Pastrami help

Gunnar

I'm following the recipe by Thirdeye/Grandpa's Grub and now have the rub applied. I'm going to use the wet method of cooking and pullat 165 to 170. I'm looking for an estimate of the cook time for the 4 1/2 pound brisket so I know when to start it. Thanks...

bubba tim

Gunnar, I would start with 1 1/2 hours per pound as a starting point. You may want your pit a bit higher at 240 to 250.

Gunnar

Agreed, will run at 250. What seems odd is that meat usually plateus around 170 deg and that is the recommended temp to pull off and let rest.

bubba tim

If you are at 170 now and have been on the pit for over 6 hours, you may want to pull it and let it rest.

thirdeye

The greatest thing about both the "wet" or the "pressure finish" is that they both hold very well and also reheat well. I would allow 4 or 4-1/2 hours to reach the 150° internal temperature. (Just use your probe thermometer, in case you need to ramp the pit temp one way or the other - you don't want to cook it higher than a pit temp of 250°). Once you go into the foil, it may only take an hour or hour and a half to reach your finish temp. The most important part of the instructions on my site are Cook until the internal temperature is 165° to 170° and the pastrami is tender. Rest before serving. Remember to slice against the grain. So.....monitor the internal, and also confirm the tenderness with a toothpick. You may need to go to 180° internal, but remember you are usually slicing pastrami thin, which helps with the tenderness. Also different brands of corned briskets can be different, once you find a brand you like stick with it.

Now, to answer your question, I would allow 7 hours for smoking, foil finishing, and resting. If it's ready early just hold in the foil pouch in a cooler insulated with newspaper.

As far as your concerns about the plateau, think of this piece of meat as "processed" rather than raw, so it will cook differently. (Much like a ham cooks differently than a fresh leg, or bacon verses side pork)

Be sure and let us know how this comes out.

Gunnar

Thanks...just getting ready to start the fire.

thirdeye

Gunnar,

I hope you picked up on the EDIT to the time change....7 hours total not 6. I was thinking of my drum and not my Egg.

Gunnar

Got it....I'll be drooling all afternoon.

Grandpas Grub

Gunnar,

This is all thrideye doin not mine!!!

My part in all this is that I followed thirdeye's instructions to the letter and I absolutely loved the results. I then took some pictures (after eating a little). Thirdeye was kind enough to use the pictures. Thirdeye’s the master I’m the grunt and pornographer – cuz that pastrami is absolutely sinful.

When you get some time cook some good burgers on the egg then put some of that pastrami on the burger add whatever else you like and have some fantastic pastrami burgers. Careful they are addicting.

Kent