Planning on making some pastrami tomorrow and was reviewing the technique used in the cook. Meatheads book says do not use the Texas Crutch as it will remove too much rub and smoke. The recipe in the free side recommends crutching. Thoughts?
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I wrap in foil after the pastrami hits 170, and has a nice bark.
That said, my last few pastrami were pulled at 170, chilled, vacuum sealed, and finished another day using SV - 195F for 4 hours. Perfect! -
I don't wrap while cooking, but will tent in the oven/cambro to hold. If you do wrap you are more likely to have the seasoned bark fall off while slicing depending on where in the process you wrap. It tastes just fine either way IMOComment
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I used to wrap after I was happy with the bark then continue to 200º+. However for the last 3-4 years I smoke to a nice bark and then either like jfmorris said SV at 195º, or steam on the kitchen range to 200º+. Then I put it on a hot gasser for a couple of minutes each side to re-harden the bark.Comment
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If you’ll apply the rub then let it sit open on cooling racks in the fridge for 24 hours the rub will be adhered like glue. I smoke it at 290 F, wrap at 180 F IT, then take it on up to 205 F IT. Since taking this method up have had no problems. The seasoning even stays on very well when slicing. I believe I smoked 30 or more pounds of pastrami in late September for our Oktoberfest last year. There was enough left to make maybe 4 sandwiches at the end of the night. That was my second year to use this method. I won’t willingly change. It’s just that much better
PS. I sliced this about a week before we needed it and vacuum sealed it in several bags. I refrigerated it until ready to warm it for serving. I think the rubbed edges being in contact with the sliced sides imparted some flavor. The taste was spread throughout the meat not just on the edge. I’ve been doing this for 4 years and this was by far my best outcome.Last edited by Oak Smoke; February 7, 2025, 04:23 PM.Comment
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I do both…I can’t remember what I did last time, but they both provide great results! But like Oak Smoke says, if your rub is set from a 24 hour rest in the fridge prior to cook, you are going to be ok on the wrap. Either way…enjoy that pastrami!!! Makes me want to have pastrami right now!!!!!!Comment
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I put on the rub and let it sit overnight in fridge uncovered.
I cook for about 4 hours @250-260 then wrap in paper. That's not true crutch given it doesn't include added liquid, so I guess it depends on terminology.
Pastrami is my favorite bbq. I like to add some caraway and juniper berries to the mix. I usually use Cherry or sometime Apple and Cherry for smoke.Comment
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Another vote for letting it sit with the rub in place in the fridge for a day or even two. Then gentle smoke up to the stall or even past the stall by a hair, then wrap. Works great.Comment
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Hey y'all--thanks for the advice!Comment
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The book and free side of AR are not always exact copies of each other, sometimes Meathead felt a recipe needed a little tweak as the book was being written, other times the website needed a little tweak after the book was written, hence some minor differences.
For what it's worth-- I always crutch brisket, whether traditional smoked brisket or pastrami (but only after the stall, never at 165), but I never steam pastrami. To me, the steaming is where you ruin your bark. There's no wrong way, only preference.Comment
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OK, since this thread is still fairly fresh, let me add versus a new thread.
I am curious about Sous Vide de Que for Pastrami. Here's the gist of Clint's technique (Sous Vide first, then short time in smoker with lots of wood for smoke): Method- Prepare a sous vide immersion circulator, such as Joule by ChefSteps, according to the manufacturer's instructions and set the water temperature for 145°F (63°C).
- Remove the desalinated corned beef from the pot and place in a gallon-size sealable freezer bag. Carefully submerge the freezer bag in the water bath until most of the air has been removed and then seal the bag as in the video below. Once bag is submerged, cook the corned beef for 30 hours.
- Cook. Place the meat in your smoker or on the cooler side of the grill as far from the heat source as possible. Allow the meat to smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 125°F (51.7°C), about 1 hour. Note that the pastrami is already perfectly cooked from the sous vide step. The goal is to add smoke to the meat while reheating it to a temperature that is pleasant when served.
I used to wrap after I was happy with the bark then continue to 200º+. However for the last 3-4 years I smoke to a nice bark and then either like jfmorris said SV at 195º, or steam on the kitchen range to 200º+. Then I put it on a hot gasser for a couple of minutes each side to re-harden the bark.
SO now i am confused, lol. Maybe I will stick with my original non Sous Vide method!
Comments on To Sous VIde or not to Sous Vide???
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RolfTaylor my method for pastrami is based on this post from David Parrish, of SnSGrills fame:
So there is no sous-vide before the smoking/que part of things. It's que for nice bark, then chilled and I vacuum seal it, then the day I want pastrami, I drop the vacuum bags into the SV bath at 195 for the 4 hours.
There is also no reason to just not smoke all the way. I just do the SV finish for easy serving on a different day than when I was smoking. Last time I did this it was for my daughter's brithday, who requested I make pastrami. I smoked it a day or two earlier, it went into the fridge in the vacuum bags, and Sunday morning before church I threw it in the SV bath. When everyone got there at 1pm, it was ready to serve, and I just pulled it out, cut the bags open, and dumped it on the cutting board.Comment
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Thanks for the link and comments. I think this is what I will try next. I generally cook to 197-200 when I have just done low and slow. Any thoughts on varying SV temperature?
I am planning on doing 3. Perhaps I will leave one in till done and pull two off and save for SV final later in the week. -
RolfTaylor doing one smoked all the way to finish and others pulled earlier and SV'ed for the finish would be a good experiment/comparison. Let us know how that turns out.
As far as SV temp, I went with 195F for 4 hours as that is what David Parrish used in his write up. 195 is kind of a "done" temp for beef and pork. You really don't need pastrami to fall apart for shredding - you just want it tender and sliceable. -
Well the Fireboard arrived yesterday. All ready to go with the fan. I just found out I am out of black pepper (tellicherry black) so I could not make the rub today. So probably going to be Wednesday before I can cook. I am definitely going to do one my usually way and the other(s) Sous Vide.
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I never crutch that sucker. Let it ride and build that bark up!Comment
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So no wrapping in paper either (I don't consider that crutch)? That how I have been doing it. -
Let me say, you are doing it wrong, just not the way I do it. I do not like to wrap in paper. It soaks up a ton of that brisket juice that you can add back to the meat after you slice it. I will wrap in foil after it had come to my finishing temp.
RolfTaylor
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