Pastrami Food

PASTRAMI

Steps:

• Trim the beef.
• Combine the salt, pepper, sugar, ginger, garlic, and coriander.
• Working on a clean, nonporous surface, rub the seasoning mixture into all surfaces of the beef.
• Place the beef with all the seasonings into a heavy:-duty sealable plastic bag.
• Expel the excess air, and carefully tie and seal the bag.
• Put the bag in the cooler.
• Rotate and lightly massage the sealed bag at least once a day for 12 days.
• SMOKING Preheat the smoker to 650F (180C). Adjust the dampers to wide open.
• Remove the beef from the plastic bag.
• Using a trussing needle and strong cord, provide a secure loop to hang the meat on a smoke stick.
• Place into the smoker Allow to air dry with no smoke for a full 24 hours.
• Remove the meat from the smoker and cover loosely.
• Set the temperature at 1'3()0F (540C) with the dampers wide open.
• Return the meat to the smoker and hold at this setting for 2 hours.
• Adjust the dampers to one-half open.
• Monitor the temperature and raise the tempera ture gradually over the next several hours.
• Remove the pastrami when its internal temperature reaches 1200F (490C). Do not shower with cold water.
• Apply a finishing rub of cracked pepper.
• Cool quickly and wrap tightly.
• Refrigerate for 2 days before using.
• To cook, unwrap the chilled pastrami and place in a large quantity of white beef stock.
• Bring quickly to a full boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 or more hours until tender.
• Store the pastrami tightly wrapped and well-chilled at all times.

EASY HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• Mix garlic and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Combine black pepper, paprika, coriander, dry mustard, white pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cover a baking sheet with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat aluminum foil with prepared garlic oil. Lay corned beef brisket on foil and brush with remaining garlic oil.
• Cover all sides of corned beef brisket completely with pepper mixture, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons.
• With fat side of corned beef brisket up, wrap in the sheet of aluminum foil. Place wrapped corned beef on another sheet of aluminum foil with the seam and fat side down. Place double-wrapped corned beef on a third sheet of aluminum foil (seam down), and wrap again.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 hours.
• Remove pastrami from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
• With pastrami still wrapped in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag or other plastic bag and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Remove pastrami from refrigerator, unwrap, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of remaining pepper mixture.
• Place pastrami in the oven, 6 to 8 inches below broiler heat. Broil briefly to brown surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and slice thinly, about 1/8-inch slices.
• Heat a large skillet over low heat.
• Heat pastrami slices in the skillet with a few drops of water until fat begins to turn from white to translucent, about 5 minutes.

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.

PASTRAMI RUEBEN AKA "THE RACHEL"

Steps:

• For the dressing: Combine the mayonnaise, chili sauce, sour cream, horseradish, lemon juice, sugar, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, smoked paprika, dill pickles and shallots in a food processor until thoroughly mixed. Do not over blend, you still want to see some texture. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside or refrigerate in a covered jar until serving time.
• For the sandwich build: Combine half of the dressing with the sauerkraut and toss. Place 1 slice of cheese on a piece of bread. Pile the meat high on the cheese, top with an additional slice of cheese, some of the sauerkraut mixture and the second piece of bread. Butter the outsides of the sandwich. Heat a heavy-bottomed nonstick skillet or griddle pan over medium-low heat. Add the sandwiches, cover with a heatproof bowl and griddle until golden and gooey in the middle, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip, cover and let cook until golden all around, another 3 minutes. Serve the extra dressing on the side.
• Cook's Note: I love getting a whole piece of pastrami, uncut, from Fumare's in Chicago. If you have a favorite deli, try getting a whole piece and cutting it yourself; the meat will stay nice and tender and you can mix the bark from the end cut with the meatier middle. You'll fall in love with pastrami all over again.

HOT PASTRAMI SANDWICH

Steps:

• Simmer pastrami in broth until hot.
• Divide meat among bread, using 4 ounces for smaller sandwich, and 8 ounces for large.
• Add cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions to taste.
• Grill sandwich until toasty and crisp if desired.
• Serve warm with chips if desired.