Pastrami today -almost

[GusRobin]

Decided to make some sausage today and while I was grinding and stuffing I thought I would throw in a pastrami. Bought a corned beef brisket, soaked it for about 1/2 hr. Slathered with CT and added some pastrami rub from Habs recipe.
Put it in at 225* with a total of 3 1/3 hrs smoke. 2 2/3 pepper, rosemary, thyme and 2/3 hickory.

Ready to go in the smoker. The knife at the top is one I got for Christmas. I asked for the 14 inch thinking it was the length of the whole knife. Didn't know it was the size of the blade. The thing is like a samuri sword, but sure cuts nice.


Was going to leave it in until it hit IT of 160*. It hit about 155* everything was fine, it hit 156* everything was fine, then it went back to 155*, and the cabinet temp was dropping. Went out to look at what was going on and no lights were on the PID nor the cabinet. Turns out it looks like my PID died.
Since it hit 156* I pulled it out wrapped it and put in the fridge. Tomorrow I'll put in the oven to get to 160*.

Here is a pic when I pulled it out. Had to do a quality check, it was good.

[TestRocket]

Looks good Gus and losing a PID right after Christmas sucks! Looks like you going to have to by next years Christmas gift a little early! What a knife!  ;D

[grnhs]

Looks Yummy!

Too bad about the PID, you could really use that for the sausage.

[squirtthecat]

It's almost there!     Steam that puppy tomorrow...

[classicrockgriller]

PID crashed?

Geez.

Knife is NICE and so is the Pastrami.

Suyi will take care of you.

[TestRocket]

OK, I'm going to have to ask:

The brisket is a cut of beef. So what's the difference between corned beef and pastrami?

[GusRobin]

Looks good Gus and losing a PID right after Christmas sucks! Looks like you going to have to by next years Christmas gift a little early!

It has a year warrantyso we'll see how good they are in Customer Service.

[KyNola]

TR,
The difference in corned beef and pastrami is you have to "corn" or cure a brisket for corned beef and then you take that corned beef brisket and put a pastrami rub on it and smoke it.  That makes it pastrami.  Ain't nothing but good!

[GusRobin]

OK, I'm going to have to ask:

The brisket is a cut of beef. So what's the difference between corned beef and pastrami?

If you follow Habs recipe for pastrami you start with a brisket. You brine it for a while. when it is done brining it is basically corned beef. If you boil it you have corned beef. If you add a rub and cook it - it is pastrami. You don't need a brisket, any beef could be made into corned beef and/or pastrami but a brisket is the common cut used. At least that is how I understand the whole process.
Starting out with a store bought corned beef brisket saves you about 4-5 days of brining. In my opinion there is not much difference in taste between starting that way or from scratch. Either way you will never want store bought pastrami again.

[TestRocket]

Thank you both KyNola and Gus. I guess I've never really had corned beef or pastrami, well not in the past 30-40 years that I can think of!

[Up In Smoke]

Gusrobin,
That pastrami looks great, IMHO i would slice it tomorrow or the next day and do a taste test.
you may want to warm it when doing a toasted sammy, other than that i would consider that puppy done and ready!
Again.....just my opinion, it is pretty amazing what a couple of days in the fridge will do.

[GusRobin]

Gusrobin,
That pastrami looks great, IMHO i would slice it tomorrow or the next day and do a taste test.
you may want to warm it when doing a toasted sammy, other than that i would consider that puppy done and ready!
Again.....just my opinion, it is pretty amazing what a couple of days in the fridge will do.

good idea and advice.

[FLBentRider]

I have taken pastrami to 155F with no issues.

I would not worry about taking it to 160F.