1st Pastrami

oakville smoker · October 29, 2009, 05:04:47 AM

Fellow smokers

Success at pastrami making is being reported here. Pictures will follow tonight.
Started with a 7.5 lb brisket, into the fridge to cure with MTQ and a couple other goodies for 4 days.
Turned and massaged every day. I wish I could get massages like the ones I gave that slab of beef.
And it still respected me every morning...

Out of the fridge and into a cold water bath. 30 minute baths at a time, change water and rinse meat.
No bubbles or candles for the baths. Just beer for me.
Repeated 4 times. Placed the meat on a rack above the sink for an hour or so and let it dry.
Mixed up some rub and made love to my brisket once more.
Into fridge over night on a rack to dry and take in the flavour of the rub.

Smoked 3 hours with Jim Beem bisquettes and then took it up to IT of 167. The IT stalled at 167 and that was when I decided
to pull it. Foil and towell for 2 hours on the counter. Then I had to cut it open to see what I had accomplished so far and
of course had to have a little slice to make sure everything was OK. It was more than OK. Just a little hint of a salt taste that I think will all but disappear after its aged a few days. Now its wrapped tight in plastic wrap back in the fridge to age until the weekend when it will sliced and vacum packed so it can be warmed back up right in the vac pac bag.

Saturday will be slicing day and I am off trying to find a slicer. As much as I would like a big commercial job, its probably not practical.
I am seeing if there are any used ones at a decent price kicking around the Toronto area. Worst case is Sears has Waring Pro slicer on sale this week. I have another 7.5 lbs of Canadian bacon to slice up after its smoked as well. Even with my best knives, steadiest hand and sharpest blade, I cannot slice thin enough. Never mind the quantity I have to slice.

Damn I am getting hungry just writing this. Patience has paid off. This turned out really good and I have no one but you guys to thank for the help and assistance. Here's to ya !

Caneyscud · October 29, 2009, 05:14:04 AM

Alright! I love to hear success stories!

OU812 · October 29, 2009, 05:39:59 AM

Sounds like a perfect plan that played out to the T.

Cant wait to see the finished product.

Great job oakville.

KyNola · October 29, 2009, 06:39:28 AM

Way to go Oakville.

Sounds like everything came out as planned.

KyNola

Hopefull Romantic · October 30, 2009, 08:07:05 AM

I also cant wait for the outcome

Love how you described the process too

HR

oakville smoker · October 30, 2009, 09:45:17 AM

Photos willbe up tonight for your dining and dancing pleasure.
My pork loin that accompanied my brisket in the fridge will be coming out of the cure tonight and finished tomorrow.
Half smoked in maple and half left as good old peameal bacon. I am Canadian eh !
If this is half as good as the pastrami, this is going to be amazing.
I am thinking of giving peameal bacon sandwhiches out for Halloween tomorrow night... LOL NOT !
The thought of slicing and vac packing all of this scares the heck out out of me.
A stop for a meat slicer tonight will help alleviate that fear and add to my growing credit card bill.
But its supposed to rain tomorrow and it will give me something to do.
The rain will make the bacon smoke more challenging but I will prevail !

KyNola · October 30, 2009, 10:11:13 AM

OS,
Looking forward to seeing the pics of the finished results. You are going to love having a slicer. It really makes short work of pastrami and Canadian bacon. I was one of the lucky ones who was able to grab a 10 inch slicer from Weston for something like $80.00 because they had to recall them all from Cabela's and replace a circuit breaker. I hesitated just long enough that the 12 inch slicers for $100 were already gone.

Get to slicing buddy!

KyNola

squirtthecat · October 30, 2009, 10:13:41 AM

Quote from: oakville smoker on October 30, 2009, 09:45:17 AM
The thought of slicing and vac packing all of this scares the heck out out of me.

General rule of thumb... 8-10 seals deserves 1 beer break..

(but I would slice it all first, just to keep track of your digits)

Roadking · October 30, 2009, 12:35:02 PM

Just remember to get a good rating on the forum for a recipe. You must send samples out to the membership. Address sent by PM will be looking for the sample. ;D

oakville smoker · October 31, 2009, 10:14:38 AM

I think my age is starting to show ....
I dont like cell phones
I have no use for facebook
I dont MSN anymore
and I am having a terrible time posting these pics !

Love me baby... rub me baby ......
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Out of the fridge and ready to dry and rest, TAKE ME TO YOUR SMOKER !

Almost there. Out of my DBS. Resting and ready for FTC

Success at last, picitures and pastrami ..... Its all done but the slicing !

squirtthecat · October 31, 2009, 10:16:39 AM

Awesome!

DjSaneR · October 31, 2009, 11:00:51 AM

Looks delish! Great job

KevinG · October 31, 2009, 11:35:39 AM

Is my monitor going bad or is the meat purple in the pictures. It also looks like squirts cat is purple. Hmm I hope they are not one in the same. Doesn't look bad though. Nice job OS.

KyNola · October 31, 2009, 12:59:50 PM

OS,
Nice nice nice. Gotta love it coming out like that.

KyNola

Smokeville · October 31, 2009, 01:38:54 PM

Since I also live in Oakville, for a very small fee I will taste it on behalf of this lovable group of drooling people and report back....

BTW I can probably get access to a professional grade slicer... that should be worth at least a pound or two?

Man I'm HUNGRY!

1st Pastrami

squirtthecat

squirtthecat