Pastrami

Ingredients for 6 servings:

• 2.4 kg beef brisket
• n. B. Smoking flour
• 80 g salt
• 80 g cane sugar
• 20 g black pepper
• 3 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp all-spice
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp peppercorns, pink
• 1 tsp pepper, green
• 2 tsp thyme
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp all-spice

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Rest period approx. 17 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 2 hours; Total time approx. 17 days 2 hours 15 minutes

Pit Blog Style

Remove the beef brisket from the packaging, pat dry with kitchen towels, and trim. Only the coarse fat and tendons need to be removed. Mix the ingredients for the curing spice in a small bowl and rub the meat thoroughly on all sides, ensuring no exposed areas remain. Vacuum seal the meat and leave it in the vacuum bag for 12 days. Store the meat at a temperature of 4–6°C (39–43°F) throughout. Important: Since the salt does not contain nitrite, the meat must be turned 180° every day to keep the juices circulating. After the dry-curing time, open the vacuum bag and rinse the meat under running water. Then place the meat in a bowl and cover with water. Soak in cold water for about 30–45 minutes. Roughly crush the smoking spice mix in a mortar and set aside. Pat the meat dry again and sprinkle with the spice mix to ensure everything is well coated. Preheat the smoker to 130°C. I usually use apple and beechwood flour, which really infuses the flavor into the brisket. Place the cured beef brisket on the smoker and smoke until an internal temperature of 67°C is reached. Remove the finished pastrami from the smoker and let it cool. Now seal it in a vacuum-sealed bag for another 2-3 days to allow it to mature. After that, the pastrami is ready and tastes great; the extra effort involved in the aging process is well worth it.