Need info about Mr. Meathead's pastrami

[wu7y]

I wanted to avoid hijacking other threads here so here goes: I made "Close to Katz" pastrami yesterday. I used store bought corned beef and did all the preliminary prep called for in the recipe. I smoked it at 225/230F to just about 160F on the GMG and then steamed it in a bamboo steamer over water in a wok. I covered the steamer top with foil to minimize steam loss. After 6 hours plus in the steamer I got it to 193F and that was all I could get before the company showed up for dinner. It tasted very good but was not particularly tender or juicy. It wasn't bad but not what I had hoped to see.

My question is this: According to the altitude/boiling point charts at my altitude (4600 feet +/-) water boiling point is 203F. Since the recipe calls for steaming to a temp of 203F is it realistic to expect the meat to get there in any reasonable amount of time? If not, would simply keeping it in the smoker until it reaches 203 (or probe tender) be an acceptable alternative to steaming?

Any information or advice would be appreciated. I want to do this again but I want to improve it. Thanks.

[DWCowles]

I don’t never steam. I just leave it in the smoker until it reaches 203.

[Huskee]

No and yes. Your meat will rarely ever get to your boiling point. In fact that's the highest it can get, unless it's wrapped, since meat has a lot of liquid in it. And yes, treating it like a regular brisket and taking it up to that magical 195-205 level on the smoker, and giving it an hour or two faux cambro hold will work well for tenderness. That's how I do it, I don't steam any more myself.

[wu7y]

DWCowles, Huskee, Thank you both for the advice. That's what I was thinking but since this the first one I've done I thought I'd ask the experts.

[Deaf Arty]

You might try putting it in a pressure cooker instead of steaming. I take the meat from the pit at about 160 IT or so. Then into the refrigerator if it's for tommorrow. To finish the pastrami, I bring mine to pressure, hold for 30 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the pressure bleed off by itself. The meat gets to between 200 and 210 and comes out incredibly tender and juicy.

[HorseDoctor]

Was your store bought corned beef a flat or point portion? That would play a big role in how tender and juicy the end product was.

[wu7y]

Good question. It appeared to be a flat when I bought it. Got it out of the package and it looked like there was a thicker portion of point on one end. I used a temp probe in each section during the cook. The "point" section temp was a bit lower when I took it out of the pit. After steaming the temp and consistency of each was pretty much the same. All good ideas here. I'll keep trying. Thanks.

[fzxdoc]

How I roll with pastrami:

No steam. Take to probe tender/203°F. Eat.

Use steam to reheat leftover slices quickly, or not--nuke em 30 sec and toss into ruben sammies on the Panini press.

Always get rave reviews from family.

Kathryn

[PappyBBQ]

I'm in @fzxdoc's camp.

[Meathead]

I do it both ways. Steam makes it more tender but makes the bark mushy. Straight smoke is tender but not as tender as steamed. Bark is great.

[wu7y]

Thank you all for your input, especially Meathead, the goo roo of Q. I'm flattered, sir that you took the time. I do appreciate it. Now I have enough info to work with for my next pastrami cook. Since it won't take that much more time than cooking just one my plan is to do four flats and finish at least one of them in the pressure cooker just for comparison with the traditional method. I'm still waiting for the post St. Paddy's day sales in my neck of the woods but there doesn't seem to be any hurry to move that stock. Thanks again.