Katz style Brisket

Kmm · July 21

Greetings from the UK

I have a family BBQ coming up and as part of the offering I’m looking to smoke a Katz style brisket. Not a massive piece, about a 7pound flat end of a packer cut

it needs a brine, and most of the recipes I’ve seen have a lot of salt. After brining, doing I need to soak it overnight to reduce the saltiness of the meat?

I will add a dry rub before smoking, salt, pepper, garlic powder

Cooking time? Hour per pound at 220f or longer , my preference is not to crutch

All comments welcome including brine recipes

lousubcap · July 21

Paging @Canugghead who knows a whole lot about Montreal Smoked Meat so I'm sure he can help.

OhioEgger · July 21

Kmm said:

it needs a brine, and most of the recipes I’ve seen have a lot of salt. After brining, doing I need to soak it overnight to reduce the saltiness of the meat?

Personally, I like it a bit salty, so I soak it for just an hour after brining.
My usual routine is this one:
https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-pastrami-thats-close-katzs-recipe/

HeavyG · July 21

Yes. After you've cured/turned the brisket into corned beef it does need to be soaked for many hours with a couple water changes to remove much of the salt.

Here's a couple links worth reading to Meatheads excellent "close to Katz" pastrami (if you haven't already seen them):

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-corned-beef-recipe/

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-pastrami-thats-close-katzs-recipe/

fishlessman · July 21

never brined my own, just have bought a corned beef from the market and soaked it in cold water for a day changing the water a few times. i like a short cook in a pressure cooker to finish it up at the end, 15 minutes under steam in the cooker works well for me. i dont add salt to the rub, theres already more than enough in that corned brisket.

Kmm · July 21

Thanks mate !

Canugghead · July 21

lousubcap said:

Paging @Canugghead who knows a whole lot about Montreal Smoked Meat so I'm sure he can help.

Thanks @lousubcap

This post got me digging into the Montreal smoked meat rabbit hole.
https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1128140/ultimate-montreal-smoked-meat-recipe/p1
It's a dry 10-day cure and I cut down all ingredients by about 50%!

If you're looking for wet brine method @paqman is your man.

Kmm · July 21

HeavyG said:

Yes. After you've cured/turned the brisket into corned beef it does need to be soaked for many hours with a couple water changes to remove much of the salt.

Here's a couple links worth reading to Meatheads excellent "close to Katz" pastrami (if you haven't already seen them):

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-corned-beef-recipe/

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-pastrami-thats-close-katzs-recipe/

The website is very confusing. It makes clear that bought corned beef should be soaked afterwards , but it is unclear whether if you do your own Corning/curing weather you need to soak ?

HeavyG · July 21

Kmm said:

HeavyG said:

Yes. After you've cured/turned the brisket into corned beef it does need to be soaked for many hours with a couple water changes to remove much of the salt.

Here's a couple links worth reading to Meatheads excellent "close to Katz" pastrami (if you haven't already seen them):

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-corned-beef-recipe/

https://amazingribs.com/tested-recipes/beef-and-bison-recipes/home-made-pastrami-thats-close-katzs-recipe/

The website is very confusing. It makes clear that bought corned beef should be soaked afterwards , but it is unclear whether if you do your own Corning/curing weather you need to soak ?

Method

Prep the corned beef. Buy or make corned beef. For pastrami, the flat section of the brisket is favored by many because it makes nice even slices for sandwiches, but I prefer the point section of the brisket because it is fattier, richer, and more tender. It can also be made from flank steak, or leaner cuts, or even from boneless short plate (rib meat). Remove all of the fat cap and if there is any filmy membrane on the other side, remove it all.
Desalinate. Put the corned beef in a pot slightly larger than the meat and cover it with cold water in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Change the water at least once. This removes excess salt. Trust me, you need to do this or you will be gulping water all night after your meal.

loco_engr · July 21

By Katz style are you looking for corned beef?

Kmm · July 22

More pastrami I think

Kmm · July 22

lousubcap said:

Paging @Canugghead who knows a whole lot about Montreal Smoked Meat so I'm sure he can help.

Problem is it refers to a lot of ingredients that aren’t available in the UK or have different names

paqman · July 22

Yes, definitely desalinate, I usually do 2 days.

Canugghead · July 22

Kmm said:

lousubcap said:

Paging @Canugghead who knows a whole lot about Montreal Smoked Meat so I'm sure he can help.

lousubcap said:

Paging @Canugghead who knows a whole lot about Montreal Smoked Meat so I'm sure he can help.

Problem is it refers to a lot of ingredients that aren’t available in the UK or have different names

Use this instead of Readycure or Instacure pink salt:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nitrite-Salt-Curing-preserve-foods/dp/B07T1HMHX6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=curing+salt&qid=1690035641&sr=8-3

Coriander seeds, cloves and whole bay leaves should be readily available at most Indian grocers. I grind whole bay leaves into powder.

Kmm · July 23

Thanks!

fishlessman · July 24

my butcher, an old english shop does a drycure/ corning, less curing salt but higher salt blend, yields a more grey corned beef. less soak time with these, say 8 hours. the store bought red coned beef are wet brined, soak is a full day, 24 hr plus, but yields a more traditional pastrami taste and texture wise. i use both and like each product for what they are. grew up with grey as all the shops in my area were english born, never saw red until i was in college even though thats whats most sold around the country nowadays

Kmm · August 3

Thanks!

Ybabpmuts · August 4

@fishlessman

I know you probably find this a little scary, but you are not far from me when you're not up near Sebago area, so I'm curious about your butcher. We had the modern butcher in town (Newburyport) but they moved to Danvers, and worst yet, the took all the meat with them

fishlessman · August 4

Ybabpmuts said:

@fishlessman

I know you probably find this a little scary, but you are not far from me when you're not up near Sebago area, so I'm curious about your butcher. We had the modern butcher in town (Newburyport) but they moved to Danvers, and worst yet, the took all the meat with them

south side of portsmouth on the rye/northhampton side of portsmouth on route 1 theres a mckinnons market, i buy descent meat from them at the salem nh store. pretty sure you are up that way often. i only buy the meat, the mckinnons deli roast beef, and their version of cheeses which i believe cabots make for them in the deli section. butcher boy market in n andover has great stuff but their prices are out of control. mckinnons over all is great, wont find a tritip but they will have brisket on the shelf, the meat marinade section is their recipes and look for the marinated lamb ribs if you go, it seems more seasonal on those. the english butcher i mentioned i just buy the corned beef, sausages, and the meat pies, located on railroad st methuen, small shop but he cuts supermarket thickness, mostly older blue collar crowd

Money_Hillbilly · August 5

@Kmm I have made pastrami a number of ways with excellent results. I have used amazingribs sous vide method and their traditional method by soaking a store bought corned beef. I have also cured whole packer briskets and smoked to make pastrami. The amazing ribs rub is absolutely wonderful and highly recommended. There is a helpful online calculator shown below that defines the curing proportions.

HeavyG · August 5

Some nice slicing there @Money_Hillbilly.

Money_Hillbilly · August 6

@HeavyG Thanks, Shun premier 10” slicer sharpened by a friend that has a wall full of $1,000 Japanese custom knives. The Shuns are just fine for me.

Katz style Brisket

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