Honey & orange glazed smoked turkey breast pastrami

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edward36

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Mar 3, 2014
307
73
Sydney, Australia
Hey guys!

Long time no see! Work has kept me pretty much tied up, mostly with the travels. But now I am back, dust shaken off the smoker, and this time - smoked turkey breast pastrami with honey & orange glaze.


The brine (for 2 whole turkey breasts):
  • 1.3 gallons of water
  • 8 tbsp coarse salt
  • 10 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tbsp allspice berries
  • 5 cloves, whole
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, whole
  • 12 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with a side of a knife
  • 1 lime (or lemon) sliced
Glaze:
  • 5 tbsp honey
  • 1 tbsp fresh orange juice
The turkey breasts they sell down here are already boneless and skinless. So I got 2 whole breasts, making 4 half cuts.

The brine: 
  1. Boiled about 1/3 of the water with all the spices but the garlic and lime, for about 20 minutes. The idea here is to make an infusion and also make sure salt and sugar fully dissolve.
     
  2. Took it off the heat, added in the rest of the water and chilled to a room temperature.
     
  3. Added the garlic cloves and lime slices.
Brining - 24 hours, refrigerated. 

Glaze preparation - simply mixed the honey with the orange juice and whisked until well blended. Small trick - heating up the honey for 20 seconds in a microwave makes it really easy to do.

Before the smoking, trussed the breasts with cotton string:


Smoking - 4 hours on 225F, water pan filled with water, until IT 165F. Used peach wood chunks with cherry wood chips, for the colour. 15 minutes before taking the pastrami off the smoke, basted it with the glaze.

Rest - 40 minutes, covered with foil. Then - sliced and... well, you can see :).




Cheers!

Ed
 
The Bird looks moist and delicious. I need to try making Turkey Pastrami but I would definitely add 1 Tbs of Cure #1 for the pink color and flavor. And growing up close to New York City can't imagine Pastrami without a nice coating of Coarse Black Pepper and Coriander. The lemony flavor of the Coriander would compliment the OJ and Honey nicely...JJ
 
Jimmy, thanks!

And yeah, I love the coriander and black pepper as well... But you know how that is - the client's always right :). And my clients (aka wife & kids) like the pastrami "naked". Just like that!

As for the Cure #1 - not sure I can lay my hands on that around here, and I don't really mind not having the pink color.

But this 24h brining works magic! Turkey breast is the driest meat I know, and it turned out incredibly moist!

Cheers,

Ed
 
Nice , love the glaze . . .
drool.gif
 
I just noticed your location. Is Corned Beef and Pastrami just a Jewish/American dish? I would think there are enough Jews from the States and Central/Eastern Europe that have returned to Israel that there would be a demand if not an availability. Maybe there is a source at a Butcher shop or on-line? Sounds like a business opportunity.
biggrin.gif
   I trust it was moist and flavorful as is, nice job...JJ
 
Last edited:
 
I just noticed your location. Is Corned Beef and Pastrami just a Jewish/American dish? I would think there are enough Jews from the States and Central/Eastern Europe that have returned to Israel that there would be a demand if not an availability. Maybe there is a source at a Butcher shop or on-line? Sounds like a business opportunity.
biggrin.gif
   I trust it was moist and flavorful as is, nice job...JJ
Jimmy, I myself am one of those jews - was born in former USSR :). But must admit - never saw this thing in Israel. And I am just a tiny bit found of local culinary offerings after 25 years living here :) :) :)

Ed
 
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