If I were to make pastrami from store bought corned beef?

[Mosca]

Would I

1) buy a vac-pack flat,
2) desalinate it,
3) cover it with pastrami rub.
4) smoke it,
5) steam it,
6) slice and serve it?

What I'm wondering about is the desalinate step, I think.

And, these things come cured, but with a separate spice pack, and you're supposed to boil or bake the thing in water with the spices.

[Jerod Broussard]

Most definitely need to desalinate since they definitely don't skimp on the salt.

[Jon Solberg]

Mos,
I do this every year right after St Pats day.(goes on sale) Make lots for family and friends Your steps is what exactly what I do.

[Spinaker]

What are your methods for steaming the meat. As in, what is your set up?

[HorseDoctor]

Steam on a rack in a "turkey roaster" pan with a cover. If your roasting pan doesn't have a rack you can use an appropriate size "broiling rack" (see Amazon) elevated with some wads of foil.

[fzxdoc]

Mosca , I just smoked 3 pastramis last week from store-bought corned beef. Wally World had a good deal going, plus you could buy a flats and points separately. I did 2 flats and 1 point. I gave most of it away as a gift to a friend, but the piece we kept was so delicious.

I've always soaked storebought corned beef based on Meathead's recommendation that it's a wise thing to do. Even after soaking, it's pretty salty. I soak for 24 to 48 hours changing the water a couple of times a day. I shoot for 24 hours but sometimes I've left it in the bath for another 24.

I leave the rub on for a couple of days. To keep the rub from coming off, I put the pieces on a rack in an oblong baking dish and cover it with another oblong baking dish. That way nothing touches the rub but the meat and the rack. Here's what it looks like at that step:






I've quit steaming my pastramis. To our tastebuds, it doesn't add anything, flavorwise, and is just a way to lose a lot of that delicious rub.

I used to steam the pastramis one at a time in a Corning Ware dish (with lid) with a rack set in it:



On the smoker, I take the pastramis to 203ish (wherever probe tenderness occurs). I flip them in the smoker at about 160 and dab on more rub/oil mixture on any bare spots at that point. I wrap at about 180-190.

If we don't eat the pastrami right away, I cool the pieces down using Jerod's brisket cooldown method

When I get ready to serve, I slice the pastrami cold. That way I get nice thin 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. I reheat the pastrami just enough to take the chill off either in a skillet or for a short time in the microwave. Then I put it in sammies made with my panini press, which makes nice hot delicious mouthfuls of pastrami sammie.

The worst thing about the store-bought corned beef is that they're only available in 2.5-3.5 lb pieces, and of course they shrink a lot. That's why I usually make 3 or 4 pieces at a time.

Edited to add: This last time I used Henrik 's trick of inserting a toothpick to mark the grain. What a great help that was. I always hated slicing off a corner of the brisket (especially small ones like these) and then that corner tends to round off during the cook, so I still would lose my bearings. That toothpick method (insert toothpick along the grain, wiggling it in and out of the meat to hold it in place) was perfect!

HTH,
Kathryn

[fzxdoc]

You're welcome, Mosca . I just went back and added some info about marking the grain which was really helpful this last time.

Kathryn

[Mosca]

fzxdoc, I'm off Sundays and Tuesdays. I can buy the meat Saturday night, prep it Sunday morning, and smoke it Tuesday for eating Tuesday night and to take to work Wednesday. The timing of everything works perfectly!

[Dr ROK]

I never cover mine when I refrigerate it. Just set it on a rack in a pan. I've gone for three days without a cover without any issues.

[DeusDingo]

i'm glad you asked this because i was thinking of doing exactly this.

[Huskee]

Just made some yesterday, 3.5lb point cut.

Here's what I did and it was perfect, for me anyway:

Desalinate 10hrs in one load of water.
Trimmed well, removing the better portion of all exterior fat.
Added rub to the moist meat, generously.
Let sit in fridge, uncovered ~28 hrs.
Flipped the piece over after ~12hrs so the bottom side could dry some, dried the plate with a piece of paper towel real quick.

