Brisket

[Johnny]

Gosh, too bad you weren't satisfied with your results.. only complaints I had were too salty( but you soaked yours longer than I) which I will do next time. And yeah the black pepper was a bit much for us as well, so I'd cut that way down too.
Something else I didn't do with mine was letting it rest in the fridge, I wrapped it in saran wrap and foil, placed it in a cooler for 2 hours.. unwrapped it and ate it.

[Habanero Smoker]

Ted;

As mentioned what you made was pastrami. It should be used in sandwiches, salad and such, not as a main entree.

Try using your pastrami in the following recipe. I have to admit, it's good.

Black Bean and Pastrami Soup

If you don't like spicy replace the can diced tomatoes with jalapeno peppers with can diced tomatoes with Italian Herbs.

[TedEbear]

Thanks for the tips, everyone.  My pastrami experience will not keep me from trying again for the big event, this time with a real brisket and a few tweaks here and there.  Hopefully, it will turn out something like in the pic below (not mine).

[Johnny]

Looking at this photo makes my mouth water! Yumm 😋

[Piker]

Thks. For the pastrami info. I was wondering how a fresh brisket would work for pastrami. I always used a corned one before Piker

[Habanero Smoker]

Thks. For the pastrami info. I was wondering how a fresh brisket would work for pastrami. I always used a corned one before Piker

I prefer curing my own brisket, to make the corned beef, then make that into pastrami. I feel it tastes much better, and there are no sodium phosphates which leave a metallic taste in my mouth. Plus it is less salty, even after soaking commercial corned beef.

[Edward176]

Thanks TedEBear, after seeing that picture I'm tempted to go to my butcher and buy another fresh Brisket and Brine it, maybe this time I'll smoke it too. My last one (Actually the first one I ever made) last week was so good that it disappeared in a matter of 3 days, and it was slow baked in the oven and it was fantastic!!!

[Edward176]

I agree with you Hab, I can't believe how good it came out. Actually I've been looking around and haven't been able to find a brined brisket anywhere here. Oh well, just as well. 

[Ka Honu]

You guys (except Habs) are making me crazy! Granted I didn't have far to go but still...  Let's please get our terminology and expectations on the same page so I will be a little less confused when trying to figure out what's going on in your cookshack.

Generally when we talk about Brisket we're describing a cut of beef consisting of two components ("flat" and "point") separated by a ribbon of fat. Usually sold as a whole (and called a "packer") or divided into its parts (although points are generally hard to find). It's untreated, uncooked, and uncured - raw meat.

How you prep and cook a brisket doesn't stop it from being a brisket but it does change the terminology.

If you add seasoning and smoke, you have (wait for it...) Smoked Brisket. This, in various incarnations, is also called BBQ brisket, Texas-style brisket, etc. As an aside, IMO smoked point makes the best burnt ends and chili anywhere.

In Europe and many parts of the "newer world," brisket (usually the flat) is often made into pot roast or other stewed/braised dishes.

If instead you cure the brisket with a salt and (usually) pickling spice solution you've created Corned Beef which is typically sold in those plastic bags (not nearly as good as you can easily cure at home) and usually labeled "point," or "flat." If it's labeled "round" it isn't brisket but some other cut that's been cured/corned. In the UK, they usually corn a different cut of beef and call it "Silverside." You can then cook it any way you want - braise, boil, bake, smoke, or whatever. This is the basis for the "traditional" St. Patrick's Day menu (corned beef & cabbage plus too much beer).

To go a step further, if you start with Corned Beef (store-bought or homemade) and soak out some of the salt, let it sit in rub for a couple of days, and then cook it (usually by smoking and/or steaming) you have the ultimate sandwich meat - Pastrami. Again IMO, corned point (because of its texture and fat content) makes the best pastrami.

End of rant - my work here is done.

[Edward176]

Wow, rant is right!