Pastrami Ribs Food

SIMPLE AND SMOKY HOMEMADE PASTRAMI RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep the corned beef. Buy or make corned beef. For pastrami, the flat section of the brisket is favored by many because it makes nice even slices for sandwiches, but I prefer the point section of the brisket because it is fattier, richer, and more tender. It can also be made from flank steak, or leaner cuts, or even from boneless short plate (rib meat). Remove all of the fat cap and if there is any filmy membrane on the other side, remove it all.
• Desalinate. Put the corned beef in a pot slightly larger than the meat and cover it with cold water in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Change the water at least once. This removes excess salt. Trust me, you need to do this or you will be gulping water all night after your meal.
• Rub. Make the rub. Rinse the meat, and while it is damp, apply the rub liberally and press it into the surface to help it adhere.
• Fire up. Set up your grill in 2 zones for smoking or set up your smoker. Preheat to 225°F. Pick your wood. I don't think it makes a huge difference with all the other flavors banging around in there. My best batch was with cherry wood.
• Cook. Place the meat on the smoker or on the indirect heat side of the grill. You only need to smoke it with indirect heat until it reaches the stall at about 160°F and the crust is brown. Then wrap it tightly in foil and roast it up to 203°F. This is called the Texas Crutch and it does wonders. It significantly reduces cooking time and makes the end product much more tender and juicy.
• Slicing. Slicing is crucial to maximize tenderness. Look at the meat and notice which way the grain is running. Cut it by hand in thin slices, about 1/8" thick, perpendicular to the grain. If you cut parallel to the grain it will be much chewier. Don't try to slice it with a machine. It will just fall apart.
• Serve. I serve the homemade smoked pastrami on fresh untoasted rye bread. A good brown mustard on both slices is all it needs. If you want, you can make a Rockin' Pastrami Reuben with sauerkraut, melted swiss, and thousand island or Russian dressing, or beter still, my famous Burger Glop. Reubens were originally made with corned beef, but there's no rule that you can't make one from pastrami. In fact, I prefer it.Leftovers freeze well and they can be reheated in the microwave or steamed. They can also be made into a killer hash. Ess, bench, sei a mensch!

PASTRAMI RUBBED SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the pepper, coriander, smoked paprika, salt, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder and mustard powder. Rub the short ribs with the pastrami rub and let sit in the refrigerator, uncovered, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. The longer you can let them absorb the rub, the better the flavor will be.
• Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F.
• Place the ribs on a wire rack set in a baking sheet. Roast until the internal temperature reaches 200 to 203 degrees F and the ribs are fork-tender, about 4 hours. Serve with Braised Red Cabbage and Cranberry Mustard Sauce.
• In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and season with about 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 7 to 8 minutes. Add the cabbage, apple, broth, apple juice, vinegar and granulated sugar. Season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and cook until tender, about 45 minutes.
• Combine the mustard, honey, vinegar, cranberry juice, pepper and vanilla in a small pot and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Lightly simmer until the mustard sauce thickens, 6 to 8 minutes.

PASTRAMI RUB

Steps:

• Combine coriander seeds , peppercorns and mustard seeds in a spice grinder. Grind coarsely.
• Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Rub is now ready to use. It may be stored, refrigerated in an airtight container. Get step-by-step instructions for making pastrami .

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• In pot large enough to hold brisket, combine 1 gallon/4 liters of water with kosher salt, sugar, sodium nitrite (if using), garlic and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
• Place brisket in brine, weighted with a plate to keep it submerged; cover. Refrigerate for 2 days if it's thin, a third day if it's thick.
• Remove brisket from brine and rinse thoroughly. Refrigerate it for another day uncovered (this is best, to let cure equalize, but if you can't wait, that's ok too).
• Combine the pepper and coriander and coat the brisket with it. Smoke and cook the brisket, till tender, as described above. This will keep for a week in the refrigerator. Steam it to reheat or reheat covered in a microwave (gently). Slice thinly to serve.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine all of these ingredients together into a bowl until you have an even blend.
• Transfer the contents to an air-tight container so that you can preserve the seasonings' flavors for as long as possible.

KATZ'S DELI PASTRAMI RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. Begin by crushing the seeds. If you wish, you can use only powdered coriander, ground black pepper, and ground mustard, but I like using some whole seeds. If you are using some whole seeds, pour them into a zipper bag and smash them with the bottom of a sauce pan so they are "cracked" but not completely powdered.
• Mix. Blend together all the spices.
• Use. Once prepared, either store the rub in a jar or other airtight container or use it to prepare Katz's Delicatessen quality pastrami as seen in this video.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• To make the brine, fill a medium to large stockpot with 3 quarts water. Add the kosher and pink salts, granulated sugar, pickling spice, coriander and mustard seeds, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often to fully dissolve the salt and sugar in the water. Immediately remove the pot from the heat once the brine boils.Add 3 quarts ice cold water to a 2-gallon or larger food-safe container that will fit in your refrigerator (you can also use a strong sealing 2-gallon marination bag - double bag for extra insurance). Pour the brine into the container and place it uncovered in the refrigerator until completely cool. You can also divide the brine evenly between two separate containers so that it will fit better in the refrigerator.
• Trim the fat from the brisket until the fat layer is about 1/4 inch thick.
• If necessary, cut the brisket in half so that it will fit into your container(s).
• Submerge the brisket in the cooled brine.Allow the brisket to brine in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 days, flipping it daily top to bottom and stirring the brine. Make sure that if any of the brisket sides are touching one another you regularly turn them away from each other to expose all of the sides to the brine.
• To cook the brisket, pour 4 cups water into the bottom of a 12 by 15 inch roasting pan. Set a rack inside the pan and place the brisket on the rack, fatty side down.
• To make the spice rub, mix together the coriander, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Evenly rub 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the top of the brisket. Then flip the brisket and rub the remaining spice mixture onto the fatty side. Allow the brisket to come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees with a rack low enough to fit the pan holding the brisket. Tightly cover the brisket and pan with a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Bake until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees, about 1 hour per pound or 5 hours total. Start checking internal temp at 3 hours and periodically every 20-30 minutes or so to avoid overcooking.
• Without trimming the fat, carve the pastrami into 1/4 inch thick slices, or cut as thin as possible without the meat falling apart. Keep tightly wrapped, or in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• SAFETY NOTE: handle the pink curing salt with care and keep it out of reach of children. It is used in pastrami and other cured meats to kill bacteria, prevent botulism and add flavor. However it is extremely toxic if ingested directly; in fact, it's colored pink to prevent people from mistaking it for regular salt. When used with care in recipes like this, it is very safe and necessary for proper flavor and food safety. That said, you should know the risks and keep the curing salt properly labeled and out of the reach of children.

PASTRAMI SHORT RIBS

Steps:

• Put the coriander seeds and peppercorns in a spice grinder and pulse until there are no large, whole chunks. Combine the spices with 1 tablespoon salt in a small bowl.
• Heat a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sprinkle the ribs with salt and add to the pot. Cook, turning, until all sides are browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Lower the heat to medium and cook the onions until slightly browned around the edges, about 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk the ketchup, spice mixture and 3 3/4 cups of the chicken broth into the pot until smooth.
• Put the pickles and brine in a blender, add the remaining 1/4 cup chicken broth and blend until smooth. Return the meat to the pot, pour the pickle sauce over the meat and bring to a simmer. Cover and bake until the meat is falling-off-the-bone tender, about 3 hours. Check the liquid level after about 1 1/2 hours and add 1/2 cup water if it seems dry.
• Remove the ribs and degrease the sauce before serving.