Corned beef or pastrami

GlennM

i am seeing all kinds of deals on corned beef right now. I just got a new instant pot and was thinking about an interesting way to prepare one of these. I was thinking to soak it overnight to remove some salt, smoking it for a few hours in the egg and then finishing it in the instant pot (not sure of the timing)

Any thoughts on this process would be appreciated! 

Hntnhrd

I don't have an instapot . But am going along the same route with a SRF corned beef I picked up at Costco. 

Tony_T

If you're going to do the cook on the 17th, then go with Corned Beef

jtcBoynton

@GlennM   What you are describing is basically the process for making/cooking pastrami.  Check out the forum discussions on pastrami for lots of ideas.  Another good read is Meathead's approach.  You can use your instant pot for the steaming stage.
http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html

bhedges1987

Doing the exact same method. Smoking until 180 then pressure cooking for 20 min

GlennM

I'm putting this point on now. I soaked it with 3 changes of water and dried it for 36 hrs in the fridge. Not sure how I want to finish it?  May take it to 180. We have a sous vide and an instant pot 

SmokeyPitt

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/05/beef-pastrami.html

There is a lot of information there. Cliff notes on the favorite method:
Smoke to 150 internal, then finish in the pressure cooker for 25-40 minutes. 

CtTOPGUN

 To me, pastrami has it all over corned beef. But it really should be made with beef navel. Just got to be too expensive for most places to continue doing this. Corned beef from brisket can be spiced/smoked to be pretty damn good pastrami though! A steam or pressure finish results in the right texture for that Jewish deli result.

GlennM

Well it's smoking now at 225

Dobie

I'm waiting for some price drops on corned beef now that the holiday has passed.
Pastrami in my future, standing by for your results 

bhedges1987

I don't understand the difference? One is boiled while the other is smoked or steamed? 

blind99

@bhedges1987 pastrami is like corned beef taken to the next level. There's a spice rub predominantly with black pepper and coriander, and it's smoked. Then may be steamed to really tenderize it. 

GlennM

I just took it off, it's been stalled at 150 for quite a while now. It's in the instant pot with some apple juice. I'll check it after 30 minutes of steam. It was chewy off the bbq

 

GlennM

All done. Tastes good, not quite as tender as I hoped but very good

Teefus

I did a Pastrami this weekend. I took a Costco Corned Beef Brisket and soaked it in water for about 10 hours to desalinate, changing the water every couple hours. Following that I coated the meat with ground coriander and black pepper, plus a little Kosher salt. It sat in a ziplock overnight.

Yesterday I threw it on the Egg with some Pecan chunks. It went 3 hours in pretty heavy smoke at 300 or so. Then I put in in a foil pan on a grate to raise it off the bottom, adding an inch of beef broth for a steaming medium. I sealed the top with foil and put it back on the Egg to steam for 3 hours. I pulled it at 208 degrees. After a good long rest it was still a little chewy. The connective tissue hadn't quite rendered out. I wrapped it tight in foil and threw it in the oven for a couple hours at 225. It's melt in your mouth tender now. Looking forward to sandwiches tonight.