Smoked Corned Beef Advice Needed

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sawhorseray

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Oct 17, 2014
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Gilbert, AZ
I've got a 3.5 pound corned beef that I thawed and have soaked in ice water for five hours, changing the water three times. It's now drying on a rack in a covered container in the fridge till tomorrow. My new Slow-n-Sear arrived a few minutes ago and the plan is to smoke that CB on my 22" Weber kettle tomorrow, briquettes and applewood chunks. Any advice on cooking temps and a rub would be greatly appreciated and paid attention to. Thanks, RAY
 
Howdy Ray. I've smoked corned beef several times and it's always been fantastic. I am going to assume this has been cured? I just rub mine with black pepper and a bit of garlic after the soak then smoke them around 180-190 till they reach an IT of about 150. It can take a while but never failed to turn out great stuff. All that I've done have been homemade and cured though. You did not mention if this is store bought (probably not cured) or homemade (probably cured). As long as the meat is in tact, you should be fine going low and slow for over 4 hours, which wouldn't really be any different than smoking a brisket or pork shoulder.

Good luck and keep us posted!!
Robert
 
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Hi Ray. I like to use this rub for pastrami. It's basically Meathead's rub with some ground pickling spice added.

Pastrami Rub:
4T coarse black pepper
2T coriander
1T smoked paprika
1T brown sugar
1T pickling spice mix, finely ground
2t garlic powder
2t onion powder
1t mustard powder

What kind of corned beef cut do you have?

If you're just sticking with the smoker, you can smoke the pastrami until probe tender around 200F. Or you could smoke until you hit the stall or are happy with the bark and then steam until tender. Also, if you're pressed for time, you can smoke it and then refrigerate it and steam the next day.
 
4 tbsp CBP, 2 tbsp coriander, 2 tsp ea. of onion, garlic and paprika, 1 tsp of brown sugar. Smoke until internal temp is 165*. Slice for sammies.

Chris
 
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Thanks so much guys, I believe I've got everything on hand to make the rub. It's a regular old store-bought corned beef in a package full of red goo, I always stock up during the Patty's Day sales. Tomorrow I'll be breaking in the slow-n-sear and figure when I get down to between 225º and 250º on the kettle I should be good to go. I guess I'll pull at around 160º and take a slice to see what I think, hoping to have a little more flavor than the old boiled to death method. Thanks again, should be fun playing with a new toy in the backyard on another gorgeous Arizona day. RAY
 
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I'm not going to doubt anyone elses methods, but the one time I took a store bought corned beef to 160-170 it has been very tough. May have been a bad hunk of meet, but I still prefer to smoke to 190-195, let it rest, and then slice.
 
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I'm not going to doubt anyone elses methods, but the one time I took a store bought corned beef to 160-170 it has been very tough. May have been a bad hunk of meet, but I still prefer to smoke to 190-195, let it rest, and then slice.

Sliced across the gain - fried in a little butter and then onto a grilled reuban. Can't be beat

Chris
 
I like the idea of a re-fry in butter.
Wasn't able to get as many on sale this year, but I've got one to give this a shot.
 
I'm not going to doubt anyone elses methods, but the one time I took a store bought corned beef to 160-170 it has been very tough. May have been a bad hunk of meet, but I still prefer to smoke to 190-195, let it rest, and then slice.


Are you saying this is the way to go for a dinner slice, because that's what I'd like to start with. I'll worry about a sandwich the next day, about the only sanny I like to sit down to for dinner is a burger or French dip. I'd think if it's tender enough for the dinner plate a night in the fridge for what's leftover should slice up fine for sannys, grilled onions, 1000 island dressing, grilled in some butter, that's a Rueben to me. Yep, what I'm looking for is a dinner plate with a yam and some slaw and some sandwich stuff with what's leftover, got the rub made already. RAY
 
I used this one that supposed to be close to Katz’s Deli
Ingredients
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

2 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper

1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds

1 tablespoon coriander powder

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon paprika

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons onion powder

1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon mustard powder

Options. The paprika mostly adds color. If you want to veer from the conventional and amp it up a bit, substitute ancho powder or American chili powder, but be careful, the black pepper and mustard supply an ample kick. You can leave anything out that you want except the black pepper and the coriander.
 
It's starting to be apparent it was operator error. My 165 brisket was barely edible with how tough it was. I don't mind "fall apart" slices, even for dinner with cabbage or whatever sides you prefer. I will have to try a side by side the next time I fire up corned beef.
 
Well the rub is made. The ones shown above were all fairly similar, I didn't find any coriander seed in my spice bag, I replaced it with allspice seed I ground up. What I have will work just fine. I guess it'll pretty much have to be smoked just like a regular brisket to be fit for dinner, so I reckon I'll take it up to 195º and then begin poking around with a toothpick. I guess because I've always boiled them slow for about three hours I thought they take less time than a normal uncured raw brisket, silly me. Oh well, it's not like I've got anywhere to go or anything else to do today. RAY
 
They take as long as a brisket flat.
And they need to go to 200-215 IT.
I have never had one that was probe tender under 200 degrees.
My favorite way to do them is to smoke them until an IT of 150, then vac bag & SV for 24 hours at 155. Absolutely melt in your mouth.
Al
 
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They take as long as a brisket flat. And they need to go to 200-215 IT. I have never had one that was probe tender under 200 degrees.
My favorite way to do them is to smoke them until an IT of 150, then vac bag & SV for 24 hours at 155. Absolutely melt in your mouth. Al


Well Al, you have been my guiding light on a few past cooks so I see no reason to start doubting you now. This might actually work out better for me! I've had the CB on for about a hour now, the Slow-n-Sear works like some kind of a miracle contraption, I'm dialed in at 220º and really don't want to touch it, the IT is 77º at the moment. Yep, I'm going to set up the sous vide pot and I'll have corned beef tomorrow night for dinner, maybe a burger tonight. Thanks Al!
 
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Well now I'm not sure what I'm going to do. The slow-n-sear works as advertised, the thing is great! Two hours in and things are rock solid
DSCN1681.JPG

DSCN1679.JPG


Now the IT is up to 145º at 9:48 in the morning. I might just have to let it go all the way! RAY
 
OH MAN! SmokinAl SmokinAl that sounds like a great plan!!!

If I can remember by tonight-i have a pastrami rub recipe somewhere. worked real nice...just not sure where i put it...
 
Now I'm right at four hours in with a IT of 158º so I guess I'll just let it go and see what happens. RAY
 
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