Beef brisket and turkey thigh pastrami

mjdeez · March 06, 2011, 07:29:08 PM

I'd been planning to make beef pastrami again for a while. As I mentioned in another thread, my co-worker asked if it would be a little more tender if you bring beef brisket pastrami up to ~180 or 190*F. I'm not sure I really got the clear cut answer I was working for but it came out good, and I will try again this way next time, but at a slightly lower cabinet temp.

And with the other Pastrami thread about turkey going on right now, it sounded really good and was easy enough to do especially while at the same time as the beef.

Recipe: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?157-Beef-Pastrami&p=185#post185
The recipe was Habanero Smoker's dry cure / dry rub recipe and I followed it to a T until the point at which the smoke stops. After the 3 hours smoke, I wrapped them in foil and took one half up to 160F and the other up to 190F. Except I failed in this endeavor and the second one went up to about 208*. Then into the FTC for about 4 to 6 hours, and sliced it as thin as I could with a real sharp knife.

I really liked the way the foil worked out. This basically steamed it right after the smoke so I didn't need to steam it the next day. Both brisket halves (1 originally at 160F, 1 at 208F) were about as tender as the other. Next time I'll bring it up to temp slower (I'm pretty bad at this) to try to get it even more tender, like fall apart tender). I realize it wouldn't be sliceable but that's ok w/ me.

The turkey thighs just came out when they were around 160F. These were also done using Habs' dry rub / cure recipe. It was very easy. Habanero Smoker recommended to use butcher string to tie the thigh together. I tied one, and left the other untied. The untied one, we already cut into and polished off. It was very tasty and stayed together until we tried to cut it. I didn't bother trying to slice it thin, we just sliced it thick and ate it with our hands off the board. The tied thigh is still in the fridge.

The spices. I've used this coffee grinder perhaps a dozen times in the last month or so that I've had it. I've found that it really doesn't work well with a little bit (less than a tablespoon), and works very well when full. But as some have noted, hard to control coarseness.

Brisket

Turkey

Taste test after soaking. The redness in the turkey cooked out.

Edit: I guess done soaking, and rubbed:

In the smoker:

The final products... 208* first, 160* next, and of course the turkey.

wow... my wife may have a point that I take too many damn pics.

GusRobin · March 06, 2011, 07:33:16 PM

Quote from: mjdeez on March 06, 2011, 07:29:08 PM

wow... my wife may have a point that I take too many damn pics.

Mine thinks I am nuts with the pics also. Nice looking pastrami

Ka Honu · March 06, 2011, 07:57:20 PM

All looks excellent. It appears that you cut one of the brisket pastramis with the grain (the second one). Might be kinda stringy that way - against the grain like you did on the first one is the way to go.

mjdeez · March 06, 2011, 08:55:23 PM

Quote from: Ka Honu on March 06, 2011, 07:57:20 PM
All looks excellent. It appears that you cut one of the brisket pastramis with the grain (the second one). Might be kinda stringy that way - against the grain like you did on the first one is the way to go.

I cut this brisket exactly in half after curing, and both were cut along the same grain. The one where it looks like along the grain seems to be a different muscle from the bottom half, which cut across the grain as I was going for. Maybe one was the point, the other flat, but I dunno my brisket parts well. If I had to do it again, I'd remove that top piece after the FTC and slice it separately from the bottom part.

Ka Honu · March 07, 2011, 02:12:13 AM

You got it right - the grain is not in the same direction for point and flat. Carve them separately. I usually insert a toothpick in the fat cap on both (before the cook) to remind me which way the grain is going. Having said that, my points usually don't get sliced - I chop them for such things as chili and/or burnt ends.

3rensho · March 07, 2011, 02:54:18 AM

Mighty fine looking grub. I gotta get some turkey thighs!! They look deeeeeeelicious

deb415611 · March 07, 2011, 03:35:36 AM

Both look great! I have been wanting to try turkey

mjdeez · March 07, 2011, 05:28:28 PM

Quote from: Ka Honu on March 07, 2011, 02:12:13 AM
You got it right - the grain is not in the same direction for point and flat. Carve them separately. I usually insert a toothpick in the fat cap on both (before the cook) to remind me which way the grain is going. Having said that, my points usually don't get sliced - I chop them for such things as chili and/or burnt ends.

Thanks. I've used both the point and the flat, but I guess this might be the first time I've carved it all up at once. Well, the second time if you count last week when we did one in a dutch oven like my grandma makes (w/ potatoes, carrots, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, salt / pepper / paprika), but that was last week so I guess I've already forgotten about how that grain was oriented.

Thanks Deb and 3rensho... It's pretty straightforward, and turkey thighs are pretty reasonably priced, so go for it!