Pastrami from scratch on the Smokin It #3

[dert]

Starting a new thread as I cure and smoke up a pair of 8.5 pound packers from Costco. $3.99 a pound again this week.







Got my Prague#1 in the UPS today, $11.99/ pound via Amazon

 

[dert]

Trimmed the points and a load of fat off:

 

[dert]

Made some brine...



2 gallons water, 2 cups brown sugar, 2 cups pickling salt, 8 tsp Prague#1, 2 oz pickling spice

Boiled half



Added the other cold half to a clean bucket and added the meat...topped with a plate



Probably could have only done one gallon, but this will ensure good coverage!

 

[dert]

Put the cooled bucket in my beer keezer...





I'll let it cure for the next 10 days or so...until then, enjoy!

 

[chef willie]

How'd I miss this one?? You got a serious operation going on there...no shortage of beef or beer that I could see. Sweet looking briskets.....should be some fine pastrami....enjoy

 

[brdprey]

you make your own beer?

 

[dert]

Yes I do, I have an all grain set up and do 12 gallon batches...

 

[alelover]

Hi Dert,

Pastrami is off to a good start. Can't wait to see the conclusion. It looks like you may have done this before.

I make my own beer too. Nice chest freezer set up. My avatar is my set up.

 

[alelover]

How do you clean those Sankes when you're done fermenting?

 

[dert]

Fill with water and oxy-clean for a few days, rinse, add a gallon of water, boil/ steam sanitize...foil, good to go!

 

[alelover]

You must wash them out right away Unlike me. 

 

[seenred]

Lookin' good so far, Dert, on the pastrami.  That beer setup is impressive!

Red

 

[dert]

Due to work travel, I'll need to smoke these up either at either 7 days in the brine or 18 days...

Any thoughts?

 

[alelover]

18 will be fine Better be real sanitary.

 

[dert]

As a food microbiologist, I cannot think of anything much more unsanitary than raw meat and spices.

Have you cured pastrami or brisket longer than a week?

Any advantages to curing the pastrami longer than that?

 

[dert]

Out of the brine





Into some cold water, then spice overnight, and smoke tomorrow

 

[dert]

 

[coronaca92879]

Everything's looking good. What time line did you go with? I had always thought for some reason the briskest at Costco were only flats. Good to know they're full packers, their meat quality is really good.

 

[dert]

One week in the brine. Letting them dry before applying the spice rub (black peeper, coriander, onion and garlic powder)

 

[dert]