Pastrami (Smoked Corned Beef)

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LarryWolfe

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I know there are a hundred links on other boards about making pastrami on the WSM, but I want to hear from you guys. Has anyone here ever smoked a corned beef brisket? My father has been asking for one, and his birthday is coming up and I'd like to make one for him and need suggestions. Thanks
 
Ya know, in my ECB days, I kept reading on the internet about these fabulous briskets, which are unheard of here except for the corned beef variety. But to further my growth in the knowledge of bbq, I faithfully went and bought one, smoked according to instructions on the net, and sat down to enjoy real Texas bbq!

"Dang," I said to myself, "this would be good with russian dressing and cole slaw on rye! Those crazy Texans!"
 
I meant to add, I think there is an additional ingrediant or step or spice or something rather than just chunking it on a corned beef in the smoke. Still mine taste real close to pastrami.
 
Actually, I think you just motivated me to do a pastrami....with my slicer, I can get some great thin slices for dem dere reubens, which I love.....might be served next poker night. I can probably fit 2 buts and a cbbrisket....let's get Larry and me some answers!
 
Captain Morgan said:
....let's get Larry and me some answers!
Yes, let's do ~ This is one of the forums where off-topic discussion is to be curtailed. :)
 
Niagara River Smoker said:
[quote="Captain Morgan":1txevtmt]....let's get Larry and me some answers!
Yes, let's do ~ This is one of the forums where off-topic discussion is to be curtailed. :)[/quote:1txevtmt]

Because my post was the only one that didn't actually mention cooking ( I guess I should have said "Funny Capt'n, cooking pastrami") I will apologize. :-(

You have to admitt... we are doing better. :roll:

Larry and Cappie,
Check out the TVWB site for info. I haven't done one. :?
 
Yours wasn't the only, Chris...Maybe it only seemed that way because of the lull yesterday...And Larry did specifically ask for this boards help on his initial post. Off-topic discussion ends here!
 
Funny you should ask Chris. I just did one on monday. I love them smoked. I should warn you though, you have to let it soak in water over night and change the water a couple of times. Other wise it will be very salty. Give it a good rub and smoke it. I got mine up to 165 then wrapped it in foil and put it back on for a while longer. Man it was good.
 
Bill The Grill Guy said:
Funny you should ask Chris. I just did one on monday. I love them smoked. I should warn you though, you have to let it soak in water over night and change the water a couple of times. Other wise it will be very salty. Give it a good rub and smoke it. I got mine up to 165 then wrapped it in foil and put it back on for a while longer. Man it was good.

Bill,
When you say "give it a rub" are you referring to "rub" or just coarse ground pepper? I am gonna try to make it as close to the real thing as I can for my dad, otherwise he'll tell me "this don't taste like pastrami"! Also, what was the "finished" temp?
 
Larry,

Randy's site has an excellent article on pastrami and I think TVWB also has a pictorial cooking section on pastrami. If you do a search there, and I shudder at mentioning him, but Doug D does pastrami alot and has very good posts on the subject.
 
Nick Prochilo said:
I think I know what I'm doing for St. Patricks day!

Nick,
Gotta keep with tradition for St. Patricks Day! Corned Beef, Cabbage, Carrots and New potatoes along with a few Guinness!
 
Larry
Pastrami and Corned beef are two different cures. Both use salt, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic and cure #1 but then then pastrami uses pickling spices where corned beef uses allspice, bay leaf and red pepper flakes as an example.

Both are very good smoked but there is a difference in flavor.
Jim
 
Jim,
if I buy a "corned beef brisket", I suppose it's already been cured and all I have to do is smoke it? Should I add the spices you mentioned?
 
jminion said:
Larry
Pastrami and Corned beef are two different cures. Both use salt, brown sugar, black pepper, garlic and cure #1 but then then pastrami uses pickling spices where corned beef uses allspice, bay leaf and red pepper flakes as an example.

Both are very good smoked but there is a difference in flavor.
Jim

Jim,
I need your honest advice on this one! I'm not going to have the time to do the actual cure myself, so I've come up with an alternate plan. Here's what I'd like to do since pastrami and corned beef do in fact use the same cure but different spices. I'd like to use a pre-packaged corned beef brisket, that comes with an unopened spice package that contains the spices you mentioned. But has not flavored the meat in anyway. (or do you think the cure itself may have contained additional spices as well that have already flavored the meat? if so I realize there is nothing I can do about that!) Then I'd like soak the corned beef in pickling spices and water in the fridge for 24 hours, coat fresh coarse ground black pepper then cook.

In your opinion will this taste anything close to pastrami or will it just taste like a smoked corned beef brisket that's been flavored with pickling spice? If so should I just cook the corned beef as is, without adding the pickling spice since it will still be pretty tasty? Thanks.
 
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