Smoked at ~240 up to the 190s (maybe 7-8 hrs). Wrapped it and power cambroed it for ~2hrs.

Skipped the steaming step. Essentially treated it like a regular piece of brisket. Sliced and enjoyed after the 2 hr wrapped hold.

Results? Perfection. I think this will be my go-to technique. I just don't see the reason for steaming unless you only go up to 160 with intent of steaming the next day. Take it up to the 190s-200s and cambro it like you would a brisket and it's yum yum.

[DWCowles]

No pictures ???

[Huskee]

DWCowles, nah, just more of the same.

[fzxdoc]

I've made several pastramis and haven't cambroed yet. I don't do anything that might loosen all of that lovely bark/rub. Haven't had a dry or tough pastrami yet. (fingers crossed). FWIW, I don't cambro pork butts either.

Maybe I should try cambroing? Hmmm. I wouldn't think of making a brisket without tossing it in a cambro for a few hours. Ditto with a chuckie. I wonder what it is about pastrami that, in my experience at least, doesn't require time in a cambro.

Kathryn

[David Parrish]

If your bark needs to be set after the Cambro just put the meat under your oven broiler for a minute or two

[Huskee]

Never had a bark issue cambroing briskets, pastramis, or butts. I think the key is waiting until the bark is good & built up before any aluminum enters the picture.

[mgaretz]

I make all my pastrami starting with store bought corned beef. Not only is it easier, but way cheaper than buying brisket. I have been doing an overnight soak to desalinate for over 20 years, and that's for making regular corned beef. Of course I also do it for pastrami.

[Dr ROK]

Surprised nobody mentioned MH's Katz recipe yet. He discusses how to make if from store bought or homemade. That's been my go to method for pastrami. Talks about desalinating, rubbing, smoking, etc.

http://amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html

[Huskee]

I thought it was a given many of us were talking about his recipe. I use his recipe, with variations on timing here & there. Always his rub recipe though, it's yummo

[fzxdoc]

Absolutely Meathead's Katz recipe all the way. I'm addicted to that rub! As Huskee said, I thought that was a given. No way I'd bolt from the corral on such a perfect prep/rub/smoke recipe! I did clear the corral fence on the steaming part, though.

K.

[fzxdoc]

Never had a bark issue cambroing briskets, pastramis, or butts. I think the key is waiting until the bark is good & built up before any aluminum enters the picture.

I guess I never cambro pastrami or butts because I follow Meathead's guidelines in his (original) pastrami and butt recipes, where cambroing was optional. My pastrami and butts turn out great without the trip to the Cambro Spa, so far.

I agree with you about waiting for robust bark before foiling anything. I do wait until 180-190 internal temp to wrap pastrami (I never wrap butts) so the bark is set pretty well. Thing is, no matter how tight the bark, that loaded-on rub likes to slide when moistened by steam, at least in my experience. I do admit to piling it on, adding more rub just before loading in the PBC and then patching up any bare areas when I turn the meat at 160ish. As I said, we're addicted to that delicious rub/bark.


Kathryn

[Burgie]

PBC....Pit Barrel Cooker? Do you hang the brisket or let it cook on the wire rack?

[fzxdoc]

Burgie , I place the pastrami on the grate. It's the only large piece of meat that I do not hang, though. I find that the bark is firmer (if I flip the meat at about 160 degF) and I lose less of that tasty rub. And yup, PBC=Pit Barrel Cooker, the love of my BBQ/smoking life.

[Mosca]

Okay, I can't stand it. I'm doing this. I'm going to do a small piece Sunday to get a feel for it, and then I'm going to do a couple big ones on Tuesday. Stand by.

[Huskee]

Okay, I can't stand it. I'm doing this. I'm going to do a small piece Sunday to get a feel for it, and then I'm going to do a couple big ones on Tuesday. Stand by.

You'll love it. You know how to cook a piece of meat so you won't mess it up, of that I'm more than confident.

[Mosca]

Okay, first one is soaking.