Pastrami brine question


 
AndyK

AndyK

TVWBB All-Star
Hi all,
Hey I’m doing a pastrami for the first time today.
I followed several recipes and slightly modified them to my liking.
There is one thing I am questioning though.
I am sensitive to salt and the brine does taste a bit salty to me when it was done.
I figured it needs to be a bit salty.
I used 1-1/2 cups of kosher salt with a gallon of liquid.
Does that seem about right?

I'm mainly using a Ron Ross recipe and he calls for a 3 day soak.
Some recipes call for a 6 day soak with about the same ingredient.
I figure I’ll feel for firmness and go with what feels right to me after 3 days.

I’m thinking maybe tomorrow morning check it out again and if too salty replace some of the brine with water to dilute it.
I know that I need to rinse it and was thinking maybe a soak in fresh water in addition to the rinse.
I could very well be over thinking this because I do that a lot :).
Thoughts?
Thank you.
Andy.
 
Hi Andy. The only feedback I can offer is that I always buy my corned beef flats from the grocer (already brined). Then I rinse and place them in a container of cold water overnight (no salt), which reduces the saltiness. So if you're concerned about your salt content I'd say you're on the right track by considering a soak after your brine.

I usually closely follow this method: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/quick-pastrami-smoked-corned-beef-brisket/

Good luck!
 
BFletcher said:
Hi Andy. The only feedback I can offer is that I always buy my corned beef flats from the grocer (already brined). Then I rinse and place them in a container of cold water overnight (no salt), which reduces the saltiness. So if you're concerned about your salt content I'd say you're on the right track by considering a soak after your brine.

I usually closely follow this method: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/quick-pastrami-smoked-corned-beef-brisket/

Good luck!
Click to expand...
same. i always use a corned beef and then de-salt it with three complete water bath changes over at least 24 hours. that's always proven to be enough time to clean up the salt bomb and allow more of the pastrami flavor to become the brisket.
 
Wait until after you take it out of the brine and then give it a good rinse. After that, soak it in clear water for 2 or 3 hours, changing the water every 30 minutes. This will get rid of a good amount of the saltiness.
 
I don't brine, I use a dry cure. Basically coating the outside of the meat with salt /sugar, and cure.

I soak it for a little while to get the salt down after the curing is done, a few hours changing the water once or twice. it's never been too salty or anything.

For those of y'all that are only using corned beefs to make your pastrami You're missing out. The corned beef has a corned beef taste to it. A dry cured pastrami is better. I promise.
 
MartinB said:
I don't brine, I use a dry cure. Basically coating the outside of the meat with salt /sugar, and cure.

I soak it for a little while to get the salt down after the curing is done, a few hours changing the water once or twice. it's never been too salty or anything.

For those of y'all that are only using corned beefs to make your pastrami You're missing out. The corned beef has a corned beef taste to it. A dry cured pastrami is better. I promise.
Click to expand...
I do most of mine using a dry cure too. Nice to vacuum seal it, toss it into the bottom drawer of the fridge and forget it for up to 6 weeks. The only time I do brine is for a whole brisket. Use the same soaking method either way.

When I find lean cuts at a good price, I'll often dry cure several and freeze most of them, still vacuum sealed. When we want either corned beef or pastrami, thaw one out, soak, rub and smoke for pastrami or boil for corned beef. Nice way to have ready on short notice.
 
