Actually this is about a method I've been working on for about 6 months, and thus 6 briskets in a row. I love making my own corned beef and pastrami and generally do it to a smaller brisket that I let wet age for about 30 days, thus one a month.
At first I did the classic total smoke method of pastrami but tried the sous vide method and was immediately hooked. No more dried out flats and tenderness beyond belief. My current and most successful method involves corning the beef for about 7-8 days, a rinsing with multiple water changes for 24 hours, a pre-smoking of the meat to get to about 115-120* internal, a sous vide bath at 135* for 72 hours, a 30 minute ice bath then a final smoke to get the internal back up to about 130-132*. As you can see the brisket never gets above 135*. I refer to the method as QVQ Pastrami !!
It's a long process, about 2 weeks, but it produces a pastrami that rivals even Katz's in my opinion. In fact with a little rye, some sour kraut, cheese and some thousand island, I doubt I'll go to Katz's ever again :)
Here is the piece of brisket after the sous vide bath and ice chill down, ready for seasoning and final smoking....
.....and after the final smoke and rest, sliced for sandwiches.....
....cuz nothing beats a good pastrami sandwich for lunch !!!!
TROUTMAN STEVE IS OUTTA HERE !!!
At first I did the classic total smoke method of pastrami but tried the sous vide method and was immediately hooked. No more dried out flats and tenderness beyond belief. My current and most successful method involves corning the beef for about 7-8 days, a rinsing with multiple water changes for 24 hours, a pre-smoking of the meat to get to about 115-120* internal, a sous vide bath at 135* for 72 hours, a 30 minute ice bath then a final smoke to get the internal back up to about 130-132*. As you can see the brisket never gets above 135*. I refer to the method as QVQ Pastrami !!
It's a long process, about 2 weeks, but it produces a pastrami that rivals even Katz's in my opinion. In fact with a little rye, some sour kraut, cheese and some thousand island, I doubt I'll go to Katz's ever again :)
Here is the piece of brisket after the sous vide bath and ice chill down, ready for seasoning and final smoking....
.....and after the final smoke and rest, sliced for sandwiches.....
....cuz nothing beats a good pastrami sandwich for lunch !!!!
TROUTMAN STEVE IS OUTTA HERE !!!
