Corned Beef and Pastrami


 
r benash said:
Hey, if anyone is still listening on this thread. I have a large flat (point removed before purchase) that I want to dry brine and split into half corned beef, then smoked for pastrami.

Looks like Case did a dry cure with #1 pink salt by weight, and simple ground pickling spice for the start, vac sealed and left that cure for a week or so. I would let it sit for two weeks to be sure, but I think one week might be enough?

After that Case rinsed the cure off and did a sous vide on the piece for corned beef. Then ready for use.

It looks like for the flat/pastrami Case added another rub and smoked with the rub in place, then sous vide?

I'm just missing the order for the pastrami I think after it came out of the cure, got rubbed, smoked, then sous vide.

Case - any ratio of spices you used on the rub for the pastrami step would be helpful. Did you vac seal the piece for the pastrami/with rub for awhile before the smoke?

I've already made the deli rye, it's sliced and frozen. I also have the kraut in the tank. I'll be making my own dressing for sure.

Thanks
Click to expand...

For pastrami I use a mixture of cracked black pepper, cracked mustard seed, coriander, and juniper berries, garlic powder. I don't have ratio as I coat heavily by eye. I will say that I only use 2 juniper berries (crushed) per roast.

Cure time depends on the thickness of what you are curing. 1/4" of thickness per day. 1" thick = 4 days. I always add 3 more days on top just to be sure. Going two weeks is fine, won't hurt anything unless the roast is more than 2" thick , then you haven't cured long enough.

After cure I rinse then season. I now air dry the roast at this stage for 3-5 days uncovered in the fridge. Then for corned beef into sous vide. For pastrami into the smoker. If hot smoking take the roast to 180°. If cold smoking you will need to sous vide after in 180° bath for 10-12 hours.

Hope this helps.
 
Thanks Case - that's basically what I'm doing. Did my dry rub mix, which is very similar to yours plus or minus a few ingredients, a more traditional mix if you will. But liking the dry brine approach this time with the ground mix.

Understand the whole brining process et al. so good there in terms of reatios for pink salt. And timing for the cure.

My first time with dry brine for corned beef, I've usually done a wet brine.

Vac Seal and Sous vide processes I'm cool with.

That last detail was what I was more interested in - thanks

I split my 8+ pound flat into a section for corned beef and the other for pastrami, same prep for the dry brine. I'll probably do a hot smoke on the pastrami section, but may switch up to cold smoke and sous vide, like the sound of that.

So final question - after you pulled everything from the dry brine and rinsed - did you rub the piece intended for pastrami again before the smoke?? Seems from your post that you did?
 
r benash said:
Thanks Case - that's basically what I'm doing. Did my dry rub mix, which is very similar to yours plus or minus a few ingredients, a more traditional mix if you will. But liking the dry brine approach this time with the ground mix.

Understand the whole brining process et al. so good there in terms of reatios for pink salt. And timing for the cure.

My first time with dry brine for corned beef, I've usually done a wet brine.

Vac Seal and Sous vide processes I'm cool with.

That last detail was what I was more interested in - thanks

I split my 8+ pound flat into a section for corned beef and the other for pastrami, same prep for the dry brine. I'll probably do a hot smoke on the pastrami section, but may switch up to cold smoke and sous vide, like the sound of that.

So final question - after you pulled everything from the dry brine and rinsed - did you rub the piece intended for pastrami again before the smoke?? Seems from your post that you did?
Click to expand...

Yes you need to season again with pastrami seasonings (cracked pepper, corriander, cracked mustard seed, juniper berries). I do this after rinsing and before air drying in fridge. Then into the smoke.
 
CaseT said:
Yes you need to season again with pastrami seasonings (cracked pepper, corriander, cracked mustard seed, juniper berries). I do this after rinsing and before air drying in fridge. Then into the smoke.
Click to expand...

Thanks! I confused my last response, I was speaking to the dry brine mix.

The rub detail you gave was for the pastrami before the smoke, got it and thanks again for the points.

Now the wait... everything brined and in the fridge for a week or so, and a little longer for the kraut :)
 
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