Corned beef Question

robnybbq

I may attempt to cook a corned beef on the Egg on Sunday.  We picked up a few as they are on sale. 

My plan was to soak it for 24 hours in water (Changing it every 4 hours or so).

Now cooking it on the Egg indirect at ~250-275 (Where ever the Egg settles).  Now my question is do I cook it just on the grate (drip pan underneath the grate) or do I cook it in a pan?

~4 lber should take 4-6 hours in that range?  Do you think cook to 185 or to 200 for tender?

What smoke chips?  Oak, pecan?

Shiff

What type of corned beef is it?  Some are flats, some are points, and some are round roasts.  All 3 types are on sale here at the moment.  You have to cook a brisket until it is tender which usually happens anywhere between 190 and 205.  Use a fork to check it for tenderness.A point will be tender much quicker due to the higher fat content.

By the way, if it comes out good (and they usually do) they will probably go on an evern better sale after March 17.

Logger

Everything Shiff said is what I believe as well. 
Are you going to make pastrami?  If so, I soak mine for 3 full days and change the water twice a day.  Then, season for overnight and cook to 195° or until fork tender.  No water pan but, it's ok to use one too.  I might need to try that.  I do put hd aluminum foil over the PS though...easy clean up.
We need pics...

robnybbq

Looking for tender juicy corned beef. Not looking for deli meat style pastrami

Shiff

robnybbq said:

Looking for tender juicy corned beef. Not looking for deli meat style pastrami

Pastrami is smoked corned beef - usually made with lots of black pepper. So, by taking a corned beef and smoking it on the BGE, you're making a type of pastrami.  If you take the corned beef from the market and boil it, you would have deli type corned beef.

robnybbq

Ok. Gotcha. Looking for corned beef so we will use the crockpot on Monday and find something else to smoke on the weekend.

Spaightlabs

I did a 3 pound Corned bison brisket Sunday on the egg - 7 hours for a little flat. Spectacular!

pretzelb

If you soak it in water aren't you taking away the brine that makes it corned beef?

The wife like to use the pressure cooker for our corned beef.

stevesails

If you have a few corned beefs do one as third eyes pastrami. You will love it.

Shiff

I almost never make just corned beef anymore.  I get a brisket and cure it myself which makes a much better corned beef than what you buy in the store.  Then I smoke it to make pastrami which I think is much better than corned beef.  I use a modified recipe from a post on here about making "Montreal Soked Meat".  Do a search here to find it.

fishlessman

rob, simmer it in a crock pot is the way to go, also if you smoke a ham over the weekend you can use the leftovers for colcannon which is mashed potatoes with smoked ham, and kale or cabbage, google a recipe

robnybbq

Interesting.

When I think of pastrami - I am thinking of a deli meat type of cut that resembles cold roast beef that is salty but flavorful.

When I think of corned beef - I am thinking of a thicker cut (like a brisket but) and very soft/tender meat. 

Now since It is not a whole packer I was afraid of it drying out and becoming tough instead of when we usually boil or low cooker with the cabbage/ potatoes in the same pot.

nolaegghead

A good pastrami will be very tender and fall apart when slicing and eating.

Shiff

robnybbq said:

Interesting.

When I think of pastrami - I am thinking of a deli meat type of cut that resembles cold roast beef that is salty but flavorful.

When I think of corned beef - I am thinking of a thicker cut (like a brisket but) and very soft/tender meat. 

I've never seen pastrami like you describe. Corned Beef and pastrami are both made from the same meat - Brisket.  Pastrami is smoked and usually coated with peppercorns.  Where do you live - there may be a regional difference.  While sometimes corned beef is made from a round roast, I certainly don't consider that corned beef.

robnybbq

NY just north of NYC.

Nolaegghead - that is what I want.  How do I cook a store bought "corned beef" flat o n the Egg so that it is tender fall apart like that?

grege345

robnybbq said:

NY just north of NYC.

