Pastrami problem... It finally happened to me ...sigh....

[Steve Vojtek]

I am faced with a difficult decision for the first time since I remember. To throw it out or not?
I am very carefully when it comes to food hygiene and this sort of a thing just doesn't happen to me.
I have a almost finished pastrami in my fridge. It just needs to be smoked tomorrow. OK let me start at the beginning...

4 pound brisket cured in Meathead's corned beef brine with all optional extras for 7 days. All ingredients precisely measured and triple checked. I'm very fussy about that! Always used gloves handling meat and stirred everything daily...

Washed and desalinated for 24 hours changing water twice. Used gloves..
I noticed an unusual odor on the brisket. The brine was clear and smelled fine.
I thought the odor was due to the garlic and pickling spices so I continued.

Rinsed and rubbed with Meatheads pastrami rub two days ago and put on a rack in the fridge to set the crust.
I smelled it when I got home tonite and the odor is stronger than before. I'm not sure if it is due to the spices in the rub or not.

To describe it is hard for me. It reminds me of rotten meat a little and at this point I'm ready to ditch it. No ifs and buts about it!!!!

Tomorrow morning its going in the bin unless someone tells me its normal.
Maybe it is the garlic and herbs and spices interacting with each other or maybe not.

I'm ready to get a new brisket tomorrow and start again.

Back on the horse!!!!

Soooo close...I can almost taste it.....





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[customtrim]

Mine never really had any terrible smell to them, and i did use all of the options as well

[RonB]

Sorry Steve, but I've not noticed an off odor either of the two times I have made pastrami.

[Thunder77]

I have made several batches, and no, I cannot say I noticed any smell except for the spices I used. Sorry.

[Shane Rakow]

Unfortunately, even if it is good enough to continue with, you are going to have doubt in your mind about it. Around my house it's when in doubt, throw it out. You don't want every bite making you wonder if you are going to get sick or not. This may have been a problem when you purchased the meat, and not necessarily a result of your process.

[Steve Vojtek]

Thanks guys and no need to be sorry.. Stuff happens... Chances are I am smelling the spices but being my first pastrami and using such an elaborate concoction maybe that's what I'm smelling. I am usually overly cautious. And thank you Shane I have the same rule - if in doubt throw it out but in this case I have more question marks than usual... I did everything correct and my meat is sourced from a little shop attached to an abattoir - there is no delivery chain etc .. As fresh as it gets. And it had no off smell - I always check. Over a nice dinner and a couple of glasses of wine I did some lateral thinking and came up with a solution:

I will vacseal the brisket and freeze it.
I will start another one using the same process precisely and compare the smell.
If it is the same I guess I'm good to go - but i will test it on myself first before serving to others..
If its all good I will have another one good to go in the freezer...win win...

I have to mention that all the water I used was chilled at least overnight for all the steps so the brisket never got warmer that fridge temp.
Hence all the ???????

I'm thinking I'm just tripping over a new smell I've never experienced before. Thank you all ....

[Steve Vojtek]

Hahaha I'm single ATM but I can think of other "guinea pigs" Hmmm do you think I should smoke it first or serve as is???

[Thunder77]

RonB, I'm not sure if the MIL test is valid here. I have seen some MIL that could survive nuclear waste. That's how bad they were! 😂😂😂

[RonB]

Steve Vojtek - go ahead and smoke it. If nothing else, it will give you some practice smoking pastrami. However, I like your idea of freezing it and trying with another hunk o' meat.

[Storlok]

I don't suppose you aged it in the vac seal bag for a time before the curing process? The only time I have had an odd smell to brisket is when I age it a month or so before use. I have a batch of pastrami on the smoker as I type. This one only spent a week in the fridge before the curing process began, just enough to thaw and get to "fridge temp". No odor on it. Good luck with the next batch...

[Steve Vojtek]

No not aged and it was never frozen it was vacsealed and had heaps of time before the best by date. I'm very pedantic about choosing the freshest meats (and everything ) always dig in the back for the freshest stuff. Shopkeepers hate me cause they cannot unload their older stuff on me
Thank you

[BradFlood]

Hey Steve, I'm in the same process as you right now with an 8# brisket. In fact, I just went down to the fridge and put the brisket/pastrami on my large baking rake after reading your post, I've always cured it on a large platter and never thought to put it on a baking rake to allow is to "crust" on both sides prior to smoking!

This is my 3rd "almost KATZ Deli" pastrami and same as you, I've followed the recipe to a T. I actually did a corned beef for St. Patty's Day at the same time I started the pastrami, thanks to spare fridges in the basement! I have to say, there were no strange smells coming from either cut of meat after the corning process. When I just went down to put the pastrami on the baking rack, there was only a slight smell from the pastrami spices, not even that strong, in the fridge. This has been the case on the 2 prior pastrami's as well. I'd have to advise with the others and err on the side of caution by dumping this attempt and starting over with a fresh cut of brisket.

Best Wishes on the next one turning out as good as the first 2 I've done...honestly, I live in CT and have eaten at THE real Katz Deli on numerous occasions, and I can state for a fact, this recipe is SPOT ON!!! I was blown away when I took the first slice of the first one I made....it was AMAZING how much it truly tasted like KATZ Deli pastrami.

Sorry about the misfortune on this attempt, Good Luck with the next one!

ps - This is my 8#er, will be smoking it on Thursday, after a 3 day cure.

[Steve Vojtek]

Thank you and I'm jealous that you got to experience the real Katz..But as you say Meatheads one is Spot On and I can't wait to try it. I am motivated more now to do another one. Thanks and yours looks great.

[BradFlood]

The next one will be THE one for you Steve! Best Wishes Brother Smoker!

[Steve Vojtek]

😀😀😀😀

[EdF]

Steve, I'm with the others - the smell should be pleasant. Perhaps some kind of issue before it got to you.

[Steve Vojtek]

OK thank you all much appreciated. In the morning the brisket smelled even worse so I discarded it. May it rest in peace. But I have good news! Let's forget about that one ( I'll call it my practice run ) I thing the BBQ gods made this happen to make me go to the butcher shop up the road from my work. (my way of putting a positive spin on this) cause they have a special on briskets right now. A$ 7.99 per kilo! Normally they are twice the price but that's not all.!The briskets are huge compared to the previous ones. I bought one that is almost 13 pounds! And they have bigger ones!!! 100 day grain fed goodness...I have made room in my freezer and am going back tomorrow to stock up.. I am going to portion this one into pastrami and Texas brisket.... I'm so exited ...This pastrami will be great! The force is strong with this one.

[Thunder77]

Sweet!!

[EdF]

Looks like you're getting the right turn of events!