1st Pastrami: opinions/ suggestions please?

[jfmorris]

Sounds like a plan. I only do pastrami using David Parrish 's sous vide method to finish. One nice thing? You can smoke and vacuum pack the day before if serving for other folks, and just do the sous vide step the day you are serving. If you let it cool down a little when you remove it from the SV bag, the bark seems to stay set nicely for serving.

If you plan on cutting this up for lunch meat, I suggest taking it from the SV bath to an ice bath and then the fridge overnight, as it slices much easier cold, especially if going for thin sandwich style slices.

My youngest asked for pastrami for her birthday meal last year, this year she asked for brisket. I guess I did something right there! . For the birthday, I smoked two 4-5 pound pastrami's the day before, sealed up, and did the SV 4 to 5 hours before the birthday party.

[Santamarina]

I haven’t made pastrami - yet! Not sure why…I love a good pastrami sandwich. When it comes to slicing sandwich meat I’m in the “slice it thin and stack it high” camp.

[jjdbike]

Thanks again everyone.

Here's the report and summery. 4 1/2 lb corned beef "point", that turned out to be 1/2 point 1/2 flat. I separated the two muscles by butterflying but didn't detach. I found that that surface fat and membranes had become tough and leathery so I removed them. I soaked in cold water in fridge for 1 1/2 days changing water frequently.
I made the rub, slathered w/ light coating of mustard, and rubbed. Sat uncovered in fridge for full day plus, i.e. 28 hours.
Applied the rub that fell off back onto the roast. Into the 200 degree KBQ burning cherry splits w/ water pan underneath. Rolled at 200 for an hour before starting light smoked wagyu tallow mop (more like drip) every hour. Three hours in I flipped and cranked up fire to 225. hour and a half latter I flipped again and cranked up fire to 275 to tighten up bark. Pulled at 5 1/2 hours, internal temp 195 and close to probe tender, still a tiny bit of resistance. Applied the rest of the tallow to the butcher paper, wrapped and put in oven (in foil pan covered w/ foil), at 170. hour in I lowered oven to 160, hour later lowered to 150. 45 mins before serving I turned oven off.

Sliced thin w/ knife. Raves from guests. My opinion, I loved the spice & smoke, liked that there was some bite, not crumbling or falling apart, I found it to be a tad dry, especially the flat.

Next time, I sticking w/ whole brisket.
Best regards!
JD

[fzxdoc]

Sounds like everything worked out well for you, jjdbike. Congrats!

Kathryn

[Draznnl]

Congrats. Sounds like a success. Good job, especially for a first timer.