Nolaegghead - that is what I want.  How do I cook a store bought "corned beef" flat o n the Egg so that it is tender fall apart like that?

yes to this

Chef Charles

I know this is not traditional in any sense of the word yet I take the store bought corned beef brisket and smoke it for a few hours and then pull it and wrap in tinfoil and place in the fridge.  The next day, I cook it in our pressure cooker with some guiness and then, once done, cook up some carrots and cabbage in the cooking liquid to finish off the meal.

nolaegghead

robnybbq said:

NY just north of NYC.

Nolaegghead - that is what I want.  How do I cook a store bought "corned beef" flat o n the Egg so that it is tender fall apart like that?

Step one is soak it for about 8-24 hours in a large quantity of water, or change the water a few times to remove excess salt.

Step two, cover with rub - traditional is course pepper and coriander.   Smoke slowly until 170F if you're going to steam it or until it's done (tender) if you aren't. 

robnybbq

Steam it? Like wrapping in foil on the egg? Or another method?

nolaegghead

robnybbq said:

Steam it? Like wrapping in foil on the egg? Or another method?

Hot water vapor.  It's kind of a pain in the ass - you have to rig up something.  You can use a roasting pan with a wire rack on the bottom to keep the brisket out of the water, which you boil to create steam.  Lid on the whole mess.  Check the water level every now and then to add more if necessary. 

grege345

Roughly how long Nola?

nolaegghead

About three hours of healthy steam on a cold pastrami brisket of average size.  Deli steamers are used to steam and hold the brisket until it's used, so I suppose there's a wide latitude in the amount of time you can leave it in there....turn down the heat after three hours to keep warm.

robnybbq

What about serving right from the egg? Will it be juicy or need a steaming or cooked in a pan with liquid or wrapped after a few hours of smoke?

nolaegghead

You could probably just foil it with some liquid after the smoke phase and it would be passable pastrami.  The reason they have the "complicated" steps (corn, soak, smoke, cool, steam) is because it does matter insofar as the taste and texture - if you're shooting for the NY deli quality, you probably should follow the same basic steps.  I'm no expert on it, just did it a few times.

Little Steven

nolaegghead said:

A good pastrami will be very tender and fall apart when slicing and eating.

Montreal smoked meat doesn't.

( )

robnybbq

I may abort his idea and just crock pot it like normal.

Thanks for the info.

grege345

@robnybbq don't abort. I never did it either so we are in this together. With @nolaegghead‌ help I'm doin it. I watched a video on YouTube form tasty licks bbq. No crockpot rob!! We got this!

robnybbq

Don't wan to cook the brisket for 7-9!hours then fridge it then steam it. Sounds like a good plan but I just don't want or have that much time to do it. Maybe over the summer when I have more time.

SmokeyPitt

Someone mentioned Thirdeyes site in the other corned beef/pastrami thread we had going:

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

...he suggests a few different options for finishing, his favorite being a pressure cooker.  Props to @fishlessman for the suggestion in the other thread. 

Note that option 2 is simply finishing wrapped in foil.  If you don't have a pressure cooker or steamer then I would lean toward that option.

grege345

That's what I'm going to do. Cook to 150-160 then wrap with water to finish off cook. It's saint Patrick's day weekend after all. After a six pack or two it'll prolly taste great no matter what

nolaegghead

robnybbq said:

Don't wan to cook the brisket for 7-9!hours then fridge it then steam it. Sounds like a good plan but I just don't want or have that much time to do it. Maybe over the summer when I have more time.

Dude. I'm going to do a mini intervention here.  Go to a deli.  Eat real pastrami.  If you like it but it sounds like it's too hard to do with your busy schedule, then don't entertain the idea that other people need to sell the "DIY Pastrami" project to you.  If you want to be a creative, innovative, progressive cook, I'll work with you. Otherwise, I feel like I was used  by someone who's mind was made up.  Sorry to be a ****, but just want you to **** or get off the pot.  Your life, your decision.  Rock out.