PWE Pastrami Finally Done! The Slices and the Sandwich!

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disco

Epic Pitmaster
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Oct 31, 2012
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Canadian Rockies
I went to visit my brother for Canadian Thanksgiving and was able to get 2 nice briskets from Love's Meats in Vegreville. At last I was going to be able to do some of the brisket smokes I had been putting off. I am starting with Passing Wind Estates Pastrami.

I started by splitting the brisket into the point and flat. I like the pastrami from the point but it is a little fatty for my girth control. So, I will use the point for a burnt end meal with friends.


It is reasonably easy to separate the two pieces by slowly slicing through the flat layer separating them.



I trimmed the fat down to 1/4 inch thick on both pieces and set the point (the smaller pointed piece) aside.


I scored the surface of the flat to make it easier to carve against the grain later.


I weighed the trimmed flat at 2.3 kg (5 pounds). I put the flat in a stainless steel pot and covered it with water. I got the weight of the water and the brisket flat combined at 5.1 kg (11.25 pounds). I took the flat out of the water.


I mixed in the cure ingredients using the following amount of ingredients per kilogram of water and brisket combined:

30 ml kosher salt

3 grams prague powder #1

25 ml sugar

1 bay leaf

1 ½ ml garlic powder

1 ½ ml juniper berries

1 ½ ml black peppercorns

For my American friends who refuse to join the remaining world in the metric system, that works out to the following amounts per pound of water and brisket:

2 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

0.048 ounces prague powder #1

2 1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 bay leaf

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon juniper berries

1/8 teaspoon black peppercorns


I mixed the ingredients into the water and then injected the brisket every couple of inches.


I put the meat back in the brine and weighed it down. I am using my formula for how long to brine the meat, the thickness in inches times 4 plus 2. My brisket was 2 inches thick so I will brine it for 10 days but will inject it again at 4 days. I find I get a better colour on my pastrami if I inject twice and still give it a full period in the brine.

I will see you on day 4 when I do the second injection.

Disco
 
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I'm in. I just got my cow back from the slaughterhouse. It has a very nice brisket that needs to be made into pastrami.
Jason
 
I'm in. I just got my cow back from the slaughterhouse. It has a very nice brisket that needs to be made into pastrami.
Jason
You had a whole cow you could get cut as you want? I am so jealous, Jason!
 
Got a lot of really nice cuts. Got a good deal on a yearling angus bull last year. Fed him on barley grass in the back yard. Ended up getting 500 pounds of meat. Ended up going to a different butcher and he did a remarkable job. The cuts turned out really good. He vac packed it all and only had 2 packs not seal. Lucky me they were both t bones. So we grilled them up last night. I'm glad we were setup to do this. Organic grass fed angus at 4.50 a pound for everything. Can't get that in the store.
Jason
 
Got a lot of really nice cuts. Got a good deal on a yearling angus bull last year. Fed him on barley grass in the back yard. Ended up getting 500 pounds of meat. Ended up going to a different butcher and he did a remarkable job. The cuts turned out really good. He vac packed it all and only had 2 packs not seal. Lucky me they were both t bones. So we grilled them up last night. I'm glad we were setup to do this. Organic grass fed angus at 4.50 a pound for everything. Can't get that in the store.
Jason
Would you consider adopting a fat old Canadian?
Is it done yet????

Should be tasty!
I'm with you, Case. I love smoking. I love the results. The waiting...
 
Watching also.

I have been out of pastrami for along time.
 
I'm in for this one Disco. I love pastromi--unfortunately Miss Linda doesn't. Not that it matters much. Can't find a decent brisket around here anyway.

Gary.
I was in Edmonton for Thanksgiving and they had some packers at TGP. Also, if you ever get out to Vegreville, Love's Meats will get you one at a decent price if you give them notice.
 
I'm in too!

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Al
 
I'm with ya Disco. It's perfect timing as I just picked up a prime packer brisket from Costco just the other that I planned to do exactly what you're doing (Pastrami and burnt ends).

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk
 
I'm with ya Disco. It's perfect timing as I just picked up a prime packer brisket from Costco just the other that I planned to do exactly what you're doing (Pastrami and burnt ends).

Sent from my SM-G925P using Tapatalk
I look forward to your post!
 
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