I keep seeing boil for corned beef......
I have one wet brined brisket flat, vac packed and frozen right now that I am doing next weekend.
It is perfectly shaped and the size is the same end to end, it looks great.
I am going to be smoking it to 165 and then using the braising technique with a foil pan and some fluids I think to bring it up to the 200 mark.
Hoping to have it ready to go in 8 hours.
So using the charcoal and wood.....from what I read it almost makes that an immediate pastrami....
I know the difference is minimal......but really, is it no longer corned beef once it hits the grill?
It's my first time, feeling mildly confused but sure it is going to taste alright no matter what I do.
I'm also nervous to cut it at a warm temperature as I think it will shred some rather than slice nice and thin.
Almost have myself talked into smoking it the day before and then warming it back up once cold sliced with sous vide.
What do you think?
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I keep seeing boil for corned beef......
Click to expand...
Darryl - swazies said:
I know the difference is minimal......but really, is it no longer corned beef once it hits the grill?
Click to expand...
Technically for the purists corned beef is simmered or boiled or sous vide or crock pot
Pastrami or Montreal smoked meat is smoked.
I've smoked plenty of pre made corned beef and still call it corned beef .:rolleyes:
I SV one for 36 hrs and then thru it on the kettle and grill smoked it.
Still tasted like corned beef.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I keep seeing boil for corned beef......
I have one wet brined brisket flat, vac packed and frozen right now that I am doing next weekend.
It is perfectly shaped and the size is the same end to end, it looks great.
I am going to be smoking it to 165 and then using the braising technique with a foil pan and some fluids I think to bring it up to the 200 mark.
Hoping to have it ready to go in 8 hours.
So using the charcoal and wood.....from what I read it almost makes that an immediate pastrami....
I know the difference is minimal......but really, is it no longer corned beef once it hits the grill?
It's my first time, feeling mildly confused but sure it is going to taste alright no matter what I do.
I'm also nervous to cut it at a warm temperature as I think it will shred some rather than slice nice and thin.
Almost have myself talked into smoking it the day before and then warming it back up once cold sliced with sous vide.
What do you think?
Click to expand...
without pastrami seasoning on the crust/outside, you'll have a smoked corned beef. not that that's bad.

if you want slices that stay together, cook till 195 and then let it rest. those last degrees are what makes a brisket fall apart IMO.

making your CB a pastrami is easy. run the spiced through a spice grinder and make a powder. then liberally aply it to the CB outside, smoke it and then steam finish it for slicing. feel free to use Meathead's pastrami recipe: https://amazingribs.com/tested-reci.../home-made-pastrami-thats-close-katzs-recipe/

good luck and post yer results, please :)
 
So I looked at my soak today when I did the flip.
It was a tad bit too salty for my liking and very robust in spices.
I ended up replacing 15-20% of the brine with filtered water.
The meat is looking fantastic.
It’s a good 1-3/4” thick so it should be forgiving.

I’m still not sure why some do a 3 day brine while other wait 6 days with almost the same ingredients.
The only thing I can think of is the tenderness desired.

So my plan is to wait a few days and then do the smoke.
For the rub I plan on using cracked pepper and coriander topped with everything bagel seasoning mix.
That everything bagel is something I’ve been using lately and I like how It works on the bark.
I’m also thinking of using my stainless smoke tube with hickory pellets for the first 3-4 hours before I light up the briquettes.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I keep seeing boil for corned beef......
I have one wet brined brisket flat, vac packed and frozen right now that I am doing next weekend.
It is perfectly shaped and the size is the same end to end, it looks great.
I am going to be smoking it to 165 and then using the braising technique with a foil pan and some fluids I think to bring it up to the 200 mark.
Hoping to have it ready to go in 8 hours.
So using the charcoal and wood.....from what I read it almost makes that an immediate pastrami....
I know the difference is minimal......but really, is it no longer corned beef once it hits the grill?
It's my first time, feeling mildly confused but sure it is going to taste alright no matter what I do.
I'm also nervous to cut it at a warm temperature as I think it will shred some rather than slice nice and thin.
Almost have myself talked into smoking it the day before and then warming it back up once cold sliced with sous vide.
What do you think?
Click to expand...
Did a Wagyu corned beef from Costco on the smoker, I had desalinated it and put on a great pastrami rub, I was really feeling amazing about it, when I covered the pan in foil it turned the bark to a terrible mush. Made me sad.
 
