brisket pastrami

This is a fantastic step by step recipe on how to make pastrami! Incredible flavor and perfect for sandwiches, rarely are there any leftovers.

How to Make Pastrami

4.25 lb corned beef ((See Note 1))

tbsp black pepper

tbsp coriander

mustard

brown sugar

garlic powder

onion powder

tsp chili powder ((See Note 2))

Take the corned beef out of it’s packaging and rinse with cold water. Place in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Keep refrigerated overnight or 4 hours minimum to remove the excess salt. This is the desalinating process. I like the corned beef flavorings so use this kind (go to Step 3), but feel free to use a beef brisket of same weight (see Step 2).

If starting with a beef brisket, see my recipe on How to Make Corned Beef first, then go straight to applying the dry rub.

In a small bowl whisk together the dry rub ingredients. Rinse corned beef in water and allow excess to drip off and apply dry rub mixture evenly over all sides. Place on a platter and refrigerate over night or 8 hours. No need to cover with plastic wrap because when you remove it most of the dry rub sticks to the wrap and is wasted. Air cured is fine overnight, but feel free to go right to the smoker. I have found overnight adds more flavor then straight to the smoker. Use your own discretion.

I use a The Masterbuilt 30" Digital Electric Smoker, but follow your smoker instructions. Add an inch of water to the water tray, and using cherry wood chips, smoke the brisket for approximately 6 hours at 225°F. We will want an internal temperature of 180°F for that tender meat.&nbsp;

Allow meat to cool and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours covered with a loose fitting piece of aluminum foil (We don’t want the dry rub to come off), if not steaming right away. Otherwise take directly to the steamer.&nbsp;(See below instructions).

If refrigerated, remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, then steam for 2 hours. I use a bamboo steamer with the meat resting on a bit of aluminum foil (See Note 3). In a large pot over medium low heat pour enough water in pot that there is an inch gap between steamer rack and water and steam for 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure water does not evaporate and refill as needed. We want an internal temperature of 204°F. Just before it hits that I turn off the heat because the meat will continue to cook. (See picture, it rose all the away to 207°F while resting.)

If you don&#039;t have a steamer, you could use an Instant Pot. Use the Instant Pot with the strainer made to fit the IP size. Put the smoked, refrigerated pastrami in the steamer basket, added 1 cup water and set it on STEAM and LOW for 2 hours.

Feel free to discard whatever fat cap is still there and not rendered down completely. With a sharp knife be sure to slice across the grain into about 1/8" and serve! Slicing across the grain will ensure a tender, fall apart piece of pastrami.

Smoked Brisket Pastrami Recipe

brisket – 10lbs

water

Kosher Salt

Sugar

Pickling Spice

Garlic

Pink Curing Salt

Corse Ground Black Pepper

Raw Sugar

Tablespoons Granulated Garlic

Tablespoons Ground Coriander

Tablespoon Ground Mustard

Tablespoon Granulated Onion

Combine 1/2 gallon of water, Kosher Salt, Sugar, and pink salt in a large stock pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a slight boil and add the pickling spice and garlic. Stir the mixture to ensure the sugar and salt dissolve and remove from heat. Pour in the remaining 1/2 gallon of water and allow the mixture to cool.

Trim excess fat from the whole brisket and place in a XL Ziplock Bag. Pour the brine mixture over the brisket and squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Secure the top of the bag with a zip tie. Make sure the brisket is completely submerged in the brine solution.

Place the bag in a large plastic container and refrigerate for 5 nights (check on the brisket daily to make sure it is submerged). On the 6th day remove it from the brine and pat off any excess seasoning. Place the brisket on a raised rack in a large pan and allow it to air dry in the refrigerator.

Prepare smoker for indirect cooking at 275 degrees with pecan wood added to the hot coals for smoke flavor.

Combine the black pepper, garlic, coriander, mustard, and onion in a jar. Season all sides of the brisket with the seasoning mixture.

Place the brisket on the pit and smoke for 5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches around 165 degrees.

Wrap the brisket in butcher paper (non-waxed) and place it back on the pit. Insert a meat probe into the center of the flat to monitor internal temperature.

Continue to cook the brisket until it reaches 202-204 degrees or when a meat probe slides into the brisket with no resistance.

Rest it in a dry cooler lined with old towels for 1.5 &#8211; 2 hours before slicing.

L SEP = Left Separator 

It's just some broken website code...

Ok Thanks Mine just came out of a 3 week brine it's soaking overnight then I'll rub it up good in the morning let it come to room temp then in the smoker not sure if I'm gonna wrap or not I'm not pressed for time and I don't want to mess up the bark.

