Top Round Pastrami

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

dingo007

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Feb 17, 2014
326
68
Gypsy
Howdy....Had a top round laying around to be corned, but since I have a new slicer i decided to go the extra mile and make pastrami out of it;

Here it is fresh out of 14 days in brine..(also 6% pump)


Then i toasted some fennel and coriander seeds...


Then smothered it in mustard and the fennel/coriander/BP mix.....


Off to the smoker @ 225F


In the end it took 12 1/2 hrs for the IT to reach 195. Then foiled it, stuffed it in the fridge and went to bed.

Here it is the next morning;



All in all a very tastey luncheon meat. I'm still  working out the idiosyncrasies of my slicer as i didn't get as thin as i would've liked, but they are still thin enough to be tender.

Thanks for looking..smoke on!
 
Looks good...... try throwing the meat in the freezer next go-round.... sure helps to keep it from wiggling when slicing and screwing up the thickness of the slices.... for me it does...

Dave
 
That looks good enough to eat!!! I've been reading of a few now and then using cuts other than brisket for pastrami, and it's beginning to look like a really good alternative. I always had this thing about the small slices from brisket...just me. The only advantage I see with brisket is I've never felt the need to inject, due to it's lower cross-section, but I've always allowed at least a 10-12 day cure time.

Just curious, which slicer are you using? Maybe there's someone who has it and can offer some tips. Mine is a cheapo Nesco, but it has done a reasonably good job for thin slices...not always perfect, but once you get the feel of it and how the meat wants to feed, it does some nice work. I sometimes find myself trying to slice a bit too fast and that is when I get a wedge forming on the back side of the meat. This eventually pushes a chunk of meat behind the blade area...basically it just by-passes the blade. You did the best thing before slicing by chilling first...that always helps to have a firmer piece.

Thanks for sharing!!! I need grab some eye of round, top round or other cut from the rump and get a brine-cure going.

Eric
 

That sure looks good from here! Nice job 
icon14.gif
 
Thanks all for the replies.

My slicer is an old Toledo. I think the meat was firm enough...i reckon i need to figure out how to use the blade sharpening attachment properly. It sliced evenly enough...just wouldn't hold it's line if tried paper thin.
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif
 
Ah, that sounds like a good, solid machine, unlike mine (lots of plastic). Mine has a moderate serrated blade, of sorts. Maybe the blade style on mine is more of an all-purpose type, for cheese, cold meats, and whatever else you might want to toss through it. It's not real fast, but is relatively uniform. Your old blade is probably a straight fine edge, I'm assuming, so yeah, it probably needs a touch-up now and then to keep it happy. Hope you get it lined-out...I would love to have one of those old heavy-duty slicers...something along the lines of a 14"...ooooh, that would be sweet!!! (if only I had the space to put another slicer).

If you can't figure out the sharpener, maybe take a few close-up pics at different angles and post 'em here...maybe we can help you get that sorted out.

Eric
 
my wife say this as i was reading and said OMG yo gotta try that it looks delish

i agree with her man it looks mouth watering , gonna try this for sandwich day
 
 
Ah, that sounds like a good, solid machine, unlike mine (lots of plastic). Mine has a moderate serrated blade, of sorts. Maybe the blade style on mine is more of an all-purpose type, for cheese, cold meats, and whatever else you might want to toss through it. It's not real fast, but is relatively uniform. Your old blade is probably a straight fine edge, I'm assuming, so yeah, it probably needs a touch-up now and then to keep it happy. Hope you get it lined-out...I would love to have one of those old heavy-duty slicers...something along the lines of a 14"...ooooh, that would be sweet!!! (if only I had the space to put another slicer).

If you can't figure out the sharpener, maybe take a few close-up pics at different angles and post 'em here...maybe we can help you get that sorted out.

Eric
Thx Eric...Yeah...it's an old school straight blade for sure....I'm thinking the sharpening stones might be shot...I'm gonna try and slice some Lomo next weekend..we'll see what happens.
 
Looks great!

Using round for a lean pastrami is still on my bucket list.

I need to get off my butt!

Good luck and good smoking.
Thx Man...I really like the larger (than brisket slices) for sammies. It's worth doing!
 
my wife say this as i was reading and said OMG yo gotta try that it looks delish

i agree with her man it looks mouth watering , gonna try this for sandwich day
Thx Man....NIKE (just do it). You'll never go back.
 
That has some beautiful color to it.

What for pickling spices did you use?
 
That has some beautiful color to it.

What for pickling spices did you use?
Thanks...I used a proprietary blend sourced from the high end purveyor of herbs and spices "McCormacks" pickling spice
30.gif
I know i should make my own...to many other project rolling right now.
nice smoke Dingo! Points for you! I like using top round for pastrami. Did your rub have juniper berries in it?
Unfortunately not. I'm all out of Juniper right now...it's hard to get good herbs and spices here, waiting for a delivery.
 
[quote


Unfortunately not. I'm all out of Juniper right now...it's hard to get good herbs and spices here, waiting for a delivery.
[/quote]

Man I'll have to send you some rhe next time we go out and harvest! We missed the best time this fall. But I plan on getting some before summer!
 
[quote


Unfortunately not. I'm all out of Juniper right now...it's hard to get good herbs and spices here, waiting for a delivery.

Man I'll have to send you some rhe next time we go out and harvest! We missed the best time this fall. But I plan on getting some before summer![/quote]
That's awfully generous of you. If you find yourself with a surplus, i'll gladly take em off your hands. I can send you an insulated container with reverse postage and maybe something out of the "fridge" for your time. Thanks
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky