Wasn't sure where to post this experiment so I thought the "Poultry" section was close enough. Working on a turkey pastrami recipe. If it's worth a darn I'll let you know. If it sucks I'll delete this thread. :) Bought a bone-in turkey breast. Stripped the skin off of it and removed the meat from the bone. The skin and the carcass went into a ziplock bag until tomorrow when we will make turkey stock. The turkey breasts are in a brine for the next 3 days. After that they will get a coating of my favorite pastrami rub and into the smoker.
We'll see where this goes.
What! That's it! No nothing! ;D
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The brine is water, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, peppercorns, juniper berries(none of those available so I subbed rinsed capers) and red pepper flakes.
So there Mike! ;D
When juniper berries are not available, use gin (really - about 1/2 teaspoon per berry). If you don't like that idea, try equal parts crushed bay leaf and caraway seed (same 1/2 tsp/berry) or rosemary. The gin works better.
Quote from: Ka Honu on March 11, 2012, 10:32:39 PM
When juniper berries are not available, use gin (really - about 1/2 teaspoon per berry). If you don't like that idea, try equal parts crushed bay leaf and caraway seed (same 1/2 tsp/berry) or rosemary. The gin works better.
Thanks Paul but I had no gin either. Gin makes me really sick so we never have any in the house.
Quote from: KyNola on March 11, 2012, 10:11:55 PM
The brine is water, kosher salt, dark brown sugar, peppercorns, juniper berries(none of those available so I subbed rinsed capers) and red pepper flakes.
So there Mike! ;D
;D :)
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I'll just sit back and watch this unfold Larry, will be watching for the results... :D
Quote from: KyNola on March 12, 2012, 05:08:13 AM... so we never have any in the house.
I drink gin only rarely and never drink bourbon but keep some of both around for cooking I don't know why I think that's important enough to post but it seemed to be when I started typing. Guess I better go have some coffee.
I didn't think capers were like juniper berrys...wow learn something new every day/
Interesting... I've been thinking of doing this. Sams club sells some turkey pastrami and everybody around here really likes it. After a couple of successful beef pastrami's my confidence is pretty high, so I 'm going to give this a shot.
This is the first of many questions I have. Why did you decide to go with a brine rather than a dry cure?
Mike
Quote from: SiFumar on March 12, 2012, 04:18:17 PMI didn't think capers were like juniper berrys...
Other than their similar size, they're not.
Quote from: smoke em if you got em on March 12, 2012, 06:06:55 PM
This is the first of many questions I have. Why did you decide to go with a brine rather than a dry cure?
Mike
Sorry Mike, I didn't see your question until today. I went with a brine because the recipe I am using said to go with a brine. Also, when a beef brisket is "corned" it is typically done in a brine as well. There is no cure #1 in the brine of this turkey pastrami. Once brined for 3 days a dry pastrami Rub was applied and left in the frig for 2 days. Smoked the turkey breasts today. Wrapped and back in the frig for at least a day to let the smoke level out before I slice it.
You can use either a dry or a wet brine. When I make turkey pastrami I generally don't go with a cure, but will add a cure when other family members want it that way.
QuoteSorry Mike, I didn't see your question until today.
It's OK I've been busy at work and haven't been checking in much. Is your recipe posted on here anywhere? Any pictures?
QuoteYou can use either a dry or a wet brine. When I make turkey pastrami I generally don't go with a cure
Do you have a recipe for the dry "cure"? Not sure what to call it if there's no cure in it.
Thanks
Mike
Mike, here the recipe for the brine courtesy of Guy Fieri.
