My Pastrami Obsession Part Deux

[chopsaw]

That looks fantastic !

 

[Retired Spook]

That looks fantastic !

Thank you sir!

 

[MJB05615]

RS, that does look fantastic, as said above. I gotta try the Tri Tip. Only place around here that sells TT is Wal Mart. I've gotten some pretty good ones in the past there, so I'll give it a try. Can you share the Curing recipe with the 1.65% salt cure info? Last thing, in NJ we called that sandwich a Sloppy Joe Jersey version. Very hungry now, lol.

 

[Retired Spook]

RS, that does look fantastic, as said above. I gotta try the Tri Tip. Only place around here that sells TT is Wal Mart. I've gotten some pretty good ones in the past there, so I'll give it a try. Can you share the Curing recipe with the 1.65% salt cure info? Last thing, in NJ we called that sandwich a Sloppy Joe Jersey version. Very hungry now, lol.

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For a dry cure:
Convert your meat weight in pounds, to grams (you can use the conversion app on that page)
Enter that weight into the Weight of Meat section of the Cure Calculator.
Adjust the salt % desired in the Cure Calculator to 1.65
Press Calculate The Cure.

Results will appear at bottom of app.

For a wet - equilibrium cure (what I used) - add the weight of the meat AND the weight of the distilled water you use, in grams, and enter that into the Weight of Meat portion of the Cure Calculator. Adjust the salt % desired and press Calculate the Cure.

With an equilibrium cure, whatever container you use (2-gallon ziploc, 5-gallon bucket, etc) you must insure that the meat remains submerged for the duration of the cure. You could put your meat in the container, cover it with distilled water keeping accurate track of the quantity of water used. Convert the weight of water used to grams, Add the weight of water used to the meat weight, and use the calculator to determine the quantity of ingredients.

Now, how do you mix the ingredients into the water, completely, once you have the meat covered in water? You could remove water a few cups at a time, put it in a blender, add the cure, salt and sugar to the blender, blend until dissolved, then add back to your container and stir it up. If the ingredients are not completely dissolved, add another cup of water from the container and blend away.

Hope that makes sense.

One last suggestion - do NOT overcook the Tri Tip. 195 to 200-degrees max. Mine went to 210-degrees and that was too much.

 

[MJB05615]

Thanks, I'll let you know if I have any questions. First step, get some Tri Tips.

 

[Retired Spook]

Thanks, I'll let you know if I have any questions. First step, get some Tri Tips.

I've read that Katz's actually low boils (not simmering, not full boiling) their pastrami after it is smoked so I am thinking of trying that on the next one instead of the Texas Crutch.

 

[Retired Spook]

Hey I was just browsing Katz's website and... $30 for a pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and coleslaw - drinks are extra!

I mean it's a sandwich like no other but DAMN prices sure have gone up! When I was a kid the sandwich was $15 and it was worth every penny. Double the price in 40-years really isn't so bad for NYC.

I HAVE to find me a source for a decent beef navel...

 

[Fueling Around]

Fun thread and great idea using tri-tip
Now, if I could find tri-tip fot a decent price.

 

[Cajun Smokes]

I have never had pastrami but you have convinced me to add it to my list. Looks great

 

[Fueling Around]

You have me wanting to cure and smoke some Pastrami . I've used eye round , and brisket flat . Did the petite tender for snacking . All good , but like you I want that fatty cut . There's a Deli just south of St. Louis that serves a hot Pastrami sandwich using Beef deckle . Part point end / part neck .
They also have a good Rachael . Turkey , kraut and brown mustard . Not really the same though .
I did a firehouse down the street from this place . Had hot pastrami for lunch 3 days a week .

I've tried alternate cuts too such eye and sirloin tip.

I've read that Katz's actually low boils (not simmering, not full boiling) their pastrami after it is smoked so I am thinking of trying that on the next one instead of the Texas Crutch.

The best pastrami I made was from a flat that I took to the stall and wrapped and chilled.
I finished and served it by steaming / braising in a covered foil pan.

 

[MJB05615]

Hey I was just browsing Katz's website and... $30 for a pastrami sandwich with Swiss cheese and coleslaw - drinks are extra!

I mean it's a sandwich like no other but DAMN prices sure have gone up! When I was a kid the sandwich was $15 and it was worth every penny. Double the price in 40-years really isn't so bad for NYC.

I HAVE to find me a source for a decent beef navel...

I'm gonna check Restaurant Depot to see if they have Beef Navel. Seems to me I've seen it somewhere in the last year or 2. I'll let you know if I see it. Meanwhile, gonna ask local Butcher shop and The Butchers at Publix and Kroger. Maybe they can order it in?

 

[flatbroke]

I'm gonna check Restaurant Depot to see if they have Beef Navel. Seems to me I've seen it somewhere in the last year or 2. I'll let you know if I see it. Meanwhile, gonna ask local Butcher shop and The Butchers at Publix and Kroger. Maybe they can order it in?

