Pastrami

Sausage making and curing meats.

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Pastrami

Postby DATsBBQ » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:22 am

Split from a post in Request a Recipe

Papa Tom wrote:
JamesB method looks good but here is some more info:
There is a lot of differences in the spicing of pastrami I rely heavily on coriander and pepper both black and white. Some knowledgeable folks insist that pickling spice must be used. BW uses cloves, allspice and ginger so I guess this is one to use your own judgment. I do highly recommend injecting the curing brine to insure complete coverage.
Also time will be of essence because it does take several days to cure.

Here is Bigwheels
Bigwheel's Grand Prize Winning Corned Beef (Pastrami)

2 big severely trimmed packer briskets
2 gallons Foat Wuth tap water
2 cups pickling salt
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup Mortons's Tender Quick
1/2 cup Amesphos *optional (if you aint got none dont worry about it)
1/2 cup dried minced onyawns
1/4 cup garlic powder
1/3 cup coarse grind black pepper
2 T. dry mustard
1 T. ground Thyme
1 liberal sprinkle ground Allspice
1 chintzy sprinkle ground Cloves
4 or 5 or 6 of Joe Ames good tasting bay leaves

Mix up the brine and get it ice cold. Strain a few quarts of the the brine and shoot them briskets up to the gills..then dunk em in the brine for 4 days in the ice box giving them a shake and roll once a day. (I use doubled non-scented Glad trash bags for doing my brining but however you brine feel free to do it your way). Drag em out and rub down good with coarse grind black peppa and ground corriander. Cook em on the pit at somewhere around 250 till the internal temp hits about 180 and dont seem to want to go no higher. Slice em thin and against thegrain and pile it high on your Reuben. Will make you want to slap somebody's
Mama.

bigwheel
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Hitting a mile stone chronologically the beginning of September and the Mrs wants a big party... and guess who will cook the food :roll: Since this could be done up days ahead then sliced with the slicer machine looks like an easier route. Add some good cheese and rye bread, maybe a smoked salmon on the side. Kind of a Scandanavian sammy bar.

Guess I'm going to have break down and buy an injector. I've seen 'em glued to the side of bottle of some kind of cajun juice. Will that suffice or should I pop for a better one that they sell at Bed, Bath and Beyond?

What makes for better pastrami, Top Round Roast or Brisket?

As for Ft Wurth tap water, I could walk across the street and get some Jim Creek Water, pretty much the same thing that Coors is made out of. :wink:
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Postby OSD » Mon Jul 28, 2008 11:46 am

I vote for brisket. :D Because I've never had any made from anything else. :D I don't do alot of injecting, so I just have the cheap one. Works OK. :D I guess if I was going to use it alot I'd get a better one. :D
That creek water won't work, it's toooooooo clean. :shock: :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Postby JamesB » Mon Jul 28, 2008 1:40 pm

I'd use the brisket myself too... As above, that's the only cut I've ever made pastrami out of... The el cheapo injector will probably get you by for a session or two... If you decide you like injecting stuff, then go out and look at the better models.
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Postby DATsBBQ » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:26 pm

Bed Bath & Beyond has this gadget http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product ... U=14258418 for $19.95. Plus I usually get a $5 off coupon in the mail every couple of weeks.

These things are in Kroger and Safeway http://www.brucefoods.com/mystOre/produ ... category=0 but it looks a bit wimpy.
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Allie

Postby Allie » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:30 pm

Yes, the one in Kroger is wimpy! I had one like that......came free with some Creole Butter stuff I bought. It didn't last long. I've bought a few of the larger plastic ones from Walmart that have lasted through several injections of turkeys, chickens, and butts.
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Postby OSD » Mon Jul 28, 2008 2:43 pm

That one at BB&B looks like a nice one and a good buy with the coupon :D It will hold up better than the plastic ones. :D
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Postby JamesB » Mon Jul 28, 2008 4:04 pm

Yeah, the plastic ones won't last a lifetime, but they should get a fella through a cook or two to see if he likes this injection business... If that one at BB & B is the one that I think it is, it has a very large 'needle...

Here is the next injector that I plan on getting...
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Postby bigwheel » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:17 pm

Brisket yes beef round no. The injector which comes with the cajun injections works purty good. I would boost the TQ to one cup and reduce the salt by the same ratio as the TQ gets increased. Somebody made some and say it come out splotchy looking. Suspect not enough cure or not a long enough soak. Sure the added TQ will cure the ailment.

bigwheel
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Postby DATsBBQ » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:15 pm

bigwheel wrote:Brisket yes beef round no. The injector which comes with the cajun injections works purty good. I would boost the TQ to one cup and reduce the salt by the same ratio as the TQ gets increased. Somebody made some and say it come out splotchy looking. Suspect not enough cure or not a long enough soak. Sure the added TQ will cure the ailment.

bigwheel


If I double the TQ by 2 I should reduce the pickling salt by half, so I would end up with 1 cup pickling salt and 1 cup TQ if my math is right.
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Postby Papa Tom » Tue Jul 29, 2008 12:01 am

I agree with the salt/TQ swap. The cheap injectors ain't worth the trouble the one I use looks like the BB&B one and works fine. I got mine from Lowes. You can make the pastrami any time and freeze it, it freezes really well. I too have only used brisket for pastrami.
You'll like it.

Edit: I looked over BW's recipe again and noticed that he doesn't have the rub listed in the ingredients but is listed in the procedure. Lots of fresh course black pepper and corriander..
My brine usually gets a bay leaf or three too.
tarde venientibus ossa....
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Postby bowhnter » Tue Jul 29, 2008 6:41 am

Papa Tom wrote: The cheap injectors ain't worth the trouble the one I use looks like the BB&B one and works fine. I got mine from Lowes.


my $.02 as well. The cheap ones will just bend the needle right off the bat, plus the holes are too small.
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Allie

Postby Allie » Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:50 am

Yep Mike, that's what happened to mine. Also, one of them the needle broke in half when I was pushing it into a butt.
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Postby DATsBBQ » Tue Jul 29, 2008 10:04 am

I would think the pickle needs to be strained pretty good lest some of those goodies clog the needle?
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Postby Papa Tom » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:03 pm

If you draw it into the cylinder on the intake stroke through them little holes it'll get back out them little holes on the compression stroke...... :)
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Postby DATsBBQ » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:09 pm

Papa Tom wrote:If you draw it into the cylinder on the intake stroke through them little holes it'll get back out them little holes on the compression stroke...... :)


Now that tells you how I know about these gizmos, thought I had to pull the plunger out and load it :banghead: :lol:
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