I wasn't aware myself of it until I started researching, but pastrami is essentially just rubbed and smoked corned beef. So... since I love them both, I decided to figure out how to do it.
So I got a Choice brisket at my local meat shop and had them trim it to 1/8" or so of fat cap. This is just the flat, not the point. If you're doing corned beef (aka boiled), then you want as little fat as possible, since it's gonna get all gummy and gooey. Boiled fat ain't yummy. SMOKED fat, however, is a whole different story.
Hence, if you're smoking it, leaving some of the fat on.
Made up a special brine to "corn" the brisket. Cut into two pieces to be more manageable. Brined in the fridge for 5 days and nights, then removed and soaked in plain water to remove some of the salt - another step you skip if just making corned beef, as the salt will come out in the boiling process. When smoking you need to "debrine" it overnight or so, to cut down on the saltiness.
Then rubbed with a rub based with pepper and coriander, but alot of other stuff, too. Would have like to let this set a couple of days, but oh well. Time for the smoker. Temp's at 163 right now, internal.
Here's some pr0n for ya's!
Curing:
Ready for debrining:
In the water:
The rub - the red on top is just a touch of chipotle I added in at the last minute:
Ready to go!
Rubbed and in the smoker!
So I got a Choice brisket at my local meat shop and had them trim it to 1/8" or so of fat cap. This is just the flat, not the point. If you're doing corned beef (aka boiled), then you want as little fat as possible, since it's gonna get all gummy and gooey. Boiled fat ain't yummy. SMOKED fat, however, is a whole different story.
Hence, if you're smoking it, leaving some of the fat on.Made up a special brine to "corn" the brisket. Cut into two pieces to be more manageable. Brined in the fridge for 5 days and nights, then removed and soaked in plain water to remove some of the salt - another step you skip if just making corned beef, as the salt will come out in the boiling process. When smoking you need to "debrine" it overnight or so, to cut down on the saltiness.
Then rubbed with a rub based with pepper and coriander, but alot of other stuff, too. Would have like to let this set a couple of days, but oh well. Time for the smoker. Temp's at 163 right now, internal.
Here's some pr0n for ya's!
Curing:
Ready for debrining:
In the water:
The rub - the red on top is just a touch of chipotle I added in at the last minute:
Ready to go!
Rubbed and in the smoker!
