Beef Pastrami - First Attempt

Habanero Smoker · April 28, 2009, 01:49:24 PM

The pastrami looks real good. I have an electric slicer, but only use it if I'm going to cut a lot of meat. I purchased a 12" slicer and that works much better then a chef's knife. I've never seen a brisket cut shaped like that, so it is hard to tell by looking at the picture if you are cutting across the grain.

FLBentRider · April 28, 2009, 04:35:38 PM

Your pastrami looks most excellent. We don't buy pastrami here anymore either.

Now if my Sams club would get some briskets...

smokeitall · April 28, 2009, 06:04:31 PM

Hey FL my Sam's has briskets, maybe ask the butcher and see if they will get some in. And there not a bad price either. I have been meaning to pick one up and see how the quality is, looks like it is probably time after seeing this pastrami.

Habanero Smoker · April 29, 2009, 02:41:29 AM

Quote from: FLBentRider on April 28, 2009, 04:35:38 PM
Your pastrami looks most excellent. We don't buy pastrami here anymore either.

Now if my Sams club would get some briskets...

I have the same problem. Our Sam's stopped selling briskets, and they will not order any. The reason I was given is that briskets don't sell well in our area. I guess it depends on what distribution center your Sam's Club gets their meat and merchandise from.

ExpatCanadian · April 29, 2009, 04:39:35 AM

Hab - That chunk of brisket is actually just a piece of the flat from somewhere in the middle of the whole trimmed brisket. I now know that here in the UK, they simply don't differentiate between the point and flat.... they just "cut n' roll" and you can choose based on appearance the piece you want which may be closer to one end than the other. When I bought that piece my butcher told me it was from somewhere in the middle of the whole brisket.... and I thought it looked reasonably lean with a nice thin fat cap.. perfect for Pastrami, and indeed it has turned out so. Also... I'm not cutting perfectly perpendicular to the grain, but close enough....

HOWEVER, next time I am going fully armed and dangerous with all the knowledge I've gained here, and will be taking both photos and the NAMP description of the "Packer's Cut" so he can produce one for me. He's the kind of guy that will actually be thrilled to do it, and to have learned something new too. My next brisket project is gonna be the Texas Brisket recipe from amazingribs.com.

Oh, and Caneyscud:

Quote from: Caneyscud on April 28, 2009, 01:04:10 PM
......never ever forget the Bradley Pledge - you are letting out too much information that in the wrong hands can be detrimental to the enjoyment of our journey to smoking nirvana! Others have said that in the wrong hands, the release of that information could tend to curtail the consumption of adult beverages.........

I stand most suitably and appropriately chastened.... my bad... perhaps I should go back and CENSOR my post in case it falls into the wrong hands!!? Won't happen again... I will keep repeating to myself, This is HARD work... This is HARD work... This is HARD work.... (Honey would you bring me a beer please)... This is HARD work... This is HARD work...

Caneyscud · April 29, 2009, 05:22:18 AM

Quote from: tdcooper on April 29, 2009, 04:39:35 AM

Oh, and Caneyscud:
Quote from: Caneyscud on April 28, 2009, 01:04:10 PM
......never ever forget the Bradley Pledge - you are letting out too much information that in the wrong hands can be detrimental to the enjoyment of our journey to smoking nirvana! Others have said that in the wrong hands, the release of that information could tend to curtail the consumption of adult beverages.........
I stand most suitably and appropriately chastened.... my bad... perhaps I should go back and CENSOR my post in case it falls into the wrong hands!!? Won't happen again... I will keep repeating to myself, This is HARD work... This is HARD work... This is HARD work.... (Honey would you bring me a beer please)... This is HARD work... This is HARD work...

That's the spirit! My heart is now at ease! ;D ;D ;D ;D

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

Habanero Smoker · April 29, 2009, 02:10:53 PM

You may also want to take a look at this site

Weber Virtual Bullet - Midnight Brisket

ExpatCanadian · April 30, 2009, 01:41:23 PM

In conclusion.... the Reubens!!!! Not QUITE authentic... as we like mustard and mayo instead of Thousand Island.... but hey, we're the ones eatin' 'em right?

Mustard...

Pastrami...

Sauerkraut...

Swiss cheese...

The finished product...

Into the pan...

I'd post the final toasted result..... but that would just be torture.... right????

Habanero Smoker · April 30, 2009, 01:48:00 PM

You're right! That would have been too much to take.

Those rubens look great.

Tenpoint5 · April 30, 2009, 02:29:46 PM

Who Cares if you use Mustard and Mayo instead of Thousand Island. Them look Killer. Reubens and Bourbon Does life get any better?

ExpatCanadian · April 30, 2009, 03:00:45 PM

Oh yeah... didn't see the bourbon bottle in the photo! Oops! Reminds me... gettin' low on my Stagg supply.... it's damn hard to come by over here....!!!

westexasmoker · April 30, 2009, 03:53:08 PM

I'm making steak and baked taters tonight, but now I want one of those instead! ;D

C

Caneyscud · April 30, 2009, 05:53:20 PM

Looks like St. Pat's day at the Caney house. Yum

Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'

seemore · April 30, 2009, 08:46:52 PM

that is good looking food :P
seemore

Smokin Soon · April 30, 2009, 08:53:09 PM

Gotta post the finished product! I love Reubens..........This is just food porn torture!