[USA] Make your own pastrami for great sandwiches
Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 08:12
Chuckwagon`s Lone Peak Pastrami
(20 lb. formula)
"Basturma" originated in Asia Minor where people yet today make the recipe using camel meat. Historically, even horsemeat has been used. Later, in Romania, a highly spiced pork product known as "pastrama" was developed about the time Slavic Jews in Europe fashioned a kosher "beef version" known as corned beef - the "corns" referring to the coarse grains of salt used to cure the meat. Introduced to America by the immigrating Jewish community, "corning" beef became popular long before refrigeration was devised or commonly utilized. Today, more often than not, we make it for its unique flavor and texture. Technically, pastrami is "kicked up" corned beef, having an outside layer of crushed coriander seeds and black peppercorns rubbed and pressed into the meat before it is smoked. Round up 20 lbs. of beef brisket or beef plate and then make a 40° SAL curing brine by mixing the following ingredients:
1 gallon water
7-1/2 tblspns. (136 g.) Prague Powder Cure #1
1 pound (453 g.) kosher salt (coarse)
3 tblspns. coriander seeds (added for its flavor)
2 tblspns. black peppercorns (added for "spiciness" - please crack the peppercorns - don`t pulverize them.
1 tlbspn. white peppercorns (cracked for "spiciness" - if not available, use additional black peppercorns.
8 cloves fresh garlic (minced to provide flavor)
2 tblspns. yellow mustard seeds (added for "spiciness")
3 tblspns. brown sugar (added to provide sweetness)
3 tblspns. paprika (added to provide pungency and spicy hot quality)
A pound of salt in a gallon of water is an old favorite (easy to remember) of many sausage makers. This brine is 40 SAL degrees and about 10.5% salt. Some people prefer a more "sturdy" 60 SAL solution by using 1-1/2 lbs. of salt (nearly 16% salt by weight). Of course, the duration in the brine is shorter and it is a little "stiff" for poultry, but just fine for beef or pork. Toast the peppercorns and seeds in a dry skillet a few minutes, to release their oils and flavor. Stir all the ingredients into the water, bring the solution to boil, remove it from the heat, and allow it to return to room temperature.
Pump the briskets (or plates) in several places with enough brine to equal 10% of the weight of the meat. Place the meat in a non-reactive container covered by the remaining brine for 5 days at 38° F (3° C.). Be sure the meat is submerged; use a couple of clean dinner plates to hold it down if necessary. (I stopped using rusty horseshoes long ago!) Having "baptized the brisket" five days, flush away the brine and cover the brisket overnight using fresh, cold, water. It is a good idea to change the water once again during this period after about four hours. Finally, rinse the meat and pat it dry. Press and rub freshly cracked black peppercorns into the surface (with more coriander seeds if desired) to form a thick coating. When the meat has dried completely, hang the pieces inside a preheated 140° F. (60° C.) smokehouse and smoke them an hour in your favorite smoke. Hickory is very nice. Careful now, beef is not as forgiving as is pork, and may be easily oversmoked. Next, cover the meat with foil (to hold in moisture) and finish cooking the pastrami inside a "slow" oven at only 200° F. (93° C.). Continue cooking the meat slowly until it eventually reaches an internal meat temperature of 165° F. (74° C.). The meat may also be baked inside a covered Dutch oven if you prefer not to use foil. When the pastrami has cooled to room temperature, place it into the refrigerator 8 hours before slicing.
"Shotgun Sanford`s .12 Gauge Mustard"
(Mustard Dressing For Pastrami)
1/2 cup Coleman`s dry mustard powder
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tspn. pulverized red pepper flakes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tspn. prepared horseradish
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tspn. salt (un-iodized flaked)
1-1/3 cup mayonnaise
*water
Heat the flour in the bottom of a Dutch oven, until it start to turn golden brown. Remove the utensil from the heat and add the remaining ingredients except the mayonnaise. Stir the mixture to blend it. If more moisture is needed, add cold water as you continue stirring. Replace the Dutch oven over the heat and simmer the mixture while continuing to stir. When the mustard begins to thicken from the heat, remove it and allow it to cool for a few hours. Finally add the mayonnaise and stir it until blended. Store the mustard dressing in a glass container for a week before using it on pastrami.
