Corned Beef Brisket

JimW

I just picked up a 4 lb corned beef brisket I'm going to do this weekend. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good marinade and/or rub? I'm planning to do it just like a normal brisket. I can't remember for sure who, I think Brad Davidson, did one at Eggtoberfest last fall that was really good. Did anyone talk to him about how he did it?
JimW

Smokey

JimW,[p]I cooked about 12lbs at eggtoberfest 2000! I don't have any specific spices; just see what’s in the pantry!! I like a little "kick" to it so cayenne (sp) pepper is always included. Usually I use (at least) garlic, paprika, black pepper, white pepper, sage and of course the corned beef seasoning included. Have fun and be patient with it. 190 degrees usually gives good, tender results. A meat slicer is also nice.[p]Smokey

Mike Oelrich

JimW,[p] You're just a little work away from some good pastrami. Rinse the brisket really well, then rub with a heavy layer of spice. Coarse ground pepper and coriander is good. Juniper berries make nice addition and paprika is good, too. Don't need any salt in the rub since the brisket has been sitting in salt water and nitrates for god knows how long already. Smoke over hickory (maybe with a little mesaquite thrown in) at 200-220 until the internal temperature is 160-170. It'll cook faster than a normal brisket due to the brining it has been through. Many recipes will tell you to smoke it at very low temp (like 140) until it dries out a bit, then raise the temp to finish the cook. Many recipes also tell you to finish the cook by boiling the pastrami. Seem to work pretty well just to smoke it at 200 until the internal temp gets to 170F.[p]MikeO

bdavidson

JimW,
Nope. Wasn't me. I made tandoori chicken and naan at Eggtoberfest. Nature Boy made an awesome brisket last year at EggFest. He posted his recipe in the New Recipe section:
[ul][li]Nature Boy's EF2K brisket[/ul]

bdavidson

Smokey,
Did you have a meat slicer at Eggtoberfest? Where did you buy it?
bd

Nature Boy

JimW,
Thanks. Yeah that was me that did a chunk-o-chest at the fest last year. Thanks for posting the link BDavidson. I missed this post, as I have not done corned beef brisket. Those are soaked in a curing solution, like MikeO mentioned, and come with a seasoning packet (also probably much like the seasonings MikeO explained). Or you can cure and make them yourself. [p]The marinade I used for the eggfest was good (thanks to SpiceCooks for that one), but just a rub does very well also. The brisket has so much flavor that pretty much anything you do, all the way down to the simplest possible seasonings, will be great. A mustard slather is nice for bark. I have used cherry, pecan, oak and mesquite so far for smoke, and all were great. As you probably already know, the key is patience, and leaving the lid closed. [p]Enjoy it. I am pretty sure I am gonna scrap my Country Ribs for the eggfest, and instead concentrate on doing another brisket. [p]Enjoy it, and let us know what you end up with.
NB

JimW

Smokey,
Sorry about the misattribution. I appreciate your reply.
JimW

JimW

MikeO,
Would you not take the temp up to around 190F?
JimW

Mike Oelrich

JimW,[p] When I did it, I put together all the recipes I could find and 160-170º seemed to be the most prevalent temperature in the recipes that didn't finish the brisket by boiling it. Worked out pretty good, though the texture was a bit more like swiss cheese than pulled pork. Sliced well and the flavor was great, however. Maybe taking it up to 190º would make it a bit drier and less cohesive, like other pastrami I've had.[p]MikeO