Massive shrinking grilling pastrami

[Telespielstube]

Hello barbecue friends,

In 2 weeks I plan a BBQ party with our Napoleon Rogue S425SB where I want to make a pulled pork and pastrami for 15 - 20 people. There should be no problems with the pulled pork, but yesterday was my pastrami test run and it was as expected super, delicious as Reuben sandwich, but way too little. I strictly followed Meathead's pastrami recipe.

Now to my approach:
1. 5.5 lbs of beef brisk bought from the local butcher. The butcher has cured the hunk, and packed it in a plastic bag with some of the brine.
2. I put in the fridge for 7 days.
3. Took the meat out of the packaging, poured water in a container, cut the meat in two and put it for 6 hours in water, then seasoned with Pastrami and Magic Dust. That makes 2 pieces to about 2.6 lbs.
3. I set up the grill and preheat to 225F (the lid was opened about 1 inch to keep the temperature in the range of 221F - 239F).
4. Lay meat on the grill and grilled to 95 degrees core temperature.

The result was 60% loss. Actually, that should be about 30% - 40%, right?

My question is, what did I do wrong? My considerations are as follows:
- bad meat will most likely impossible.
- Water is actually no longer in the meat due to the salting.
- Does the cut have anything to do with it? Parallel or against the fiber.
- Does this have anything to do with the missing fat?
- Does it have something to do with the open lid? Would a bowl of water be the solution?
- or is it normal that it is so little?

Of course, I want to try to exclude everything and avoid that I only have 2 lbs of pastrami.

I thank you in advance for the answers.

[Troutman]

60% is not normal, never had one shrink that much and I make it monthly. Also I think you have a typo, should be 195* internal temp, not 95*.

[Polarbear777]

I think he meant 60% left or 40% loss?

[Donw]

95 Celsius is about 203 F. It may just be a different scale.

[Telespielstube]

Yep, I forgot to convert the temperature from celsius to fahrenheit. I meant of course 203F and 95C.

[Polarbear777]

If it’s delicious then you did it right and the loss is okay it’s usually 30 or more percent so that’s normal. I usually start with 2x as much as I need. I’ll cut a 17 lb full brisket into quarters, cure it myself and cook it.

With pastrami, no matter how much you start with it’s never enough.

[RonB]

+ 1

[Potkettleblack]

It's very this. I could make two full packers and not have enough for my own use.

[Telespielstube]

If it’s delicious then you did it right and the loss is okay it’s usually 30 or more percent so that’s normal. I usually start with 2x as much as I need. I’ll cut a 17 lb full brisket into quarters, cure it myself and cook it.

With pastrami, no matter how much you start with it’s never enough.

It was absolutely delicious. But after a week thinking it through and asking different german butchers and pitmasters I have come to the conclusion there is a major difference in core temperatures.
Namely, german BBQ blogs and butchers recommend a core temperature of 158F maximum. Which got me very confused on the one hand I have Meatheads pastrami recipe (which I regard as very perfect by the way) and on the other hand I have german pastrami recipes which all recommend 158F.

[ecowper]

@Telespieltube if you only smoke the pastrami to 158F (give or take), then you will want to steam it afterwards to get it tender enough. Meathead gives the two approaches in his recipe .... smoke all the way to 200F+ or smoke to 160F and then steam.

[Telespielstube]

Right, you actually have to steam it, but this guys let it cool down and serve it or they freeze it for 5 days for a better flavor. (dont ask me why) Is there really a benefit in freezing? I do't think so.

[ecowper]

It seems to me that freezing would decrease flavor, not improve it. As to letting it cool down .... I like hot pastrami, personally. I also love the New York Jewish Delicatessen pastrami :-)

[Backroadmeats]

From my experience freezing brings out lots of flavors.. I have made many sausages that had little heat but give them a week and it is a different sausage.. canning is the same way.. put salsa in a jar that doesn't seem to have enough heat... Two weeks later you can barely eat it.. I cannot explain but have seen it many times..

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

I also have noticed a huge loss in weight with pastrami. I'm talking >50% pretty routinely. I've done it several times, from curing my own to using precured ones from the store and just smoking them. Last time I had a 4lb flat and 3lb point, and ended up with just over 2 pounds of completed pastrami. Now... that is going by the weight on the package, I did not actually weigh my chunks after removing from the package. Makes me wonder if they packaged it, then weighed and stickered it, as these have quite a bit of liquid in them. Could have been a half pound less in each once I removed the liquid and seasoning packet (a few grams for that, probably). But I know I had less than 2 1/2 pounds when I got done smoking and steaming.