For 5 pounds turkey breast:
3 cups water
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup crushed juniper berries
1/4 cup freshly cracked black peppercorns
8 cloves of fresh garlic, smashed
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Combine the above ingredients Minus the turkey and heat until salt and sugar is dissolved. Let cool completely and then put turkey breasts in ziplock bag and pour brine into bag. In the frig for 2-3 days. I went 3 days. On the third day remove the turkey breasts from the ziplock bag and rinse. Pat dry. Use your favorite pastrami rub. Habs has a great one you can make from scratch but I'm lazy so I use Uncle Louie's Pastrami Rub. Wrap in plastic wrap and into the frig for 2 days. After the 2 days unwrap and into the smoker to an IT of 155.
Habs will be along to tell you about the dry or wet brine. That's his expertise.
Remember Mike, this is an experiment for me. I have never tried this before so let's see how it goes.
QuoteRemember Mike, this is an experiment for me. I have never tried this before so let's see how it goes.
Understood. I'll wait to see how yours turns out. I think I'm probably gonna go with a dry cure first since I'm really happy with the results I get on beef pastrami. But really want to see your results. Did you take any pictures?
Where did you get the Uncle Louie's. I have used Habs's rub and really like it, but I'm always willing to try new stuff.
Poultry is one of the meats I prefer to use a wet brine over a dry. For beef, and pork if the cuts are not that thick I will go with a dry cure. If you want to use a dry cure you can. The curing time will probably be around 3 days.
I use a little more salt and only brine/cure for 2 days.
Quote from: smoke em if you got em on March 16, 2012, 08:30:46 PM
QuoteRemember Mike, this is an experiment for me. I have never tried this before so let's see how it goes.
Understood. I'll wait to see how yours turns out. I think I'm probably gonna go with a dry cure first since I'm really happy with the results I get on beef pastrami. But really want to see your results. Did you take any pictures?
Where did you get the Uncle Louie's. I have used Habs's rub and really like it, but I'm always willing to try new stuff.
I haven't made pics yet as there really wasn't much to see. I'll take some pics of the finished product prior to slicing and sliced up.
You can buy Uncle Louie's Pastrami Rub here: http://www.americanspice.com/uncle-louies-pastrami-rub/ I really do like this stuff. Great flavor and aroma.
UPDATE: Had a small piece of the turkey breast that separated itself from the main breast piece but was plenty large enough that I wouldn't throw it away so it went through the whole process. Perfect taste tester size so today we taste tested it.
It's good. It's really good.
STC, this one is calling your name. I mean it's REALLY calling your name!
Habs, thank you for all of your expertise when it comes to pastrami.
You are welcome. My turkey pastrami recipes are somewhat similiar to Guy's.
I am anxious to see how this turns out, I have made many beef pastrami's over the years but never ventured into the turkey pastrami realm. Like someone else mentioned earlier, I've bought the turkey pastrami that Sam's sells in their deli section that I really like but I've got a buddy that has made turkey pastrami a couple of different times and I have never been impressed with his results (he's got some propane smoker).
Kynola, if yours turns out good, I will definitely have to give it a try.....and show some pictures to my friend to show him what turkey pastrami is supposed to look like!
This turned out really good. I didn't take pics as it was simply turkey breast halves that were an orangey/brownish color from the Uncle Louie's Pastrami Rub that I used. Nothing special to note in a pic.
I will definitely make this again although I will probably only brine 2 days as this batch turned out just a little bit salty. If you like beef pastrami you will like turkey pastrami. The brine and smoke did not change the color nor texture of the turkey meat once it was cooked. Nice firm moist meat with a zing to it from the red pepper flakes in the brine and the pastrami rub.
Just order some Uncle Louie's Pastrami Rub, I've always just mixed up my own or used Habs beef pastramit rub. Will try the Louie's on some turkey next week.
I've made it a few times. Here is a link to how I make mine (sometimes I do take pictures) :). There are two recipes, one recipe includes cure #1. It is very similar to Guy's. Once cured you can apply any spicy rub of your choice. Just make sure the spices are compatible with turkey.
Turkey Pastrami (http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?785-Turkey-Pastrami&p=1187#post1187)
Sounds great...will be trying! Thanks for link Habs.