Pastrami

Hello. I've been browsing for homemade beef pastrami receipes and all
I see call for brining your own beef brisket, then doing the smoking process. The brining process can take a couple weeks and
the risk of spoilage/bacteria can be a problem if you're not
careful. My question is, does anyone have a pastrami receipe
for which you start out with a store bought, uncooked corned
beef brisket and start the pastrami process from there? If anyone
has tried it, did the finished product turn out as good as if you'd
brined your own?
Thanks,
Sandy

Actually---if the meat is immersed in the brine---and the brine is briny enough---which it should be if you have a recipe to follow--and the whole thing is kept refridgerated--there is really very little chance of bacteria surviving in the brine---that is what made salt woth its weight in gold all those centuries ago---not the flavoring but the ability to preserve.

Good point, Tiki.
If commercial corned beef is available at the supermarket
at about the same price per lb as the plain brisket, wouldn't
I at least be "time" ahead if I started with the corned beef?
I was in New York not long ago and had some Carnagie Deli's pastrami-
and it was unbelievably fantastic. Wasn't too lean- just enough fat
to make it juicy and give it a wonderful flavor. I'd have no
problem trying to make it from scratch if I thought I could come
anywhere close to Carnagie's, but just don't know if starting
with corned beef would give me a starting advantage. The receipes
I see say pastrami in nothing but corned beef which has been dry rubbed and smoked.

Sandy:

It appears that you are correct that using a purchased Corned Beef Brisket gives you a good head start in making Pastrami. Here's a recipe I got off of the web:

Pastrami

Ingredients

(6 servings)

5 lb Corned beef brisket
1 ea Garlic clove
3 ea Bay leaves
4 ea Hot red peppers, small
Liquid smoke
1 1/2 ts Pepper
3/4 ts Allspice
1/4 ts Coriander


Instructions

Simmer brisket, garlic, bay leaves and red peppers in water to cover for approximately 2-3 hours until tender but still firm. Remove from liquid and cool. Brush lightly with liquid smoke. Mix seasonings and spread over meat. Bake uncovered at 375 deg F for about 30 minutes.

Sandy---whatever you end up using--one thing for sure--the finished smoked product has GOT to be better then 90% of the pastrami that youll buy at the suprermarket---i say go for it! i might consider before serving it try warming it up in a steamer--like a steam table--unless you slice it right out of the smoker of course---a resteraunt i worked in long ago kept thiers in a steam table that was filled with beer instead of water---we did hot dogs, pastrami and brats in there---kept everthing nice and moist and added a little extra to the meats.

Thank you Tiki and Howard. I'm going to try this receipe and will let you know how it turns out. Howard, I don't know how you found the recipe. I've spent my last several lunch hours searching and couldn't find a recipe starting with store bought corned beef. I'm also going to try my hand at a brining recipe. My first and only attempt at both brining and smoking was with a salmon a couple years ago. I was sicker than a dog for 24 hours. The lesson I learned- don't buy your salmon first and then drive around to other stores (on a hot day)to find the rest of the ingrediants. Have a wonderful day, and thanks again for your help. Sandy

SandyE....

Here is about the best resource I have seen for making your own corned beef and/or pastrami......

http://www.randyq.addr.com/recipes/pastrami.htm

I have made these several times using store bought corned beef. You just need to remember to soak the corned beef for a few hours in water....changing the water frequently.

Once you do that, then simply apply your rub...I have listed one below..and smoke it like you would a brisket.

Now, I like to take mine to 195º as I do not own a deli slicer. If you only take to 165º, it will be very tough and needs to be sliced razor thin to eat.

Good luck and enjoy!

Pastrami

1 Corned beef brisket
2 tablespoon(s) Peppercorns
1/2 tablespoon Coriander seeds
1/2 tablespoon Onion powder
1 teaspoon Thyme, dried
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Garlic powder

Soak corned brisket for 2 hours. Throw the seasoning packet away!
Grind peppercorns and coriander seeds. Add remaining ingredients.
Rub this on the corned beef brisket.
Wrap and let sit overnight.
Slow cook brisket at 275º(uncovered) for about 1 1/2hr./lb.
Meat temps need to be near 185º or above.

This is all making me hungry!!!!been ages since i had a good pastrami---what time do we eat,Sandy?

Tiki, here's how I think it will go...
1. I'll probably trim off 10% of the uncooked beef to fry right away.
2. After I marinate the meat, it'll smell so good, I'll fry another 10%.
3. I'll check the coals after 5 minutes of smoking, there's goes another
bite or two.
4. Checking the coals every 5 minutes thereafter, my calculations show
I'll have enough at the end for about 1 sandwich. Guess who's getting
that?

maybe I am missing something and I am glad you have brought all of this up.

Has anyone here had any success making corned beef from scratch? I would like to try it and have found tons of recipes (including an interesting in the Madame Begues Cookbook from New Orleans circa 1880)and would like any helpful hints that ya'll may have to offer.

quote:

Originally posted by SandyE

Tiki, here's how I think it will go...
1. I'll probably trim off 10% of the uncooked beef to fry right away.
2. After I marinate the meat, it'll smell so good, I'll fry another 10%.
3. I'll check the coals after 5 minutes of smoking, there's goes another
bite or two.
4. Checking the coals every 5 minutes thereafter, my calculations show
I'll have enough at the end for about 1 sandwich. Guess who's getting
that?

Thats the part your saving for me, right???

quote:

Originally posted by Mayhaw Man

maybe I am missing something and I am glad you have brought all of this up.

Has anyone here had any success making corned beef from scratch? I would like to try it and have found tons of recipes (including an interesting in the Madame Begues Cookbook from New Orleans circa 1880)and would like any helpful hints that ya'll may have to offer.

I havent done it but i have a buddy that does and it is the BEST pastrami i ever ate--he smokeds it very slowly--i mean VERY--low low heat and very long---comes out really dark and the flavor was awesome.
I figure if you can do a brisket--you can do a pastrami and all this talk has got me ready to try it myself too---especially since Sandy isnt leaving me much!!

From what I've read the real secret of good pastrami is whats
done after it's been smoked. Seal it air tight while storing, then an hour or so before you're ready to serve it, gently steam it.
Some delies steam it for up to six hours, one said they go through
a double steaming process. The last deli I had pastrami at nuked
it on low for a couple minutes and it was a little tough- but still good. One subject that all agree on- FAT! A little fat
makes a great tasting pastrami. I've read that most commercial
pastrami is made from beef navels instead of the flat or point cut
brisket- just because of the marbling of fat. I'd never heard of
a beef navel before so I guess it's something I'll have to ask
about at the supermarket. Good luck to all who try this. I'm
going to this weekend- but I haven't made up my mind yet if I'll
start from scratch or start with a corned beef. Howard and Stogie
posted a couple recipes above, so that's a good place to start.