It's Pastrami Time in Tahiti - UPDATE plated pastrami pics

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justpassingthru

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 7, 2009
950
23
Pamatai, Tahiti
All of these Pastrami posts put me in a serious craving for a Pastrami sandwich, Mrs. JPT spotted a "Corned Beef Brisket" at the store and asked me if that was what I was looking for, said it was written in English.  Then next day I cruised by and took a look, came home and perused the Pastrami threads and decided to buy one the next day, that was Friday of last week.  On Monday I smoked some 'Compte', which is a strong French style Swiss and some Gouda with the last of my hoarded Cherry dust that Todd kicked in with my AMNS purchase, they are in the fridge awaiting the knife tonight, I know it's not 2 weeks, but this was a spur of the moment smoke.

I think I read every thread here and armed with the help of PM's from Smoking Al and The Dude, and all who have posted, my confidence is high, I bought a 9# Corned Beef Brisket, trimmed off the excess fat and cut it in half to fit in my soaking container, I let it soak for 12 hours, cut a small piece off and did a fry test, tuff but delicious.  I found a Pickling Spice recipe on the web that looked good and made a double batch, rubbed it with Olive Oil and my Pickling Spice, double wrapped with plastic wrap and into the fridge to await this morning.

I was kinda excited to say the least, I cleaned the ashes out the WSM and started to load it with lump and thought, wow it sure is taking a lot of lump this time,  
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I forgot the charcoal ring, took all of the charcoal out and repacked it with the charcoal ring in.   ....OK, that's enough of the blah, blah, here's some pics.

9# Charlie's Pride Corned Beef Brisket from Vernon CA.

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I paid about $30 for it, they call it "salted beef".

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On the WSM.

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While I'm waiting for this goodness I'll make some Rye Bread in my Bread Maker.

I'll post more pics as it progresses, thanks for looking at my Q-view.

Gene
 
Looks like a great start there, Gene!!!

Good to see all the snow melted in Tahiti already!   
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Bear
 
Aloha Gene,  Looks good from here.  You're going to be in for a treat when it gets done.  Looking forward to final views.
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Hey Bear,

We can't let you mainland boys have all the fun, LOL  Incidentally..., through my 'spies' I found a butcher on the other side of the island that has belly pork that isn't all fat, I'll be trying your Canadian Bacon recipe in a couple of weeks, ...gotta keep up with the Joneses.

Yeah, most of the 'snow' is gone, but now the problem is ICE.

Thanks for looking.

Thanks Val, I was going to make Lop Chong this weekend, but then I found this brisket, WSM is rock steady at 220°, going to the store for some apple juice,  I'll keep you updated.

Gene
 
Yeah, most of the 'snow' is gone, but now the problem is ICE.
Thanks for looking.
Hey gene, looking foward to you pastrami. I too would be careful of the ice. I heard a gentleman went ice fishing and came home with 200lbs of ice. The wife cooked it and the both drowned....
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OK all, it's dinnertime!

Cherry smoked Compte, the large morsel will go back in the fridge to mellow another week.

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Bread machine Rye bread, this turned out very good for the first time, I had to add 4 extra Tbs of Rye flour because it was too sticky.

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The brisket started out at 9#, I trimmed off about 11/2# of fat and here it is ready to be sliced, 2.9#, wow I lost 60% after cooking!

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The small morsel sliced.

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The larger one, for some reason it was more moist.

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Mrs JPT's pastrami, she likes the heel and would have me cut both of them, but I tell her if we did that the loaf would dry out.

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I used Ranch dressing as the condiment as per another pastrami thread I read today.

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The WSM held 220° until I had an internal temp of 165°, I foiled it with apple juice and bumped the temp to 235°, I smoked it with a combination of guava and longan wood. I took it directly from the fridge to the smoker, it had an internal of 153° just two hours into the smoke and then it stalled at 161°, after I foiled it I had to leave and when I got back the IT was 200°, I placed it in a cooler to keep it warm until time for dinner, total cooking time was 6 hours 15 minutes

I was shocked at how much weight loss, is that normal, or would it be less if I brined my own brisket?

The Rye bread recipe is definitely a keeper, I'll be making more of that.

My dinner was most excellent, and Mrs JPT tasted her first Pastrami and liked it, my Pickling Spice was a little too hot for her tastes, but I can tone that down next time.

I want to thank all of you that have posted Pastrami threads, I have gleaned information from all of you and that made it possible to have this success on my first attempt.

Thanks SMF for looking at my Pastrami Q-view.

Gene
 
Thats some great looking pastrami JPT. A must on my to do list. Love the sandwich.
 
Thanks boykjo, man you're up early!

Mrs JPT asked why did the couple drown, ...couldn't they just go outside? 

Tahitians, they don't have any sense of humor, I gave up many years ago trying to tell jokes, one time I told her a joke and weeks passed and then she started laughing, I asked her what was so funny and she repeated the punch line, ...I had forgotten the joke!

Ha! This just reminded me of the joke, ...it was a good one!

Have a good day,

Gene
 
Thanks boykjo, man you're up early!

Mrs JPT asked why did the couple drown, ...couldn't they just go outside? 

Tahitians, they don't have any sense of humor, I gave up many years ago trying to tell jokes, one time I told her a joke and weeks passed and then she started laughing, I asked her what was so funny and she repeated the punch line, ...I had forgotten the joke!

Ha! This just reminded me of the joke, ...it was a good one!

Have a good day,

Gene
Its like telling a ethnic joke here in the south. Doesnt work.............

I work the grave yard shift. This is my weekend off and I cant sleep through the night, I was grinding 30lbs of butts at 5am. 1/3  of the sausage I'll be taking to florida for the SMF event.

Happy raceday
 
The brisket started out at 9#, I trimmed off about 11/2# of fat and here it is ready to be sliced, 2.9#, wow I lost 60% after cooking!

I was shocked at how much weight loss, is that normal, or would it be less if I brined my own brisket?

Gene
Gene,

I would think a lot of that was from what it says on the label---"Enhanced with up to 40% of a solution".

Their instructions say to cook in water until tender. I guess if you did that, it wouldn't cook out the 40% water they put in.

But I doubt it would taste anywhere near as good as yours does!

Bear
 
That's a great looking sandwich you got there Gene, the Pastrami and the Cheese look great....
 
DanMcG, Thanks!

Al, Thanks for the help, the cheese is soo good.

boykjo, I'm envious, I would like to be there with you, take lots of pics and post them.

Bear, Thanks for the conformation, I was thinking it could be the 40% enhancement too, there are three left and I was contemplation going back I buying them, but next time I'll just pay the extra $15 and buy a brisket before it gets cut into stew meat.

Paul, Thank you!

Gene
 
Hey Gene that is looking good.  Glad it worked out for ya. Also glad Mrs got to taste some good stuff for here first one

Congrats my friend
 
Thanks Gary, Mrs JPT said she doesn't want to wait too long to have another, I put the leftovers in the freezer.

Val, thanks, you want one, come on down and bring some macadamia with ya.

Thanks Jay and thanks for your help, and yes we like Ranch here.

Gene
 
Gene, that's some great looking pastrami and some great looking rye bread too. The sandwich looks great and I am sure that you and Mrs. JPT enjoyed it very much!  Keep up the good work Gene and keep us posted on what your up to in Tahiti.

Your SMF Friend,

Barry 
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