Home Cured Beef Pastrami Recipes

Steps:

• In a small mixing bowl combine the peppercorns, thyme, bay leaves, cloves, garlic and whole juniper berries.
• In a large saucepan over medium heat combine the water, brown sugar and salt.
• Bring to a boil.
• Stir to dissolve the sugar/salt mixture.
• Remove from heat and stir in the dry spice mixture.
• Steep for one hour.
• Place the brisket in a large freezer bag.
• Pour the brine into bag, press out air and seal.
• Refrigerate for 3 weeks, turning the brisket every three days, in my case when I think about it.
• Preheat your smoker.
• In a small bowl combine the crushed juniper berries and black pepper.
• Remove brisket from bag and discard brine.
• Lightly pat dry.
• Press firmly into one side of the meat 1/2 of the juniper/pepper mix.
• Turn and repeat.
• Place brisket in smoker and smoke for 4 hours.
• Remove from smoker and cool for 30 minutes.
• Place brisket in a large dutch oven.
• Cover with water and turn heat to medium high.
• Bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer, cooking for two hours.
• Remove from dutch oven and cool completely.
• At this point you can slice very thin and serve, or tightly wrap with plastic wrap, place in a freezer bag and refrigerate.

Steps:

• Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.
• After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Steps:

• Take the brisket and pierce it with a knife or tenderizer. Do each side at least 15x. Place brisket in 1 gallon plastic baggie.
• Mix all other ingredients together in a bowl or 2 cup measuring cup.
• Reaching inside baggie, sprinkle 1/2 the mixture over the brisket. Turn baggie over and repeat, sprinkling the other side. Seal the baggie after expressing as much air as possible.
• Place the bagged brisket in a dish large enough to hold it. It must then be weighted. You can use some cans from the pantry. I used 2 fairly heavy casserole dishes that nested, and placed the second on top of the brisket.
• Put the dish with the brisket in the refrigerator. I used bottom shelf in the back as it is the coldest spot. The brisket should be turned over 1x each day for at least 5 days, and no longer than 7 days.
• Rinse before using. I gave my brisket a cold-water bath while preparing the other ingredients for a traditional New England boiled dinner.
• This recipe is only for curing the beef. When I cooked this cured beef, I simmered it for at least 3 hours, then moved it to a casserole with a cup of broth ladled over it and let it rest for 20-30 minutes before slicing across the grain.

Steps:

• For the brine: In a large stockpot, add half of the water, the brown sugar, kosher salt, curing salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, juniper berries, chile flakes, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and star anise and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the remaining water with some ice to chill the brine.
• For the rub: Grind the peppercorns, coriander and juniper until crushed but still a little chunky. Add to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, brown sugar, chile flakes and granulated garlic and stir to combine.
• For the pastrami: First, clean all the fat off the brisket including the "V" between the two muscles, then follow the fat between the two muscles and separate them making a flat and a cap.
• Transfer the brine to a large hotel pan or roasting pan. Add the brisket and refrigerate at least 5 days and no more than 10 days. Make sure the brisket is stirred once a day to get an evenly brined brisket.
• After a minimum of 5 days, prepare a smoker for 225 degrees F.
• Remove the pastrami, rinse it and blot dry with paper towels. Thoroughly rub the brined brisket with the pastrami rub. Place in smoker and cook for 8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.