hello meatfriends, I have a nice 4lb point curing for pastrami. My first one. I'm following Meathead's recipe. The simple question is this: the recipe says steaming after smoking is optional. What is better? What difference does it make?
I always treat it like a Texas style brisket except with no cambro time. Once it hits 203 or probe tender serve it up hot, no need to steam in my opinion, it's one of the best things you can Q!
I'm going with the web version. I want to serve guests for Sunday football so no real way to experiment with both - either serve it hot off the smoker or smoke the day before and steam the next. What does the steaming add? Is it more moist or something? Is it a big difference or subtle?
I'm intrigued by BBQoaf's idea. But is that true pastrami? I envision pastrami still being pink in the middle.
The major difference in the book and this site is that in the book, Meathead suggests smoking until it reaches around 203*, (probe tender), then pulling it off the grill and serving. The o/l recipe calls for pulling when it reaches the stall, wrapping, and refrigerating for some time. You would then steam it until it reaches 203*, then serve. Katz's Deli steams theirs, so that may be the reason for steaming in the original recipe, but Meathead would have to address that.
You will have better bark if you leave it in the smoker until it's ready, but more of a cushion for serving time if you steam it, and you will probably get more sleep if you steam. I can't comment on flavor because I've not made it either way. I hope to cure that problem shortly though...
I've made it both ways. To me, there's no difference in flavor. There is a difference in the softness of the bark due to steaming. I prefer not to steam. It looks identical to the steamed pastrami, R2-Meat2 , pink, and with amazing flavor for both treatments.
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I also read on somebodies post (David Parrish ?) that you can sous vide it instead of steaming it and it actually ends up with better bark than steaming.
I've only used the "Pastrami Perfected" David Parrish recipe using the sous vide and before the sous vide the meat had great tast but a little tough, after the sous vide the bark suffered a little but the meat was perfectly tender, Perfect.
Thanks for all the feedback, guys. After I master brisket pastrami I look forward to pastrami'ing (new verb) duck and beef tongue. Has anyone done those? Any tips?
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