They didn’t in San Jose. Been looking for months. I hope yours does.

 

[Retired Spook]

They didn’t in San Jose. Been looking for months. I hope yours does.

You'd think it was gold or something...

 

[Retired Spook]

I have never had pastrami but you have convinced me to add it to my list. Looks great

If you get lucky enough to have a good one, you will be hooked!

 

[Retired Spook]

Porter Road has them slightly under 5-lbs for $43 plus $39 for shipping.

So, $80 for a slab of beef bacon

 

[edmonds]

All these pastrami posts are driving me crazy.
Wish I could taste this prime tri tip pastrami. It looks wonderful, as does flatbroke's prime round.
I've had some very good brisket pastrami, mostly from my BIL. And a long time ago, I use to get some excellent pastrami sandwiches that might have been navel. It was real fatty and looked a little like bacon
So I have this slab of navel in my freezer, and now I'm thinking of using it for pastrami instead of bacon. What a conundrum. I really like bacon.

 

[Fueling Around]

Your Dexter should produce the corned to pastrami to envy from all.

 

[thirdeye]

OK 9:50 AM - I waited long enough...

Cold slices - pretty good marbling. Most definitely cooked in the Texas crutch a little bit long - it wants to fall apart. Live and learn.
View attachment 684830

Looking at your cold and hot slices tells the story . Pastramied meats usually benefit from some sort of finishing step after smoking... whether it be steaming, foil/braising, or in a pressure cooker, and they all have their advantages.

Demonstrating how well a pastramied tri-tip come out is a reminder that some alternate cuts are wonderful. Beef plate ribs are a great example, but the price point is a huge disadvantage. On the other side of the coin, making pastrami from pork butt is a good value. Here are some cold and hot photos of porkstrami.

 

[Retired Spook]

I used the Texas Crutch cooking method as recommended on another website - I was torn between that, and actually low boiling it after smoking it per Katz's technique, although they smoke their beef navels significantly longer, and at a lower temperature I presume, than seems practical to attempt at home.

I mentioned later in this thread that I would use the low boil method next time. But in the end, nothing compares to a beef navel pastrami, in my opinion.

Your pastrami-spiced smoked ham looks good!

 

[tallbm]

To continue my obsession...

A 3.03-pound HEB Prime Tri Tip cured 5-days using an injected equilibrium cure as advised by tallbm using the Digging Dog calculator adjusted to 1.65% salt.

Rinsed and coated with a Pastrami rub from another website that consists of:

• 2 tablespoons pepper corns
• 1 tablespoon ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon paprika (I used smoked)
• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons granulated onion
• ½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
• ½ teaspoon ground mustard

(Crush whole corns and seeds)
View attachment 684552

Then wrapped in Glad wrap and placed in the fridge for 2-days.
View attachment 684602

A beautiful crisp 32-degree perfect smoking morning! Fired up the smoker and brought it up to temperature, added a few pre-soaked hickory chunks, and in the cook chamber she went!
View attachment 684605

Some nice clean hickory smoke. I love the smell of hickory - other smoke woods smell like, wood burning, but hickory, smells like, hickory. I am sure that when God smokes food in heaven, he uses hickory.
View attachment 684606

I smoked it to 150-degrees then double wrapped it with grill master foil, cranked the heat up to 300-degrees and put it back in the smoker for 2-1/2-hours - internal temperature was 210-degrees. Here it is resting...
View attachment 684729

Then I sliced a few slabs - as it is a Tri Tip it was extremely tender; could defiantly do less time in foil.
View attachment 684730

And made a half a sandwich (it is late so I did not want to eat too much, but I had to have a taste). Pastrami slabs on Jewish rye with homemade Russian dressing (recipe from another website to follow), Swiss cheese and coleslaw...
View attachment 684731

Half sandwich cut in half for the plate shot!
View attachment 684732

OK so, it may not be Katz's, but this really surprised me.

It is flat-out awesome pastrami, perfect flavor, not salty at all (thanks tallbm for the 1.65% salt advice - perfect!), very tender and very juicy - a fantastic sandwich! Tri Tip makes a superb pastrami - much, much better than any I have had from brisket point or flat.

I am looking forward to a little pastrami hash for breakfast, and a killer sandwich for dinner tomorrow. I cannot think of a better way to end a year and start a new one!!! Just awesome!

Happy New Year, y'alls!

*************************************
Homemade Russian dressing (from another website) - this stuff is good.

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (I used Blue Plate mayo because Duke's aint what it once was anymore)
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon minced onion (I used yellow)
• 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

You may want to start with 1/4 teaspoon of horseradish and adjust to your preference.

Congrats on the success, it looks fantastic!
Just think how you will tweak it and make it even better every iteration and now you are getting real good experience with an EQ cure/brine and that tool is invaluable for all kinds of things to smoke! :D