Cooking with Fire Episode 17: Pastrami

Pastrami Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 beef brisket flat

For the brine:

• 1 gallon water
• 1 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrite)
• 10 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/4 cup pickling spice (recipe below)
• 8 1/2 lb ice

Note: Depending on the size of your brisket, and the container in which you are brining, you may need to multiply this recipe. You will need enough brine to cover the brisket in the brining container.

For the rub:

• House of Q Slow Smoke Gold Mustard Sauce
• 1/4 cup black peppercorns, toasted, coarsely ground
• 1/4 cup coriander seeds, toasted, coarsely ground

Instructions

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 briner mixture over the ice. Stir to melt the ice.

Place brisket in the brining liquid. Lock the plate in place to make sure it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 6 days.

Before removing the brisket from the brine, preheat your Yoder Smokers Loaded Wichita offset smoker to 250°F.

Remove brisket from brine, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Apply a thin layer of House of Q Slow Smoke Gold Mustard Sauce the surface of the meat to help the rub adhere. Coat the brisket with the rub.

Smoke at 250°F until you achieve a nice mahogany red color on the outside, roughly 5 hours (about 155°F internal temperature). Double wrap the brisket in foil, increase the temperature of the smoker to 300ºF, and continue smoking until pastrami is tender when probed with a thermometer (195°F-210°F). Allow meat to rest half an hour. Slice thinly and serve.

Pickling Spice Recipe

Ingredients

• 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 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground mace
• 1 small cinnamon stick, crushed
• 2 bay leaves, broken into pieces

Instructions

In a dry hot 12” Lodge cast iron skillet, 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 heavy skillet, or rolling pin.

Combine the toasted spices with the remaining spices. Store in a sealed container.