Pellet smoked Pastrami

[squirtthecat]

A few weeks ago, I had a couple 'cheater' pastramis in the works... Store bought corned beef briskets.

Here is my tweaked HOT pastrami rub.

1 Tbs ground Tellicherry pepper (Penzeys)
1 Tbs Hungarian half-sharp paprika (Penzeys)
1 Tbs garlic powder
1 Tbs ground coriander
1 Tbs Colman's mustard powder
1 Tbs onion powder
1 tsp white pepper
1 tsp thyme

I was low on onion powder, and out of white pepper, so I subbed the 'Shallot Salt' from Penzey's spices. Very nice...

(and I doubled it to rub 2 corned beef briskets)


Mixed up.

Rubbed, wrapped and vac sealed.

They spent about 3 days in the fridge before I smoked them on the Traeger.

 

[squirtthecat]

And here we go..

Getting some nice color.

A better shot of the pan I am using. It's a steam table insert for stuff like gravy, etc.

 

[squirtthecat]

Did some yardwork, went to Wally Mart, came home - and they were ready. 155°.

I let them rest in foil for a bit, then in the fridge to cool for the night.

 

[squirtthecat]

After resting..

I couldn't just hand over food without some quality control, so I sliced off a bit to try. WOW.

After they cooled, I vacuum sealed them and brought in to the office cafeteria.

 

[TTNuge]

Looking great! Another thing to add to my list

 

[MAK DADDY]

Here is Kynola's recipe and yes it is AMAZING too!
1 corned beef brisket, trim as much fat off as possible (Safeway)
3TBS Coriander seed
2TBS Black Peppercorn
2TBS Yellow Mustard Seed
1TBS White Peppercorn (I left these out because I didn't have any)
2TBS Granulated Garlic
Combine first 4 ingredients and grind, add garlic and mix.
Apply rub generously all over Brisket, wrap in plastic and put in fridge for a couple days.
Smoke for an hour then ramp to 225 until IT hits 155.
Wrap in foil to let cool, then wrap in plastic wrap and foil, place in fridge for a day.
Slice thin as possible and enjoy on rye.

 

[Big Poppa]

bob is this with a already 'corned beef' in the vacuupack?

 

[MAK DADDY]

Yes from safeway, I didn't use the seasoning packet that comes with it though, it went in the trash.
You know I saw a whole packer corned beef at cash n carry, will have to smoke one of those and give it to the crew!
I need a slicer first though

 

[KyNola]

BP, I don't use the seasoning packet either. Some guys soak the corned beef brisket prior to putting the pastrami rub on it. Some seem to think it's too salty otherwise. I don't soak them. I will rinse them when taking them out of the original package and then follow the recipe that MAK DADDY posted.

As a matter of fact, I am out of pastrami so this past weekend I made a run to Sam's Club and came home with 3 corned beef briskets to make pastrami and a 10 pound pork loin to cure and smoke for canadian bacon.

MAK, thanks for posting the recipe.

 

[FLBentRider]

Y'all do yourselves a favor and cure a brisket flat from scratch, then rub it up and make pastrami. We did a side-by-side comparison this weekend. They are both good, but really different flavors!

 

[Big Poppa]

recipes? pics? love this thread

 

[squirtthecat]

I've been asked to make some venison backstrap pastrami by one of the hunters at work.. I'll start a fresh thread for that one. (it will involve the entire brine/pickle/cure process)

 

[cowgirl]

Looks fantastic Squirtthecat! I make venison pastrami too.. it's hard to beat.

 

[FLBentRider]

recipes? pics? love this thread

This is the recipe I use - Ihave done a pellet smoked one yet, but shortly....

Beef Pastrami

 

[Pokey]

I've tried this once and plan to again, including curing my own next time. I think whole coriander seeds are essential, as are whole black peppercorns. I'm wondering about the temp, though. I took it to 155* as suggested, but found it tougher than the better deli pastrami I like the best (Buddy's in Bayside). Now maybe that's 'cause theirs sits in a steam table while it waits around for a customer to order some to be sliced. I don't know, but I wondered if it shouldn't be taken higher, like one would an uncured brisket intended for slicing, say to 185* to 190*. Thoughts?

 

[FLBentRider]

I used to take mine to 160-165 but I found that if I was going to slice it fairly thin against the grain that 155 was good.

 

[Big Poppa]

wow now thats some nice stuff....Pokey you live in corned beef heaven tough competition!

 

[FLBentRider]

I concur on the use of whole spices - I think it makes a huge difference to grind your own from whole.

 

[TentHunter]

My wife loves Turkey Pastrami. Anyone ever made one?

 

[KyNola]

My good friend from the Bradley forum, FLBR, posted the very recipe that I modified a bit to use a corned beef brisket rather than curing a brisket from scratch. I know that FLBR would agree with me that Habanero Smoker from the Bradley forum deserves the credit for the pastrami that FLBR and I like to make whether with a brisket that you corn yourself or "cheat" like I do and go buy a corned beef brisket and go from there.