My worst cook EVER ... Pastrami mush

[Inscrutable]

Ok ... has to be pilot error in here somewhere to come out so bad. This was complete mush. Seemed relatively firm until I put on the slicer, and just disintegrates into mush between your fingers. So here’s what I THINK I did ...

This was a store bought corned point. Tried to follow SmokinAl recipe. So I soaked it out a couple hours. Rubbed and into the smoker at 240 to an IT of 153 ... Vacsealed and into the hot tub at 155 for 23.5 hours. Put the vac bag into the fridge. Got busy yesterday, so just pulled out and tried to slice. Yuk!

So what did I screw up?

 

[DanMcG]

I got lazy and bought a store bought corned beef and it too was mush. I'm thinking they added to much papain to it. It was disgusting, I couldn't eat it.

 

[SlickRockStones]

Same here. Smoked a nice 5# Aldi point to 160 and it was probing very tender. Tossed in fridge and sliced the next day and it was super tender. A quick steaming just to reheat and melt some Swiss. Didn’t dare cook it any longer or it would have crumbled. It’s very tasty but I like it with a little more chew. Disaster avoided. C+-B.

 

[Inscrutable]

Ok, good feedback .... thanks!
I have another, and was going to do CB in an instant pot, but now afraid my ‘normal’ time would be too much. Think I will either braise or boil so I can check in progress, or turn into pastrami again but start probing early and forego the SV or pressure cooker step.
Lesson learned ... have to be careful if I do a store corned one again (however unlikely that may be).

 

[Fueling Around]

My limited experience says point is very unpredictable.

My best Pastrami is from a flat using the Amazing Ribs recipe.

 

[SmokinAl]

Ok ... has to be pilot error in here somewhere to come out so bad. This was complete mush. Seemed relatively firm until I put on the slicer, and just disintegrates into mush between your fingers. So here’s what I THINK I did ...

This was a store bought corned point. Tried to follow SmokinAl recipe. So I soaked it out a couple hours. Rubbed and into the smoker at 240 to an IT of 153 ... Vacsealed and into the hot tub at 155 for 23.5 hours. Put the vac bag into the fridge. Got busy yesterday, so just pulled out and tried to slice. Yuk!

So what did I screw up?

.

I think you got a bad piece of meat, I always use Gobbell’s, unless I cure my own. I have always had excellent results, with that method. I also smoke them at 225 until an IT of 150. At. 240 to 153, you would have some carryover cooking that may have taken the IT too high. I would try it again with a quality corned beef, or cure my own.
Al