Anybody make Pastrami from Brisket?
I used CAB brisket and separated the point from the flat, removed some fat and cured it.
When I cook BBQ Brisket in competition I cook to 190/200 internal temp. always tender
I cooked my pastrami to 170 ,not tender
The 20 day pink salt cure is suppose to make it tender.
What are your thoughts??
To tenderize a brisket, it needs to get to 190 -195 internally. I don't know about the pink salt to tenderize it. I know that when Deli's cook pastrami, they rub/cure them, then smoke them, then put them in a steamer to get them tender. Not sure if they smoke them long enough to get to 190-195, or just enough to get a light smoke flavor profile. Pretty sure the steaming process get them tender.
You might try a rub/cure, light smoke, then put the brisket on a rack in a deep pan, with some liquid (beer, cider, water, etc...) on the bottom. Cover tight with foil and place in a 350 oven for about 3 hours. Check for tenderness.
Pink salt has Sodium Nitrite in it which is a curing salt
The brisket was cured (submerged in a curing water mixture of spices) for 20 days
I am going to pressure cook a hunk of it with water in the bottom and see if it gets tender.
I've used this recipe pretty much to the letter on my big green egg and it produces phenomenal results. It uses store cured corned beef and I typically make whenever I see the store running a sale ( always happens after New Years and St Parricks day)
http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/05/beef-pastrami.html
Thanks for the link. I did not know how long to pressure cook it. Will try again in the morning And post some pictures
Thanks for the help
I pressure cooked it for a total of 45 min. today
Awesome
(http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b593/osagemark/100_0512_zps5d096a63.jpg) (http://s1293.photobucket.com/user/osagemark/media/100_0512_zps5d096a63.jpg.html)
As I said before I wet cured my whole brisket (divided the point from flat) for 20 days with Alton Brown's recipe, and a pastrami rub from About.com, and the curing salt.
Here are the links if you would like to see or (make it from raw meat)
Question--- what other cuts of meat work well??
:confused: :confused:
I left out the saltpeter from alton"s recipe and used the speed cure and went the pastrami rout
And left the salt out of the pastrami rub because I did not soak the brisket before smoking.
www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/corned-beef-recipe.html (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/corned-beef-recipe.html)
bbq.about.com/od/rubrecipes/r/bl20223b.htm
www.askthemeatman.com/speed_cure.htm (http://www.askthemeatman.com/speed_cure.htm)
Thanks again guy's
I don't think I've ever found a recipe of Mr. Alton's that I dislike! I've really been wanting to make venison pastrami.
Mark, Though I have only made pastrami once, it is just corned meat that is smoked as far as I know. I have corned a lot of wild game. Bear is fantastic. I have also corned Elk, Moose, Deer and Goose breast. The one I didn't particularily care for was the Goose Breast. Everything else was great and is always a hit at parties or shooting events. I always use a dry cure recipe I got from the Morton Salt Company as it uses their curing salt. Most any cut of meat will work for corning. With the dry cure, it is cured in a zip-loc bag in the frig for 5 days per inch of thickness. As far as I am aware, the curing salt is for preservation and does not provide any tenderizing effect - that is provided by slow cooking after the curing is completed.