Fourth time I’m cooking this.  My family and friends get really excited every time I start this recipe.  It’s awesome

About how many hours after the wrap to reach 204? Trying to plan for dinner

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c87yT_Vr3E

Homemade Brisket Pastrami Recipe on the Smoker

#brisketpastrami #pastrami #howtobbqright

Smoked Brisket Pastrami

Pastrami was first made as a way to preserve meat. A brine is used to first cure the brisket; then it’s smoked, and typically steamed until tender. In the past, I’ve used a short cut to create pastrami by starting with store bought, corned beef brisket; but I wanted to see if I could brine my own and turn it into mouth-watering Pastrami.

The basics of a pastrami brine include salt, sugar, and spices; but the most important part is the pink curing salt. It needs to be used in an exact ratio. 1 tsp per 5lbs of raw meat is required along with 1 gallon of water. 

For the brisket, I trimmed most of the fat and sinew off to expose the meat. This allows the brine to penetrate and cure it from top to bottom. It weighed 10lbs after trimming (so I needed 2 teaspoons of pink salt).  

To make the brine get a large stock pot going over medium heat. Add 1/2 gallon of water to the pot along with the salt, sugar, and pink salt. Bring it to a simmer to dissolve everything and add the pickling spices and crushed garlic. Allow it to simmer for a few minutes just to make sure everything is dissolved and then remove it from the heat. Add the remaining water and allow it to cool.  

Place the brisket in a container large enough to hold it and the brine. I used a XL Ziplock bag (get it here: https://amzn.to/2CquDJ5). Pour the brine over the brisket.  Set the whole container in the refrigerator for 5 nights.  

On the 6th day remove the brisket from the brine solution and pat any excess seasoning off surface.  Place the brisket on a cooling rack inside a full size pan to dry.  The next morning take the brisket out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temp.  Season the outside with Pastrami Seasoning (recipe below).

Fire up your smoker and bring the temp to 275 degrees. Place the brisket on the pit and add pecan wood to the fire for smoke (use your favorite wood if you prefer). Smoke the brisket for 4-5 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 160-165 degrees.  

At this point traditional Pastrami is steamed until it’s tender (that’s deli style Pastrami); I’m going for more BBQ style Pastrami.  Wrap it in pink Butcher Paper (get it here: https://amzn.to/2HM5ufa) and place back on the pit.  

Insert a meat probe into the thickest part of the flat and cook until the internal temperature reaches 204 degrees.  For a meat probe, we are using a Thermoworks DOT (check them out here: https://www.thermoworks.com/DOT?tw=KILLERHOG) At this point it needs a couple hours to rest and you’re ready to eat.  

Homemade Pastrami is absolutely fantastic. It’s tender, juicy, and has all the flavors of the spices used in the brine and seasoning. 

Smoked Brisket Pastrami Recipe

- 1 whole brisket - 10lbs

For the Brine:
- 1 gallon water
- 1 cup Kosher Salt
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Pickling Spice
- 5-6 cloves of Garlic smashed
- 2 teaspoons of Pink Curing Salt #1

Pastrami Seasoning:
- 1/2 cup Corse Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 cup Raw Sugar 
- 2 Tablespoons Granulated Garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Ground Coriander
- 1 Tablespoon Ground Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Granulated Onion

Directions:
1. Combine 1/2 gallon of water, Kosher Salt, Sugar, and pink salt in a large stock pot over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a slight boil and add the pickling spice and garlic. Pour in the remaining 1/2 gallon of water and allow to cool.

2. Trim excess fat from the whole brisket and place in a XL Ziplock Bag. Pour the brine mixture over the brisket and squeeze all of the air out of the bag. Secure the top of the bag with a zip tie.  Make sure the brisket is completely submerged.

3. Place the bag in a large plastic container and refrigerate for 5 nights. On the 6th day remove it and pat off any excess seasoning.  Place the brisket on a raised rack in a large pan and allow it to air dry in fridge.

4. Prepare smoker for indirect cooking at 275 degrees with pecan wood.

5. Combine the seasonings in a jar. Season all sides of the brisket with the seasoning mixture.

6. Place the brisket on the pit and smoke for 4-5 hours until the internal temp hits 165 degrees.  

7. Wrap the brisket in butcher paper and place it back on the pit.  Insert a meat probe into the center of the flat to monitor internal temperature. 

8. Continue to cook until it reaches 202-204 degrees or when a meat probe slides into the brisket with no resistance.

9. Rest it in a dry cooler lined with old towels for 1.5 - 2 hours before slicing.

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Smoked Brisket Pastrami

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Smoked Brisket Pastrami Recipe

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