Best Homemade Pastrami Recipes

BIG DADDY'S HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• In a coffee grinder, add the peppercorns and coriander and grind until coarsely chopped. Set aside.
• In a large stock pot add all the brine ingredients and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add the brisket to the brine and refrigerate overnight. Remove the brisket from the brine and pat dry. Cover liberally with the spice mixture.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• On a sheet pan with a rack, arrange the brisket on the rack and roast until fork tender, about 4 hours. Remove to a cutting board and slice. Transfer to a serving platter and serve.

EASY HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• Mix garlic and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Combine black pepper, paprika, coriander, dry mustard, white pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cover a baking sheet with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat aluminum foil with prepared garlic oil. Lay corned beef brisket on foil and brush with remaining garlic oil.
• Cover all sides of corned beef brisket completely with pepper mixture, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons.
• With fat side of corned beef brisket up, wrap in the sheet of aluminum foil. Place wrapped corned beef on another sheet of aluminum foil with the seam and fat side down. Place double-wrapped corned beef on a third sheet of aluminum foil (seam down), and wrap again.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 hours.
• Remove pastrami from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
• With pastrami still wrapped in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag or other plastic bag and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Remove pastrami from refrigerator, unwrap, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of remaining pepper mixture.
• Place pastrami in the oven, 6 to 8 inches below broiler heat. Broil briefly to brown surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and slice thinly, about 1/8-inch slices.
• Heat a large skillet over low heat.
• Heat pastrami slices in the skillet with a few drops of water until fat begins to turn from white to translucent, about 5 minutes.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI (CROCKPOT)

Steps:

• Place first seven ingredients in crockpot, cook on low for 8 hours.
• Drain meat. Allow to cool enough to touch.
• In a small bowl, combine pepper and paprika with enough liquid smoke to form loose paste.
• Rub paste thoroughly into drained meat.
• Bake in 350 degree oven for 45 minutes.
• Slice paper-thin to serve with rye bread, mustards, and garlic dill pickles. Tastes great with cole slaw.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI - NO SMOKER NEEDED

Steps:

