Pastrami question

[ColonialDawg]

I just got finished reading Meathead's pastrami writeup and I am totally doing this! Quick question I am a little fuzzy on. If I want to pickle 2 4-pound briskets do I need to double everything (minus the curing salt - I know to use the calculator), meaning brine in 2 gallons rather than one gallon? Or can I brine both pieces of meat in 1 gallon and just adjust the curing salt?

[Jerod Broussard]

You can cure together, just don't stack. Also, you need enough water to cover the meat by a good bit so that the meat is always submerged. You might have a container that won't require an entire 2 gallons, but making sure you have more than enough is no problem. Whatever amount of water you use, just make sure and plug it into the calculator along with the total weight of meat, shape, and thickness of thickest piece. And like you say, all ingredients can be scaled up 2x, 3x, etc.....except the curing powder.

[overeasy]

So If we separate to point from the flat, because the two pieces are not the same thickness, can we start the point then add the flat later using the calculator of course. That way they would both come out of the cure at approximately the same time?

[Jerod Broussard]

overeasy I've always started together with no problems.

[overeasy]

The Granary in San Antonio is making Pastrami out of briskets. Texas Monthly says their the best in the country. Don't know about that but they have an article on them. Just search best pastrami on their site and it will come up.

[Jerod Broussard]

Oh yeah, he is using an Oyler Smoker and running them dudes all the way unwrapped.

[overeasy]

do you know if he cooks the briskets whole? Have you been there?

[overeasy]

The other variable is the fresh water soak. How long. That's something that only comes with first hand experience.
In the Texas Monthly article it mentions their pastrami was too salty at first. They figured something out and have it dialed in now. Maybe just less salt in the initial brine?
If you have to do a soak to remove salt it will increases the time to table. Don't forget you have to dry these beasties to get the desired pellicle formed.

[overeasy]

Sounds like a road trip is in order!

[overeasy]

Hello?

[Jerod Broussard]

I typically soak 8 hours with Meathead's recipe with excellent results. I never been, just read the article.

[ColonialDawg]

Well, I finally did one last weekend and it was awesome. I ended buying corned beef, soaked it for about 8 hours in water, applied meathead’s rub and let the meat rest in refrigerator 4 days (I planned only 2 days but something came up). Smoke over pecan and cherry for 8 hours. It was incredible! Made some Reuben sandwiches on sourdough (I don’t like rye) and they were delicious. Sorry, no pictures but I am telling the truth!

[Huskee]

Doing one myself as we speak. Cooking hotter this time, 275-300.

[ColonialDawg]

I’ll be interested to hear how the hot and fast goes. I actually wrapped mine to speed things up. The bark was good but soft. Flavor was definitely not lacking, though.