Struggling with Pastrami

[SheilaAnn]

🤦🏼♀️

I purchased a corned beef 3# 13 ounces. I trust my source. Heck, it’s probably the corned beef recipe from my old job (we used this farmer all the time). Followed the procedures from here to the letter. Even timed out the desalination! Here’s my log so far:

I set the weber with SnS and the combustion set up.
10:05 am 228*F
12:15 pm 230*F IT at 152*F; added more water to reservoir
2:00 PM IT 162*F
3:00 PM IT 167*F; added more water
4:00 PM 240*F with an IT 169*F; cross checked with my other thermometer and temps match
4:40 PM just checked the app 167*F core temp

I forgot to clarify that I’m pretty sure I have a point….

[SheilaAnn]

I’m going through past notes and I see that I have pulled the roasts when they were around 165*F. But the MH book says take it to the end, so that’s my intention. But it doesn’t feel right to me!

[wrgilb]

I pull mine around 165.

[wrgilb]

I’m going through past notes and I see that I have pulled the roasts when they were around 165*F. But the MH book says take it to the end, so that’s my intention. But it doesn’t feel right to me!

Here's one at 165.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Just a long stall - keeping water in the cook chamber and humidity up prevents it from drying out and seems to me like it could prolong the stall.

I don't ever use a water pan, so I dunno. The few times I did, I either didn't like it or found no real difference/improvement.

[texastweeter]

Actually a humid interior will shorten the stall. If the air is saturated, there will be no evaporation. Without evaporation there is no evaporative cooling which is what causes the stall.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I don't know that I've seen enough data to support that. I don't think the chamber is humid enough to STOP evaporative cooling. If this were the case, a simple water pan would eliminate the need (or benefit of, if not need) wrapping in butcher paper or foil.

[texastweeter]

It is highly dependant on your cooker and it's airflow. On the bbq vault (charcoal cabinet smoker)that is a low airflow cooker it speeds it up a LOT, on the magnum sniper (offset stick burner) not much. I don't wrap in the vault.

[johnec00]

I've been (mostly) following this method from David Parrish for a number of years. I've tried other methods (all the way, smoke and boil, smoke and steam), but come back to this. Of course, you would skip the curing since your corned beef is already cured.

https://pitmaster.amazingribs.com/forum/the-pit-mastery-program/beef-steak-brisket-roasts-prime-rib-etc/148541-svq-pastrami-perfected

[SheilaAnn]

I keep reading this and want to do it! I did purchase two corned beefs. I’ll do this one next time!

[STEbbq]

I’d dump the water and up the temp to 275 or even 325. The water is slowing the cook down. You want to pull around 195-200 when probe tender.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Agreed - I never cook ANYTHING under 250 these days. Unless it's for a short time early on to get extra smoke outta my pellet or something. Did some ribs at 300 yesterday. Fabulous, just as good as my 275 and my 250 ribs - but way quicker. For a big chunk of anything, at 225-230, it's gonna take 12+ hours.

[texastweeter]

Was it injected to cure? Injected meats take significantly longer to get to temp.

[SheilaAnn]

That I don’t know. I will ask Loren.

[SheilaAnn]

texastweeter I just heard back from the farm. They inject their corned beef. Mystery solved!

[SheilaAnn]

I pulled it. Dropped into the toaster oven at 300*F. After reading above, now I kinda wanna wrap it. It has a great bark.

[SheilaAnn]

I’m at 190*F

[STEbbq]

How long did you leave the rub on after desalination? If the meat was water-logged I could see it taking much longer. I usually leave the rub on for 24-72 hours which I think helps dry it out.

[SheilaAnn]

STEbbq I rubbed with MH pastrami rub at 8:15am 5-10, so overnight until it hit the weber at 10:05 am today.

[SheilaAnn]

Final results…. It was salty! Not TOO salty, but I would have preferred less. I set a butter knife out for service. It was kind of an insult. We were able to cut with a fork. I didn’t do sandwiches because it was too hot to bake rye and there was no way in heck I was going to my fav local place on Mother’s Day. It would have taken two hours! Served with my pea salad.

[SheilaAnn]

Jerod Broussard yeah…. My best pastrami has been chapter and verse the Katz’s recipe from start to finish.

[McFlyfi]

Damn, that looks good!

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I always desalinate a bit before making pastrami with store bought corned beef. If I have time, I leave it in a single pot of water overnight. If I don't have a lot of time, I change out the water every hour for 2 hours. This usually gets me about where I want to be.

[McFlyfi]

Did you ever try the tri tip pastrami? I've done it a couple of times now, and its awsome sliced thin for sandwiches. Took it to 165 fwiw.

[SheilaAnn]

McFlyfi I did! And if I recall, you were the inspiration. And it turned out good!!!

[Waiting for the Worms]

Please try the David Parrish method. I'm not going to say that it will change your life, but it will change how you make pastrami.

[Oak Smoke]

Oh wow I’d eat that!

[GolfGeezer]

Wow! may all your cooking "struggles" turn out so magnificently! I almost licked the screen, but my bride whacked me on the head so I wouldn't smear her google searches.