Dry Cure Pastrami

[quietwatersfarm]

Anyone got a recipe that they particularly like?

I'm looking for an alternative to the brined/corned beef approach.

Thanks in advance

[DanMcG]

You didn't say what cure you would be using so I'll skip that , just use what the packager recommends per pound of course.
As far as seasoning I mix this with the cure and rub it in, then wrap in plastic wrap to cure in the frig for 1/4" of thickness a day measured from the outside to center so a 3" thick piece of meat would take 6 days minimum. I usually add a couple days to that for good measure.

I converted the spice mix to grams, I'm preatty sure I got it right;
Per pound of meat;
10g dark brown sugar
10g course ground pepper
10g course ground corriander
5g garlic powder

I do a fry test after the cure time is up, Slice off a piece and fry it to see if it's to salty if it is I soak it for an hour or two in fresh water changing it a couple times an hour to pull some salt out.
after a soak you'll want to recoat it with the spices and let it dry on the surface then toss it in the smoker till it hits 180° F.
as far as smoke I like cherry/ hickory start around 100° to dry the surface some more then slowly bump up the temp to 180-190 to finish.
I hope this helps, if nothing else it would be a base point for you to start with.

[quietwatersfarm]

Thanks dan, this sounds nearer to the NY Pastrami I'm after.

I used to know of a method that re-rubbed regularly and cured over a longer period but I cant find the details anywhere.

This is a great start, i'll get some underway

[Lethor]

I'm looking after the same taste that you're seeking...
Would this work with the instant cure #1? Would the meat be still red in the center just like pastrami even after smoking?
Thanks!!

[DanMcG]

Cure #1 is what I use. After somking it will have the deep red color like you'd expect in a corned beef or pastrami.

[quietwatersfarm]

I had thought I would use salt mix with a little all in one cure.

A take on Dan's recipe.

Cure for a 12 - 14 days in the chiller, turning every day, and applying more rub every other.

After curing Im going to rinse then coat with the spice crust.

Steam for about three to four hours or until tender, but not falling apart.

But then Im going to give sugar smoking it a whirl, by adding brown sugar to the foil and putting it back in the streamer and turning up the heat until the sugar begins to smoke a little and let this go for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Ill let you know how it turns out.

[saucisson]

sounds good a young, cooked, bresaola

[quietwatersfarm]

I had a new yorker friend who once said Pastrami isn't a meat its something you do to meat and there are a million ways to pastrami the hell out of a piece of beef!

[saucisson]

there are so many names for so many similar products that there is probably quite a large overlap between them. Heaven forbid you tell someone from Parma they are making a similar product to someone from Serrano though

But it's very interesting though. I can take a piece of pork muscle and cure it. But then I can call it ham, bacon, gammon, pancetta, lomo depending on... what exactly?

Dave

[wheels]

...and Mortadella's only Luncheon meat that went to a posh school!

Would Giuseppe Verdi have been so popular if he'd used his 'Engish' name - Joe Green!

Phil

[quietwatersfarm]

as it turns out the old Jewish pastrame is from Romanian pastramă, from păstra, to preserve, from Vulgar Latin parsitāre, to spare, save, from parsus, past participle of Latin parcere, to be thrifty with

in case anyone was interested

[saucisson]

I was, thank you