I think it was my last batch of Pastrami using a commercial corned beef, I was griping about having to pay XXX $/pound for the brining liquid while purchasing the beef... seemed like a waste of $$ plus I thought making Strami from scratch was no biggee...and I could control all the details.. Well, here it is..
Pops has been on here with his Approved liquid brine/inject recipe... Since he is really close to "Mr Go To Guy, and highly respected throughout the meat industry and here on the SMF, I succumed to his wisdom and ventured forth...
1/2 gal water
4 T CB pepper
3 T thyme
6 bay leaves crumpled
1 tsp ground cloves
3 heads garlic
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 C pickeling salt
Simmer the above, add the spices and herbs, and cool
Add 1 1/2 gal cold water and
2 T cure #1
As a note: the spices should have been roasted in a frying pan to bring out the oils and intensified the flavor in a different profile.. Gettin' old...forgot this step..
I thought it could use more salt... Bride said it was perfect.... It was perfect...
The meat was weighed down, to keep it submerged, using a zip bag with brine in it.
Removed from the pickle at day 16... Rinsed thoroughly and patted dry...
Ground whole fresh spices using a blade coffee grinder... wish I had a burr grinder... maybe in late
December..(hahaha)...
6 T coriander.. from my cilantro plants that went to seed
4 T tellichery pepper corns
3 tsp garlic powder... ground from my dried garlic I grow (6 tsp would have been better)
4 tsp yellow mustard seed
2 tsp pickeling salt (I figured there was enough salt in the brine.. ended up being right...)
1/4 C Demerara sugar
Did not use all the rub.. about 1/4 left.....
Overnight in the cooler.... Into the highly modified MES 30 on the porch...
2 hours at 125 with all vents open... up to 200 for 8 hours using pellets with alder, mesquite and hickory chips on top of the pellets... IT 135... down to 170 for overnight... no foil.. no pan.. top damper open wide and chip drawer pulled out 1 inch to let moisture out....
The salt in the brine kept the meat moist... along with keeping the temp low... final IT was 163 at 6am...
Sliced and ready for sammies... Pops your brine/pump recipe is now my standard go to thing..
Thanks much for your wisdom...
Bride said the strami was really good... that is all that matters... end of discussion...
More sandwich meat at an incredibly lower cost than store bought....
As good as, if not better flavor.... and I know what is in it.... love, patience and help from my
friends here... Don't get any better than that...
Thanks for lookin'... by the way..those bags are from a new supplier.. the bags are
in my book...
Dave
Pops has been on here with his Approved liquid brine/inject recipe... Since he is really close to "Mr Go To Guy, and highly respected throughout the meat industry and here on the SMF, I succumed to his wisdom and ventured forth...
1/2 gal water
4 T CB pepper
3 T thyme
6 bay leaves crumpled
1 tsp ground cloves
3 heads garlic
1 1/2 C brown sugar
1 1/2 C pickeling salt
Simmer the above, add the spices and herbs, and cool
Add 1 1/2 gal cold water and
2 T cure #1
As a note: the spices should have been roasted in a frying pan to bring out the oils and intensified the flavor in a different profile.. Gettin' old...forgot this step..
I thought it could use more salt... Bride said it was perfect.... It was perfect...
The meat was weighed down, to keep it submerged, using a zip bag with brine in it.
Removed from the pickle at day 16... Rinsed thoroughly and patted dry...
Ground whole fresh spices using a blade coffee grinder... wish I had a burr grinder... maybe in late
December..(hahaha)...
6 T coriander.. from my cilantro plants that went to seed
4 T tellichery pepper corns
3 tsp garlic powder... ground from my dried garlic I grow (6 tsp would have been better)
4 tsp yellow mustard seed
2 tsp pickeling salt (I figured there was enough salt in the brine.. ended up being right...)
1/4 C Demerara sugar
Did not use all the rub.. about 1/4 left.....
Overnight in the cooler.... Into the highly modified MES 30 on the porch...
2 hours at 125 with all vents open... up to 200 for 8 hours using pellets with alder, mesquite and hickory chips on top of the pellets... IT 135... down to 170 for overnight... no foil.. no pan.. top damper open wide and chip drawer pulled out 1 inch to let moisture out....
The salt in the brine kept the meat moist... along with keeping the temp low... final IT was 163 at 6am...
Sliced and ready for sammies... Pops your brine/pump recipe is now my standard go to thing..
Thanks much for your wisdom...
Bride said the strami was really good... that is all that matters... end of discussion...
More sandwich meat at an incredibly lower cost than store bought....
As good as, if not better flavor.... and I know what is in it.... love, patience and help from my
friends here... Don't get any better than that...
Thanks for lookin'... by the way..those bags are from a new supplier.. the bags are
Dave