I have been wanting to make pastrami since I first read about it. But I wanted to throw a twist into it.
I started by making a Corned Pork Butt. (insert jokes here)
I took a piece of butt that I trimmed some pieces off for BBB and some butt bites, (I'll get to that in another post), and ended up with about a 3 lb. piece. Cured it for 13 days in pink salt, Kosher salt, sugar, garlic, onion, and pickling spice. Afterward I soaked it over night in water to purge the salt. Rubbed with P, O, G, Coriander and a bit of turbinado sugar.
Trying Pecan wood on this one. First time using it.
Right out of the cure, rinsed and ready to purge.
Here she is purged and dried, ready to rub.
Oiled and rubbed:
Into the smoker at 7:45 this morning. At 10 hours I foiled at 185 for fear of it getting dry.
At 190:
And the money shots! (some with flash, some without)
It came out amazing! Very moist, very tender, loaded with flavor! It tastes like corned beef/pastrami, and is as moist as a 190 pork butt.
The wife wanted to have it for dinner instead of the butt slicer I cooked along with it. No way... sammies for a few days!
I started by making a Corned Pork Butt. (insert jokes here)

I took a piece of butt that I trimmed some pieces off for BBB and some butt bites, (I'll get to that in another post), and ended up with about a 3 lb. piece. Cured it for 13 days in pink salt, Kosher salt, sugar, garlic, onion, and pickling spice. Afterward I soaked it over night in water to purge the salt. Rubbed with P, O, G, Coriander and a bit of turbinado sugar.
Trying Pecan wood on this one. First time using it.
Right out of the cure, rinsed and ready to purge.
Here she is purged and dried, ready to rub.
Oiled and rubbed:
Into the smoker at 7:45 this morning. At 10 hours I foiled at 185 for fear of it getting dry.
At 190:
And the money shots! (some with flash, some without)
It came out amazing! Very moist, very tender, loaded with flavor! It tastes like corned beef/pastrami, and is as moist as a 190 pork butt.
The wife wanted to have it for dinner instead of the butt slicer I cooked along with it. No way... sammies for a few days!