If you're a fan of traditional brisket pastrami, you're going to LOVE Beef Short Rib Pastrami. It's time to level up!
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Curing the short ribs in a pink-salt brine for 7-10 days gives them the same tangy, cured flavor and pink ring traditional brisket pastrami is known for, just on a different cut
- Locking the plate in place inside the brining bucket keeps every rib fully submerged for the entire week-plus cure, rather than letting pieces float above the liquid and cure unevenly
- Applying a thin layer of Dijon before the pepper-coriander rub gives it something tacky to grip, so the crust actually stays on through 8+ hours of smoke
- Toasting the whole peppercorns and coriander seeds before coarsely grinding them for the rub builds a more aromatic crust than starting with pre-ground spices would
Beef Short Rib Pastrami
Tom Jackson
Rated 4.0 stars by 9 users
Category
Entree
Cuisine
American
Servings
6
Prep Time
30 minutes
Cook Time
8 hours 3 minutes
Calories
1168
Try this recipe for Beef Short Rib Pastrami! Learn to take succulent beef short ribs and smoke them to perfection with irresistible aroma and flavor. This recipe captures the essence of flavor-packed barbeque.
Ingredients
-
2 racks (3 bone) Creekstone Farms Bone-in Beef Chuck Short Ribs
- 1 1/2 gallons water
-
3 cups Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 tbsp pink salt (sodium nitrite)
- 10 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1/4 cup pickling spice (recipe below)
- 1” piece fresh ginger, peeled sliced
- 8 1/2 lb ice
-
Kozlik’s Dijon Classique
-
1/3 cup black peppercorns, toasted, coarsely ground
- 1/3 cup coriander seeds, toasted, coarsely ground
-
1/3 cup Cattleman’s Grill California Tri-tip Seasoning
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
-
1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp red chile flakes
- 1 tbsp allspice berries
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
- 1 tbsp juniper berries
- 1 tsp ground mace
- 1 small cinnamon stick, crushed
- 4 bay leaves, broken into pieces
For the brine:
For the rub:
For the Pickling Spice:
Directions
- To make the pickling spice, preheat a 12” Lodge cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toast the coriander, peppercorns and mustard seeds just until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Place the spices in a cloth napkin. Fold the napkin over the spices, and crack the spices by smashing them with a meat mallet, heavy skillet or rolling pin. Combine the toasted spices with the remaining spices. Store in a sealed container.
- Combine all brine ingredients, except the ice, in a large pot. Bring to a boil and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
- Add the ice to a large Briner Bucket. Pour the brine mixture over the ice. Stir to melt the ice.
- Place short ribs in the brining liquid. Lock the plate in place to make sure it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 7-10 days.
- Before removing the short ribs from the brine, preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 250ºF.
- Remove short ribs from brine, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Apply a thin layer of Kozlik’s Dijon Classique to the surface of the meat to help the rub adhere. Coat the brisket with the rub.
Smoke at 250ºF until you achieve a nice mahogany red color on the outside, and the pastrami is tender when probed with a thermometer (roughly 195ºF internal), about 8-10 hours total. Allow meat to rest half an hour. Remove the bone and trim off the cartilage under the bones. Slice to serve.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why brine the short ribs for 7-10 days instead of a shorter cure?
That extended time in a pink-salt brine is what gives the meat pastrami's characteristic tangy flavor and pink ring throughout, the same curing process used on traditional brisket pastrami but applied to a different cut.
Why lock the plate in place inside the brining bucket?
Keeping the plate locked down holds every rib fully submerged in the brine for the entire week-plus cure, so nothing floats above the liquid and cures unevenly.
Why apply Dijon mustard before the pepper-coriander rub instead of seasoning the ribs directly?
A thin layer of mustard gives the rub something tacky to grip, helping the coarse pepper and coriander crust stay on through 8 or more hours of smoke instead of falling off.
Why toast the peppercorns and coriander seeds before grinding them for the rub?
Toasting first releases more of the spices' essential oils, building a more aromatic crust than using pre-ground pepper and coriander straight from the jar.
What internal temperature should the short ribs actually reach?
This recipe smokes them to roughly 195°F and probe tender, well above the USDA minimum of 145°F for whole-muscle beef. That higher target is what breaks down the connective tissue for slicing, not a food safety requirement — it clears the safety bar many hours before the cook is actually done.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
1 out of 5 — this is an 8-10 hour cook built entirely around a pellet grill's low, steady wood smoke. An oven can render the meat tender, but you'll lose the bark and smoke flavor pastrami is defined by.
Recipe Highlights
7-10 day pink-salt brine: Builds pastrami's signature tang and pink ring into short ribs.
Fully submerged curing: Locked plate ensures even brine contact for the whole cure.
Mustard-bound rub: Helps the coarse crust survive a long smoke.
Toasted whole spices: Builds a more aromatic crust than pre-ground seasoning.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 4 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 1168
- Carbs
- 28 grams
- Protein
- 49 grams
- Fat
- 95 grams
- Sodium
- 1877 milligrams
