Hi Shawn
I'm going to try the Recipe from the episode of Dinners, Drive-ins and Dives on the Food Network also referenced in this thread. 12 pound brisket so I'll triple the recipe and the curing time and smoke it the way I do a regular Texas brisket..
This should take approx 3 weeks as I just pulled a brisket out of the freezer today..so as soon as it is thawed I'll brine it and we shall see. I'll take some photos and post back here when I'm done..

Can you share the recipe now (label it untested) so we can see how if differs from the one on this post?
Thanks.
Alan

quote:

Originally posted by Alan Corey:
Can you share the recipe now (label it untested) so we can see how if differs from the one on this post?
Thanks.
Alan

The recipe is about half way down on page one of this thread, posted by Bryan S.

It features dextrose and IIRC he also used dextrose in his cured smoked turkey breast.

It's in the brine today:
12 Pound Brisket
2.75 gallons of water
18 Oz salt: mix of Kosher and Canning & pickling salt

6 Oz Prague Powder
6 Oz of Dextrose
7 Oz Pickling spices

I'll let in brine until Sunday November 1st then it's out and on the smoker/ Maple wood
180-205 Smoke temp for 4 Hours..

Then double wrap in foil and bring up to 170-195... Final temp I haven't quite made a decision on...

Any suggestions?
Jack

Thought you were going to brine it for 3 weeks?

No..I said it would take me three weeks from the date of the original post as it was frozen solid.. I don't think there will be much difference between 5-10 days..Maybe..who knows thats why were all in this post as there aren't really any solid answers..

It's done. We got Pastrami..I was very hesitant to try it due to the amount of Prague Powder I used. I did however cut one slice it tasted like a very nice pastrami and was tender cut with the grain.

I smoked it to 140 and then steamed it in the convection over until the thickest part was 168.

I wrapped it and let it set all night in the fridge..

I have since tossed it and will start over using less than 2 Oz of Prague powder.

I've been fascinated with Montreal Smoked Meat since I first saw it in a segment on Meat & Potatoes w/ Chef Rahm Fama (Food Channel) when he visited Mile End Deli in Brooklyn. While searching for recipe info, I came across this thread and the Mr BBQ article http://www.mrbbq.ca/2010/01/sm...mi-beef-brisket.html. So I went for it with a 6.5# flat (I selected one with even thickness from Sam's Club), trimming the cap to 1/8". My procedure follows...

Overview:
Montreal smoked meat is wet-cured in brine for 2 days, rubbed in seasonings and marinaded for 8-10 days, smoked for 6-8 hours, then steamed for 2-3 hours.

Brine:
* 1/2 gallon water
* 3 ounces kosher salt
* 1 ounce Prague powder
* 1 ounce powdered dextrose [corn sugar]
* 1 ounce pickling spices, plus 1-1/2 teaspoons ground pickling spice
Combine and add with meat in doubled 2 gal ziplock bags. Store in fridge for 2 days, turning once.
Once brined, partly dry the meat (I did not rinse).

------

Smoked Meat Rub:
Ingredients: [used 1/2 batch]
* 4 tablespoons kosher salt
* 4 tablespoons smoked paprika
* 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
* 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
* 1 tablespoon white peppercorns
* 8 cloves garlic, minced
* enough red wine to make slurry [1/2 cupish]
* 1 oz pickling spices, as is - do not grind
Preparation:
Lightly toast and then combine coriander seeds, peppercorns and mustard seeds in a spice grinder. Grind coarsely. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well.

* Put marinade back in the doubled ziplock bag, add brined meat and refrigerate to marinade and cure for another 8 days, turning over daily.

* Rinse off marinade well and soak in water for 1 hr, changing water once.

* Rub with CA's Pastrami Rub [3 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper, slightly coarse grind; 1 teaspoon freshly ground coriander seeds, slightly coarse grind; 1 teaspoon granulated garlic]

* Now cured, marinaded & rubbed, the briskets are placed in a smoker (22 WSM) for 6-8 hours. [I used 8 small oak barrel chunks saved from a bag of JD briquets]

* Cook @ 220-240F (1.5 hours/pound) until brisket reaches internal temperature of 175F. [My 6.3# 'skit took 9 hrs]

[At this point, I refrigerated for 2 days, as I had intended to prepare this meat ahead of time, to be served at a weekend party.]

* Before serving, the brisket is placed in a steamer for 2-4 hours. [I steamed the meat on a rack over an inch of waterin a foil pan, covered tightly w/ foil, in a 275F oven for 4 hrs]

* Slice & serve.

I loved this meat! It sliced nice and easy. Was red, not gray. Very moist, with just enough saltiness. Peppery, coriandery, with a hint of pickling spice. I will make this forever, knowing that I need 2 weeks to prepare it!

After the meat is brined for 2 days, do you discard the brining liquid when you "put marinade back in double ziplock bag" or do you both brine and use the rub for the full 8-10 days?

Thanks,

Eric

quote:

do you discard the brining liquid

Yes!
I made this recipe again, recently, with similar results. I intend to post photos, soon.

Is the meat supposed to turn pink after the 2 day brine or after it is cooked?

Eric the meat will be red on the inside after it is cooked.

I am surprised by Steves results though. I would not expect a brisket to be cured (as in turn red after cooked, not talking about with the salt which would happen while it is dry curing) after two days with one once of prague powder. I am not an expert though!

I can vouch for Seans original recipe as a winner, maybe try them both!

Clark