Corned Beef/Pastrami Foamheart Second attempt!

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foamheart

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
I love corned beef and pastrami especially this time of the year (I know I know, its not Irish but it is at my house!)! I have tried salt peter, cure 1, cure 2, and this time I am back trying cure one again. I had a full packer, 13# but divided it. I am using 4.25# and a brine cure.

Speaking of brine cures and since its so small, I again tried my own concoction.

1 1/2 t. Cure #1

1/4 C Canning salt

1/3 C white sugar

1/3 C Light Brown Sugar

1/2 T Mustard Seeds

12 Juniper Berries (Smashed)

1/4 t. Coriander Ground (all I had)

2 Bay Leaves

Brought it to a boil, allowed to cool, added ice and water to equal 2 qts. brine.

Flat was only 2 1/2 at its very fattest place so I didn't inject. Hope that is not a mistake.



I put a Pyrex pie dish on top, sealed the container and put back in the reefer.

I marinated and oven baked the other halve today, delightful. Hey you don't always have to smoke it, and will slice for sandwiches tomorrow.

Gee.... with all this brisket going on, where's supper?


Sweet Cured leg quarters smoked on Pecan, of course! Not too bad, but a little tuff.

More to come next week on the corned beef/pastrami!  I've got my fingers crossed.
 
I am watching. I have done alot of curing but no corned beef.
 
Bigwheel's Grand Prize Winning Corned Beef (Pastrami)

Bigwheel's Grand Prize Winning Corned Beef Pastrami (Rev 8/10/09)*

2 big severely trimmed packer briskets
2 gallons Foat Wuth tap water
2 cup brown sugar
2 cups Morton's Tender Quick
1/2 cup dried minced onyawns
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/3 cup coarse grind black pepper
2 T. dry mustard
1 T. ground Thyme
1 liberal sprinkle ground Allspice
1 chintzy sprinkle ground Cloves
4 or 5 or 6 of Joe Ames good tasting bay leaves

Mix up the brine and get it ice cold. Strain the brine and shoot them
briskets up to the gills..then dunk em in the brine for 5 days in the ice
box. Drag em out and rub down good with black peppea and ground corriander.
Cook em on the pit at somewhere around 250 till the internal temp hits about 180 and dont seem to want to go no higher. Slice em thin and against the grain and pile it high on your Reuben. Will make you want to slap somebody's Mama.

bigwheel
 
Quote: Flat was only 2 1/2 at its very fattest place so I didn't inject. Hope that is not a mistake.

On marginal size pieces of meat that I intend for corned beef I pierce with a fork or Jaccard to increase surface area and aid in cure penetration. Between the cure and the high heat when simmering I don't worry about introducing surface bacteria to the inside of the meat.

BTW, you know beef is not from a pig, right ?
 
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Sounds good. Naw injecting is optional..just seems to speed things up a bit. When I first started clowning around with the stuff I was following an old timey real stout float an egg preserving brine recipe and Salt Peter (think that stuff is now considered dangerous lol).  Always did full packers and left them in the bucket 10 days. Always got a good cure flung on it but was mighty salty. First step was to boil it..lol. Worst can happen is it aint had enough time the meat can look splotchy which dont hurt anything. 
 
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Quote: Flat was only 2 1/2 at its very fattest place so I didn't inject. Hope that is not a mistake.

On marginal size pieces of meat that I intend for corned beef I pierce with a fork or Jaccard to increase surface area and aid in cure penetration. Between the cure and the high heat when simmering I don't worry about introducing surface bacteria to the inside of the meat.

BTW, you know beef is not from a pig, right ?
You mean corned beef isn't the other white meat? LOL Just habit.

I have been talking Jaccard for years, ever since I saw a vid on the famous New York Deli that does a gazillion pounds of corned beef a day in their restaurant. They built a commercial sized Jaccard and its dang impressive. They also pour down the brine on each flat while using it to ensure penetration. It has monster blades, more like pencils. I alwath though it a great idea for good penetration. But never bought one because, like Mr. Alton, I have a house full of one shot gadgets already and I can't think of another use for it.
 
I love pastrami and I only have one piece left in the freezer. This post made me go look. Thanks for posting, I will follow it before I do mine. My mother always taught me to learn from others!

Disco
 
 
I love pastrami and I only have one piece left in the freezer. This post made me go look. Thanks for posting, I will follow it before I do mine. My mother always taught me to learn from others!

Disco
I was looking for some good north of the Mason Dixon line leadership. I was even open to Montréal Meat, which I am assuming is nothing but corned beef with a Canadian spice. LOL I broke my trusty old digital thermometer out and ordered some rye too.

Speaking of that, believe I need to get in there and slice up that brisket before people start showing up today......

Be Back in a bit. 
 
