Following the better than katz recipe to the letter, but not happy. First round the result was dense - maybe that is to be expected, I Thought it would be more like corned beef or a brisket texture. Second attempt, the pastrami was both dense and tough. Very hard to cut across grain, hard to cut with grain.
Final temp on both was around 203. Should I be looking for probe tender?
Let them sit in a cooler for at least an hour after taking off the smoker.
From Texas brisket recipe page:
When is it done?
Steaks from along the back of the animal are done at 130 to 135°F (54° to 57°C), at which point they are the most tender and juicy. But that muscle is more tender and juicy because it doesn’t get much of a workout on the animal. The brisket, the pectorals, get a lot more work and have a lot more tough connective tissue that needs to be softened, so you just can’t take briskets off the heat at the same temp as steaks. For more on this dichotomy, read my article on meat science.
Old time pitmasters say brisket is done when it is done. These folks say you really can’t tell by temperature. Each brisket is different. They can tell when it is ready by feel. Some talk about a gelatinous bounce it has when they poke it because the connective tissues have melted. This is referred to as the “wabba wabba” point. Others stick a fork in the side of the flat and twist. If it turns easily, it is ready. Yes, that’s where the expression “stick a fork in it” came from. “Fast Eddy” Maurin says he waits until it is “as soft as buttah.”
The rest of us have to rely on temperature, and despite their bravado, the top pitmasters on the competition circuit all use digital thermometers to help them. A lot will depend on the quality of the meat, how moist the air is in the cooker, if you injected, and how long you crutched. I’ve heard skilled cooks tell me every number from 195 to 205°F (90° to 96°C). A lot of top competitors swear by 203°F (95°C), and I have noticed that something magical does seem to happen at around this number. At this temp, the thermometer probe glides in effortlessly, like buttah (once it gets through the bark). If, despite your efforts, your brisket never gets tender, pull it off before it goes above 205°F (96°C) because it will only continue to dry out.
Holding?
Then it comes off the cooker and it gets wrapped in foil and sits in a faux cambro, an insulated box like a beer cooler, for 1 to 4 hours. Holding helps tenderize by allowing some carryover cooking which helps melt tough connective tissue. The foil also captures natural jus for use in a sauce, and holding the meat allows the surface parts that have dried out during cooking to re-absorb some of the juices. This is not the same as resting a steak or other meats, which I do not recommend. Holding is also a great fudge factor that lets you take the meat off when it is ready and hold it for hours until the guests are ready.
I just did some using that recipe using commercial corned beef. Followed the recipe to the letter, it came out great. I haven't corned my own beef yet, but I will be doing that soon. Not sure why you had different results.
Large Big Green Egg, Weber Performer Deluxe, Weber Smokey Joe Silver, Fireboard Drive, 3 DigiQs, lots of Thermapens, and too much other stuff to mention.
My first one came out exactly like yours did, but all of them since have been really good. Haven’t done one in years, though, Mrs can’t eat it any more.
I never have taken pastrami straight from the smoker or after holding to a sandwich. I always refrigerate it after smoking, then the next day slice it thin and then steam the slices. Always is delicious.
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