Beef substitutes for Dried Beef, the you add a bunch of other goodies. Serve over rice with a squeeze of Orange Juice or segments. The Recipe below is easy, made with common meats...JJ


 
My initial thought is to grind it and make pastrami brats. I saved some of the good fat when trimming, and I figured, grind, season with what I use for my pastrami rub, add a binder like nfdm, case & smoke gradually to 165. Ive never done it but how could that not be good? I imagine some mustard and kraut on a bun would be pretty amazing, no?
I have done exactly what you are describing, it works very well. I also worked up a sausage recipe that uses,
more or less the same spices/flavorings that a pastrami uses. It is one of my favorite smoked sausage recipes.
Try it I think you will like it.

Cal
 
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I have done exactly what you are describing, it works very well. I also worked up a sausage recipe that uses,
more or less the same spices/flavorings that a pastrami uses. It is one of my favorite smoked sausage recipes.
Try it I think you will like it.

Cal
Awesome. Then that’s what I’m going to do. You think 20% fat is a good amount considering I’m working with an already fatty point?
 
Awesome. Then that’s what I’m going to do. You think 20% fat is a good amount considering I’m working with an already fatty poin
Yea that might be about right. I usually aim for around 30% total fat. In my opinion, all beef sausages, can be a little on the dry side, seemingly no matter what you do to them. In the latest version of my “pastrami sausage” I have been adding some pork fat to the mix to give it a little more moisture. But, of course , the choice is yours.

Cal
 
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