pastrami problems


 
Travis D

Travis D

TVWBB Member
A few weeks ago I made pastrami as per Michael Ruhlman's charcutrie recipe. It turned out fantastic except for a small one inch section in the very middle of the brisket that didn't cure.
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What went wrong?
I used the point for the extra fat.
Due to timing issues I left it in the brine for a extra day.
Due to lack of fridge space I scaled back the amount of brine. The recipe calls for a 5lb brisket and my point was less then 5lbs so i just scaled the recipe to the weight of the point. keeping the ratios as called for.
 
Unless the meat is pretty thin, I would go for five to to seven days. It's kinda hard to "over cure", so if time isn't a priority, I like to go longer. Just my opinion: ymmv.
You said the temp was 36.7F... Curious: Everyday fridge or a second that isn't opened often?
 
thanks Marc, Yeah the recipe calls for a 3 day cure and being my first try i didn't want to stray to far.
It's our everyday fridge.
 
I also purchase a whole packer brisket, but separate the flat and point and brine them in separate ziplocs. Several advantages: I can trim out the 2 inches of fat between the layers; better brine penetration; more surface area for pepper/coriander rub.
 
I've done a few briskets now in Montreal Smoked meat style, and while I've successfully corned my own beef over 10 days, wet cure, in the fridge a la Alton Brown and then slow smoked, I've had great success with a pre-corned beef I got from Robert's Corned Meats in San Francisco. I should have trimmed some of the fat but it came out perfectly:

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