Pastrami

[Mad Max]

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??

[Al Dente]

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.

[Mad Max]

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.

[dnurk]

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

[Mad Max]

Thanks for the link.     I did not know how long to pressure cook it.   Will try again  in the morning      And post some  pictures

[Mad Max]

Thanks for the help
I pressure cooked it for a total of 45 min. today
Awesome
 

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

bbq.about.com/od/rubrecipes/r/bl20223b.htm

 www.askthemeatman.com/speed_cure.htm

Thanks again guy's

[Soonerlongbow]

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.

[Pete McMiller]

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.