 
I was looking for some good north of the Mason Dixon line leadership. I was even open to Montréal Meat, which I am assuming is nothing but corned beef with a Canadian spice. LOL I broke my trusty old digital thermometer out and ordered some rye too.

Speaking of that, believe I need to get in there and slice up that brisket before people start showing up today......

Be Back in a bit. 
I have to admit, Montreal Smoked Meat is my favourite and I make it often but you need variety!
 
Looking good.  Did my first "from scratch" pastrami a month or so ago.  I used basically the same ingredients in my brine (those juniper berries really make a difference).  Mine turned out a little salty, but gooooooood sliced up paper thin with some corned beef, provolone, mayo, mustard and italian dressing on big sub roll.........  I ate one three days in a row.

About the difference between mine and yours is that I used a sirloin tip roast (it was cheaper than brissket).  I'm sure it will turn out delicious.
 
Well its been a week. Last night I took it out the brine, washed it and dried it and let it sit over night in the reefer. I was going to take a picture but it was all shy about me bathing it, leaving it all uncovered in the reefer and having its picture taken nekkid. I never met a shy brisket before.


So this afternoon I slathered it up with mustard, brisket would not stop giggling! I applied mustard seeds, squished juniper, salt, cracked black, and coriander. Sister was here all sickly coughing and hacking with the crud, so I decided if I stayed around the corner in the kitchen it would definitely behoove me.

Quick on my feet, I looked around and decided some thin sliced onions and garlic couldn't hurt the corned beef. I could take my time, seeing just how thin I could cut them. I don't know they will add much but it put me out of sight and mind long enough. LOL


Wrapped it all up, then I think brother-in-law saw how smart I was, or maybe he just got inquisitive deciding to come over and then ask questions. LOL.

Its waiting in the reefer now for tomorrow.

While all this was going on, I had an old tenderloin in the smoker. Last night I tied it, cayenne, garlic, onion, and wrapped and threw in the reefer.


I unwrapped it today, used some salt and light brown sugar..... you want that hard candy shell!



220 degrees to a nice safe 150 IT. Still tender and juicy



LOL.. no Bear View it didn't last that long. You can't see it but the outside develops this delicious sweet bark, I sliced it and put some Kumquat Marmalade with it the bitter offset the sweet perfectly. Kumquat Marmalade is a sweet bitter taste since the bulk of the flavor comes from the essential oils in the rind. Anyway, it was delightful. Don't let the price of pork tenderloin to weight drive you away. I get two to a pack, and I can easily get a smoke, a roast, and a jambalaya out of it. That's easily16 plates of delicious food. BTW we are the tenderloin on some biscuits.


Nothing fancy, just some biscuits, smoked tenderloin, and some jelly, (we did sneak some Butter & Steens syrup in for desert!).

I am sitting here laughing because I had totally forgot these pictures. That's it, be back tomorrow. Hoping it dry up a little and I can try some RYE bread! Pastrami, creole mustard, provolone, on warm rye bread....... There it went!  I did it, now my mouth is watering...... Or just Hot pastrami with a cabbage, tater, and onion casserole would be good too....

Ahhhh..... decisions decisions decisions......
 
Ok, I kicked the tires and lite the fires! Took the brisket out, and gave her a final rubs with squished juniper, coriander, salt and cracked black.


She's a pretty little thing.


When I rolled out this AM, my first thing even before putting on the coffee was to preheat and lite that smoker.


That's it for the cherry pellets....... never again! I had to reload and relight with the old tried and true Pecan.

More to come.

Now I have a thought. Does anyone trim the exposed meat after cure/brine/pickling/corning? Would the clean fresh meat (I know its cured also), but would it absorb better than the old stale meat that has been transferring fluids thru it for the past 10 days?
 
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Ok, I kicked the tires and lite the fires! Took the brisket out, and gave her a final rubs with squished juniper, coriander, salt and cracked black.


She's a pretty little thing.


When I rolled out this AM, my first thing even before putting on the coffee was to preheat and lite that smoker.


That's it for the cherry pellets....... never again! I had to reload and relight with the old tried and true Pecan.

More to come.

Now I have a thought. Does anyone trim the exposed meat after cure/brine/pickling/corning? Would the clean fresh meat (I know its cured also), but would it absorb better than the old stale meat that has been transferring fluids thru it for the past 10 days?
She really is a pretty little thing! I cut and trimmed and squared off many cured butts and loins, with pork trimming the outside made no difference.
 
 
She really is a pretty little thing! I cut and trimmed and squared off many cured butts and loins, with pork trimming the outside made no difference.
Well I did this different than I ever did a brisket. I put the fat down. I applied all the good stuff to the bottom/meat side. I have always put fat up to render and baste! So Maybe it will hold on to the seasonings. <shrugs>
 
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