Wanna try Pastrami but need help

This one is like Katzs Deli: https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1214861/pastrami#latest

https://katzsdelicatessen.com/

This one looks good, some noob posted it last year.

https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1205811/holy-grail-pastrami

For an easy way to start making pastrami, buy a corned beef flat.  drop it in a container of water, like a cambro, and leave in the fridge 24 hours to desalt it.  dry it off, and apply a pastrami rub, and let that sit in the fridge for 24 hours.  then add smoke and tenderize.  you can smoke it indirect for a few hours at 275, then wrap in aluminum foil.  easy and fun.

if that works out and you want to get more control and more involved, you can look into equilibrium brines and cure your own flats and add whatever spices you want. (i still cheat here, and make a brine, and use mccormick pickling spice)

I've used this recipe below to do at least 10 pastrami cooks. Ended up tweaking it over time and have had some amazing results. 

Wet brine I let set for 5 weeks and then a dry rub for 10 days. A lot of it depends on the quality of the meat and the amount of fat in the brisket. 

Get some extra large bags for turkeys. I double the bags in case one leaks. You can then set these bags inside a new 5 gallon bucket that does not have to be food grade since your brine is not touching the bucket.

After the wet brine, depending on the size of your brisket, you'll need a large glass or food grade platter/ bowl to let the dry rub rest in. You can use metal but you'll want to use some plastic wrap so the meat is not resting on the metal platter.

Start out doing your first cook with a smaller cut and work out your recipe.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html  

Here's @thirdeye's method...very good (the only one I've ever tried, actually the only time I ever made pastrami). http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1996/05/beef-pastrami.html

Welcome to the nuthouse!

tridogdude said:

I've used this recipe below to do at least 10 pastrami cooks. Ended up tweaking it over time and have had some amazing results. 

Wet brine I let set for 5 weeks and then a dry rub for 10 days. A lot of it depends on the quality of the meat and the amount of fat in the brisket. 

Get some extra large bags for turkeys. I double the bags in case one leaks. You can then set these bags inside a new 5 gallon bucket that does not have to be food grade since your brine is not touching the bucket.

After the wet brine, depending on the size of your brisket, you'll need a large glass or food grade platter/ bowl to let the dry rub rest in. You can use metal but you'll want to use some plastic wrap so the meat is not resting on the metal platter.

Start out doing your first cook with a smaller cut and work out your recipe.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html  

wow! I thought mine took forever at a week and a half. 6 weeks in brine/dry rub????? I'm so scattered I'm afraid I would lose interest over 6 weeks.

I recently bought Michael Symon’s Playing With Fire . In it he gives good and detailed instructions for making pastrami from a whole beef brisket. Starting on page 73 though 74. I wouldn’t mind trying it except I only have a medium and there is no way I could use the mass quantities. Fortunately he has good sections on all other proteins. Good sides, sauces, and rubs.

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

tridogdude said:

I've used this recipe below to do at least 10 pastrami cooks. Ended up tweaking it over time and have had some amazing results. 

Wet brine I let set for 5 weeks and then a dry rub for 10 days. A lot of it depends on the quality of the meat and the amount of fat in the brisket. 

Get some extra large bags for turkeys. I double the bags in case one leaks. You can then set these bags inside a new 5 gallon bucket that does not have to be food grade since your brine is not touching the bucket.

After the wet brine, depending on the size of your brisket, you'll need a large glass or food grade platter/ bowl to let the dry rub rest in. You can use metal but you'll want to use some plastic wrap so the meat is not resting on the metal platter.

Start out doing your first cook with a smaller cut and work out your recipe.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html  

wow! I thought mine took forever at a week and a half. 6 weeks in brine/dry rub????? I'm so scattered I'm afraid I would lose interest over 6 weeks.

maybe it's an advanced technique - curing lengthwise, instead of from the sides?

I've done a mess of corned beef over the years and I love the way they come out. Whenever I look at pastrami recipes they always call for Morton Tender Quick. I've got a lifetime supply of pink salt so I don't really want to buy the MTQ. The problem is that I can't find a recipe that uses pink salt or a conversion from MTQ to salt+pink salt.

dannys said:

I've done a mess of corned beef over the years and I love the way they come out. Whenever I look at pastrami recipes they always call for Morton Tender Quick. I've got a lifetime supply of pink salt so I don't really want to buy the MTQ. The problem is that I can't find a recipe that uses pink salt or a conversion from MTQ to salt+pink salt.

Just use the corned beef made from your favorite recipe.  No reason to switch to using MTQ.  The recipe from AmazingRibs.com uses pink salt, not MTQ.  

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