Pastrami

By arthurlemay

Cured and smoked, this home-made pastrami is delicious.

Ingredients

• Depending on smoking method:
• 6 qusrts water
• 1 1/2 cups Kosher salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons pink salt (or other curing salt)
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 1 teaspoon mustard seed
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed
• one 7 pound brisket, fat layer trimmed to 1/3 inch
• 1/4 cup peppercorns, whole
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 8 pounds hardwood charcoal
• 6 cups hardwood chips
• or
• 10 hardwood disks for smoker

Details

Servings 24

Preparation

Step 1

In a large pot, combine the water with the Kosher salt, granulated sugar and brown sugars, pink salt, pickling spice, mustard seeds and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the salts and sugars have dissolved. Pour the brine into a large bowl and let cool, then refrigerate until chilled.

Using a metal skewer, poke holes all over the brisket. Pour the brine into non-reactive container. Add the brisket and cover the pan with the plastic wrap. Weigh the brisket down with heavy plates to keep it submerged in the brine and refrigerate.

Let the brisket cure for 5 days, turning it once daily.

After the 5 day curing perioid, remove the brisket from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Place the brisket, fat side up, on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 24 hours.

In a spice grinder, coarsely grind the peppercornws wit the coriander seeds. Cover the fat side of the brisket with the peppercorn-coriander mixture.

Bring the brisk to room temperature. Either:

Light the grill using about 50 hardwood briquetts. Soak the the hardwood chips in water for 30 minutes.

Arrange the hot charcoals around the perimeter of the grill and set a double layer of heavy duty aluminum foil in the center. Put an 8-inch aluminum pie plate on the foil and fill the plate halfway with water. Scatter about 1 cup of the drained hardwood chips over the hot coals. Set the grate on the grill and place the brisket, spiced side up, in the center. Cover and grill at 250 degrees , partially vented, for about 5 hours. Every 45 minutes or so, replenish the hot coals and add cup of the drained hardwood chips.

OR:

Place small pan of water in the base of the smoker. Place hardwood chips for 5 hours of smoking in dispenser. Place brisket, spiced side up, in smoker. Smoke at 250 degrees
for about 5 hours.

The pastrami is done when an instant read thermometer, inserted in the thickes part registers 170 degrees. Let the pastrami cool and the refrigerate until chilled.