Pastrami

BBQ is one cooking style I do using a couple wood/charcoal cookers. My go to is an original New Braunsfeld smoker which was modified to be reverse flow, da fricker is really heavy but I can get 4 briskets, 8 pork butts or 12 ribs on it. I usually stoke it with oak and apple wood, sometime Cherry. I will add some hardwood charcoal from time to time.

Beef brisket is one cut I cook a few times a year and especially if I am feeding a crowed. I always like a challenge. That’s why I created a pastrami recipe which was formed reading many references and trying a few briskets.

The recipe is for 1kg brisket so modify the amounts for the size of the brisket. Make sure to keep the salts at the correct ratio and trim any thick fat.

Brine

• 1 kg  beef brisket, chuck roast, venision, turkey breast
• 0.5 l (500g) water
• 32 g Kosher Salt (~2% of meat plus water weight)
• 3.75 g #1 Insta Cure (0.25% of meat plus water weight)
• 6 g peppercorns
• 3.5 g coriander seeds 
• 1.5 g fennel seeds
• 10 g whole allspice
• 10 g cardamom pods
• 4 g  whole cloves 
• 3 g garlic powder
• 10 g mustard seed 
• 100 g of brown sugar
• 6 g Juniper Berries 
• 1.5 g crush red pepper
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 anise star 

Rub

• 15 g peppercorns 
• 7.5 g coriander seeds
• 6 g juniper berries
• 25 g brown sugar
• 1 g red chile flakes
• 2 g granulated garlic

1. Trim the brisket to remove any thicker parts of fat.  Keep fat to about 1/4″ thick.
2. Mix brine ingredients and add to 1/2 the water.  Heat water til all salts are dissolved.   Simmer for 20 mins.  Add the rest of ice cold water.  Let cool to 80F or less.  Place brisket in container and cover with brine.  You can also use a vacuum bag with brine which has been lightly vacuumed and seal.  Place in refrigerator on a cooking sheet for 5 days, flipping twice a day.
3. Grind rub ingredients.  Take brisket out of bag, rinse and pat dry.  Rub with spices.  
4. Heat smoker to 225F.  Smoke til internal temp is 210F.  About 8 to 10 hours.