Darryl - swazies said:
I keep seeing boil for corned beef......
I have one wet brined brisket flat, vac packed and frozen right now that I am doing next weekend.
It is perfectly shaped and the size is the same end to end, it looks great.
I am going to be smoking it to 165 and then using the braising technique with a foil pan and some fluids I think to bring it up to the 200 mark.
Hoping to have it ready to go in 8 hours.
So using the charcoal and wood.....from what I read it almost makes that an immediate pastrami....
I know the difference is minimal......but really, is it no longer corned beef once it hits the grill?
It's my first time, feeling mildly confused but sure it is going to taste alright no matter what I do.
I'm also nervous to cut it at a warm temperature as I think it will shred some rather than slice nice and thin.
Almost have myself talked into smoking it the day before and then warming it back up once cold sliced with sous vide.
What do you think?
Click to expand...
As long as you don't use a pastrami type rub, it will still be more of a corned beef. IMO, the rub gives pastrami its distinctive flavor, not the smoke. Smoke can be a nice addition though. As for slicing, after braising it probably won't slice well when hot.
 
Andy Kaminski said:
So I looked at my soak today when I did the flip.
It was a tad bit too salty for my liking and very robust in spices.
I ended up replacing 15-20% of the brine with filtered water.
The meat is looking fantastic.
It’s a good 1-3/4” thick so it should be forgiving.

I’m still not sure why some do a 3 day brine while other wait 6 days with almost the same ingredients.
The only thing I can think of is the tenderness desired.

So my plan is to wait a few days and then do the smoke.
For the rub I plan on using cracked pepper and coriander topped with everything bagel seasoning mix.
That everything bagel is something I’ve been using lately and I like how It works on the bark.
I’m also thinking of using my stainless smoke tube with hickory pellets for the first 3-4 hours before I light up the briquettes.
Click to expand...
Are you really trying to get as much smoke as possible on this piece of meat?
I feel somewhat torn on how much smoke should be applied.
I can't wait to see how yours turns out.....I'm cooking mine in 8 days, hopefully I can get some pro tips.
I also am not sure on the soak....like I understand we would like to remove some of the salt.
I would hate to personally make a simple mistake of removing all of the salt but I also believe that would be a better mistake than not removing any of it.
If I had a more " scientific " or better understanding on how the salty brine affects the meat and how much it really soaks up I think I would have a better understanding on hot to soak it.
So the cook has to start early in the morning, which, gives me 2 options......soak overnight, or get a 2 hour soak on it prior to the grill.
Do you plan on leaving your submerged in water for any amount of time before it hits the grill.....
Anyone else can chime in too.....
 
BFletcher said:
Hi Andy. The only feedback I can offer is that I always buy my corned beef flats from the grocer (already brined). Then I rinse and place them in a container of cold water overnight (no salt), which reduces the saltiness. So if you're concerned about your salt content I'd say you're on the right track by considering a soak after your brine.

I usually closely follow this method: https://www.virtualweberbullet.com/quick-pastrami-smoked-corned-beef-brisket/

Good luck!
Click to expand...
I must have missed this link the first time through.
Thanks to Chris for pointing out every single step in great detail.
Makes most of previous questions seems silly now.
I will use most of these methods but try to keep it corned beef rather than use the pastrami rub.
Also still use the braise in beef broth and water type method in an aluminum pan once I hit the 165 vs wrapping it tightly in foil.
I hope to keep as much moisture in the meat as possible.
 
I've only done it one time and did a dry cure, which works well if you are doing flat only. The advantage is that you can do an equilibrium cure meaning if you want your final product to have a certain salt percentage that's what you put on it. You can do the same thing with a wet brine but it requires knowing how to make the calculations, (not just following a specific recipe). I've got the Marianski book which goes into some detail on it. Then I just thoroughly rinsed it and used some pastrami type seasonings and didn't add any more salt at all. I think it's key just to not use a rub with salt at the end.
 
Dustin, so how was the Marianski book after being thouroughly rinsed and seasoned with pastrami type seasonings?
:LOL::LOL:

Oh, I'm bad. I got hooked on that kind of grammar error (forgot what it's called) when I was very young. Glad to catch one! :unsure:
 
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