Best wishes,
Chuckwagon
(20 lb. formula)
"Basturma" originated in Asia Minor where people yet today make the recipe using camel meat. Historically, even horsemeat has been used. Later, in Romania, a highly spiced pork product known as "pastrama" was developed about the time Slavic Jews in Europe fashioned a kosher "beef version" known as corned beef - the "corns" referring to the coarse grains of salt used to cure the meat. Introduced to America by the immigrating Jewish community, "corning" beef became popular long before refrigeration was devised or commonly utilized. Today, more often than not, we make it for its unique flavor and texture. Technically, pastrami is "kicked up" corned beef, having an outside layer of crushed coriander seeds and black peppercorns rubbed and pressed into the meat before it is smoked. Round up 20 lbs. of beef brisket or beef plate and then make a 40° SAL curing brine by mixing the following ingredients:
1 gallon water
7-1/2 tblspns. (136 g.) Prague Powder Cure #1
1 pound (453 g.) kosher salt (coarse)
3 tblspns. coriander seeds (added for its flavor)
2 tblspns. black peppercorns (added for "spiciness" - please crack the peppercorns - don`t pulverize them.
1 tlbspn. white peppercorns (cracked for "spiciness" - if not available, use additional black peppercorns.
8 cloves fresh garlic (minced to provide flavor)
2 tblspns. yellow mustard seeds (added for "spiciness")
3 tblspns. brown sugar (added to provide sweetness)
3 tblspns. paprika (added to provide pungency and spicy hot quality)
A pound of salt in a gallon of water is an old favorite (easy to remember) of many sausage makers. This brine is 40 SAL degrees and about 10.5% salt. Some people prefer a more "sturdy" 60 SAL solution by using 1-1/2 lbs. of salt (nearly 16% salt by weight). Of course, the duration in the brine is shorter and it is a little "stiff" for poultry, but just fine for beef or pork. Toast the peppercorns and seeds in a dry skillet a few minutes, to release their oils and flavor. Stir all the ingredients into the water, bring the solution to boil, remove it from the heat, and allow it to return to room temperature.
Pump the briskets (or plates) in several places with enough brine to equal 10% of the weight of the meat. Place the meat in a non-reactive container covered by the remaining brine for 5 days at 38° F (3° C.). Be sure the meat is submerged; use a couple of clean dinner plates to hold it down if necessary. (I stopped using rusty horseshoes long ago!) Having "baptized the brisket" five days, flush away the brine and cover the brisket overnight using fresh, cold, water. It is a good idea to change the water once again during this period after about four hours. Finally, rinse the meat and pat it dry. Press and rub freshly cracked black peppercorns into the surface (with more coriander seeds if desired) to form a thick coating. When the meat has dried completely, hang the pieces inside a preheated 140° F. (60° C.) smokehouse and smoke them an hour in your favorite smoke. Hickory is very nice. Careful now, beef is not as forgiving as is pork, and may be easily oversmoked. Next, cover the meat with foil (to hold in moisture) and finish cooking the pastrami inside a "slow" oven at only 200° F. (93° C.). Continue cooking the meat slowly until it eventually reaches an internal meat temperature of 165° F. (74° C.). The meat may also be baked inside a covered Dutch oven if you prefer not to use foil. When the pastrami has cooled to room temperature, place it into the refrigerator 8 hours before slicing.
"Shotgun Sanford`s .12 Gauge Mustard"
(Mustard Dressing For Pastrami)
1/2 cup Coleman`s dry mustard powder
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 tspn. pulverized red pepper flakes
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tspn. prepared horseradish
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tspn. salt (un-iodized flaked)
1-1/3 cup mayonnaise
*water
Heat the flour in the bottom of a Dutch oven, until it start to turn golden brown. Remove the utensil from the heat and add the remaining ingredients except the mayonnaise. Stir the mixture to blend it. If more moisture is needed, add cold water as you continue stirring. Replace the Dutch oven over the heat and simmer the mixture while continuing to stir. When the mustard begins to thicken from the heat, remove it and allow it to cool for a few hours. Finally add the mayonnaise and stir it until blended. Store the mustard dressing in a glass container for a week before using it on pastrami.
Best wishes,
Chuckwagon
Would it be possible to, say, start with a corned beef brisket, inject it with the same amount of brine called for in the recipe (10% of weight of meat, boiled with the spices in it), rub plenty of cracked pepper and coriander into the meat, wrap it with plastic wrap and put it on a tray (to contain any leakage) and wait the prescribed 5 days at 38 deg F?
