Homemade Pastrami Without A Smoker Food

EASY PASTRAMI RECIPE

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, make a brine by bringing 4 cups of water to a boil. Add salt, sugar, pink salt, and pickling spice. Stir to dissolve and then remove from heat. Allow to cool.
• Transfer to a container large enough to hold your brisket(s). Add the cooled brine, and then top up with cool water as needed. Weigh down with a small plate, then store in the fridge for 5-7 days, flipping halfway.
• Transfer the pieces of beef you want to smoke to a plate or metal tray. Place on top of wood chips in an airtight, heatproof container and heat on an outdoor grill for about 2-4 hours.
• Enjoy as is, with lots of mustard, pickles, and bread.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI WITHOUT A SMOKER

Steps:

• Mix Spice Mix and spread out on a tray. Pat beef dry then roll in Spice Mix, coating well all over. Sprinkle with liquid smoke it using (I rarely use this).
• Place beef fat cap side down and wrap in a large sheet of foil. Repeat again with another sheet of foil and flip the beef so the fat cap is on the top.
• Place rack in slow cooker (Note 2), place beef on rack. Slow cook for 10 hours on low or electric pressure cook for 1 hour 40 minutes (see notes for oven).
• Remove beef, cool then refrigerate for 6 hours +. Reserve juices in slow cooker.
• Unwrap beef. Place rack on tray, place beef on rack. Bake 30 minutes at 180C/350F until spice crust is set.
• Remove from oven, slice thinly - pastrami will be tender. Place some pastrami in a dish, spoon over a bit of reserved juices. Cover and microwave to warm (I like to add a slice of Swiss cheese).
• New York Deli style Pastrami Sandwich: Pile high on toasted rye bread slathered with plenty of mustard of choice. Serve with pickles on the side! Plus plain potato crisps (for the full deli experience!)
• Rebuen sandwiches - see this recipe.

PRIMETIME PASTRAMI

Steps:

• For the brine: In a large stockpot, add half of the water, the brown sugar, kosher salt, curing salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, juniper berries, chile flakes, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and star anise and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the remaining water with some ice to chill the brine.
• For the rub: Grind the peppercorns, coriander and juniper until crushed but still a little chunky. Add to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, brown sugar, chile flakes and granulated garlic and stir to combine.
• For the pastrami: First, clean all the fat off the brisket including the "V" between the two muscles, then follow the fat between the two muscles and separate them making a flat and a cap.
• Transfer the brine to a large hotel pan or roasting pan. Add the brisket and refrigerate at least 5 days and no more than 10 days. Make sure the brisket is stirred once a day to get an evenly brined brisket.
• After a minimum of 5 days, prepare a smoker for 225 degrees F.
• Remove the pastrami, rinse it and blot dry with paper towels. Thoroughly rub the brined brisket with the pastrami rub. Place in smoker and cook for 8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

NO-SMOKER PASTRAMI

Steps:

• Place brisket in a gallon-size zipper freezer bag and set aside in a bowl or a large plastic container. Combine 3 tablespoons smoked salt, kosher salt, the sugars, Prague powder, bay leaves, garlic, cloves, crushed pepper, allspice and 1 tablespoon crushed coriander seeds in a large bowl. Add 2 cups boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add 4 cups ice water to mixture, stir and pour into the bag with the meat. Add as much additional cold water as needed to fill the bag. Seal the bag, removing as much air as possible, and place in the refrigerator still in its bowl or container. Keep refrigerated for 5 days.
• Remove meat from brine, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Set meat on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Toast remaining coriander seeds and the mustard seeds in a dry skillet. Mix with the remaining smoked salt and crush all together. Add the coarse pepper. Press this spice mixture into the surface of the meat all over.
• Heat oven to 200 degrees. Place a rack in a rimmed baking sheet and cover rack with a piece of heavy-duty foil large enough to enclose meat. Punch some holes in the bottom of the foil for draining. Place meat on foil, wrap tightly and place pan in oven for 12 hours. Remove from the oven and let cool before refrigerating. At this point, pastrami will keep 10 to 12 days in the refrigerator.
• To serve, place all or a portion of the meat, wrapped in foil, in a steamer basket over simmering water in a large pot. Steam until warm, 30 minutes. Slice thin and serve.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI - NO SMOKER NEEDED

Steps:

• Trim fat layer of corned beef to 1/8 inch.
• Mix together coriander, paprika, and garlic powder.
• Sprinkle half of spice mixture on one side of meat. Sprinkle on half of red pepper flakes and cover with pepper.
• Press seasonings into the meat.
• Turn meat over and repeat on other side.
• Wrap tightly with a lightly oiled sheet of heavy duty foil.
• Place meat seam side down on another sheet of foil and wrap again tightly. Repeat 5 more times using 7 sheets of foil.
• Slow roast at 240°F for 5 hours
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
• Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Unwrap meat.
• If you like the coating, seal it on by baking at 400°F for 15 minutes.
• If you like your pastrami mild, you can scrape off the seasoning.
• Slice pastrami thinly at room temp or cooler.
• You can reheat in a frying pan with a few drops of water.