• Trim fat layer of corned beef to 1/8 inch.
• Mix together coriander, paprika, and garlic powder.
• Sprinkle half of spice mixture on one side of meat. Sprinkle on half of red pepper flakes and cover with pepper.
• Press seasonings into the meat.
• Turn meat over and repeat on other side.
• Wrap tightly with a lightly oiled sheet of heavy duty foil.
• Place meat seam side down on another sheet of foil and wrap again tightly. Repeat 5 more times using 7 sheets of foil.
• Slow roast at 240°F for 5 hours
• Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
• Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• Unwrap meat.
• If you like the coating, seal it on by baking at 400°F for 15 minutes.
• If you like your pastrami mild, you can scrape off the seasoning.
• Slice pastrami thinly at room temp or cooler.
• You can reheat in a frying pan with a few drops of water.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• 1. Chef's Note: I don't have my usual photos for this recipe... except the main photo, and that speaks for itself. YUM
• 2. In addition, if you already have a good corned beef (from a butcher that you trust) You can skip all the way down to step 14, and save three days. But you really need to trust that butcher, when he/she says they have a good corned beef.
• 3. THE BRINE
• 4. Put the filtered water into a large non-reactive stockpot and bring to the boil.
• 5. Add the brining ingredients.
• 6. Chef's Note: If you are using juniper berries, rub them in your hands to bruise them before adding to the boiling liquid.
• 7. Chef's Tip: If you are using gin, it's a good idea to have a glass or two... just to make sure it hasn't gone bad :-).
• 8. Stir for about 5 minutes (make sure all the sugars and salts have completely dissolved).
• 9. Remove from heat, and allow the brine to cool to room temperature.
• 10. Chef's Note: You will need a non-reactive container to hold the brisket and the liquid... the stockpot will do fine, but make sure that it is a non-reactive stockpot. Personally, I prefer something glass. I don't like anything plastic, because chemicals can leach out of the plastic over the long soaking time.
• 11. Add the brisket to the liquid and immerse it completely in the brine.
• 12. Chef's Note: The brisket will probably float, so use a pie plate or other non-reactive item to weigh it down.
• 13. Place in the refrigerator and wait for three days... four or five, if you have the patience.
• 14. Chef's Note: You can check it if you want; however, as long as it's immersed in the brine, you really don't have to do anything. Just don't forget it's in there.
• 15. THE RUB
• 16. Add the pepper, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and the bay leaves to a mortar & pestle, and coarsely grind. Or, you could use a spice grinder.
• 17. Add the brown sugar, paprika, salt, cinnamon, and clove, and thoroughly combine.
• 18. THE PASTRIMI
• 19. Remove the brisket from the brine, rinse, and pat dry.
• 20. Thoroughly, cover the brisket with the spice rub
• 21. Place the brisket (unwrapped) in the refrigerator for 24 hours.
• 22. Chef's Note: We want the brisket to lose a bit of its moisture before putting it in the smoker, so unwrapped is the way to go. In addition, this will help to keep the rub from falling off.
• 23. Remove from the refrigerator.
• 24. Allow it to sit out for about an hour, this will take the chill off.
• 25. Prepare your smoker, and set the temperature to 220f - 225f (104c - 107c).
• 26. Chef's Tip: Do not be tempted to speed up the process by increasing the temperature... have patience, grasshopper.
• 27. Chef's Note: The choice of wood will help to flavor the meat; however, with all those other flavors banging around, it probably won't make that big a difference. With that said, I usually use apple wood.
• 28. Smoke the brisket, until the internal temperature reaches 190f to 200f (87c to 93c).
• 29. Chef's Note: This process can take up to 12 hours... or more.
• 30. Remove from the smoker, cover with a piece of parchment paper, and then tightly wrap in aluminum foil.
• 31. Place in the refrigerator for 12 hours, or overnight.
• 32. Chef's Note: Take a couple of bricks and cover them with aluminum foil, and place them on top of the brisket to weigh it down.
• 33. STEAM & SERVE
• 34. Remove from the fridge and steam the meat for about an hour, or until it reaches an internal temperature of 205f (96c).
• 35. Chef's Tip: It's important to the tenderizing process to get the meat all the way to 205f (96c).
• 36. Chef's Note: If you don't own a steamer, you can always put a rack into a pot, with some water (make sure the water is below the rack). Simmer the water, and then put the brisket on the rack, and cover. Make sure the pot doesn't run dry.
• 37. Remove from the steamer, and slice thinly perpendicular to the grain of the meat.
• 38. Chef's Tip: If you cut parallel to the grain, the pastrami will be too chewy. Enjoy.
• 39. Keep the faith, and keep cooking.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• 1. Make the brine: Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Stir in the garlic, juniper berries, bay leaves, salt, brown sugar, curing salt, if using, whole peppercorns, and allspice berries. Let cool completely, then immerse the meat. (Weight it down with a plate if necessary.) Refrigerate for 3 days.
• 2. Make the rub: In a spice grinder or small food processor, combine the black pepper, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and bay leaves. Pulse until coarsely ground. Stir in the brown sugar, paprika, cinnamon, and clove.
• 3. Remove the meat from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle and pat the rub on the brisket. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours.
• 4. When ready to cook, prepare your Smoker for 180 degrees.
• 5. Remove the plastic wrap from the beef brisket and arrange on the grill grate. Smoke the meat for 3 to 4 hours. Wrap the brisket tightly in foil. Increase the temperature to 250 degrees, and continue to cook the brisket until the internal temperature is 175 degrees. Allow the brisket to cool to room temperature, leaving it in the foil. Transfer the brisket to a baking dish, and weight it with foil-covered bricks or cast iron skillets. Refrigerate overnight. Slice thinly against the grain for serving. (A meat slicer is preferred to a knife.).

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI (SALLYE)

Steps:

• *** NOTE: You need to buy the packaged corned beef that has already has been cured and has spice packet. If you prefer to brine your own, see step 2 below.....
• Corned Beef Brine Recipe Ingredients 8 cups water or 6 cups water and 2 cups lager beer 1 1/2 cups Diamond Crystal kosher salt 1 cup light brown sugar 1 tablespoon curing salt 1/4 cup corned beef spice 1 tablespoon garlic powder 6-8 pound beef brisket Preparation Instructions Brine: Pour 2 cups warm water into large deep roasting pan. Add salt, sugar and curing salt and stir until dissolved. Add remaining 6 cups of liquid and mix in the corned beef spice and garlic. Submerge the brisket in the liquid, then top with heavy platter to weigh down. This is important, the brisket must be completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for two weeks. Stir the mixture about every three days. This will aid in even flavoring of the brisket. Then follow steps 2 through 8 to make pastrami.
• Mix garlic and oil in a small bowl.(You can buy garlic flavored olive oil, but I don't think it gives you the full flavor) Set aside for one hour.i
• Combine pepper and all other spices (including the spices from the packet that comes with the beef) in a large bowl and set aside.`
• Place a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil on clean counter or cutting board. Coat the foil with prepared garlic oil Lay corned beef on foil and brush with remaining garlic oil Cover all sides of brisket completely with pepper and spice mixture, reserving 1 or 2 tablespoons.
• Place brisket fat side up back on foil sheet and wrap tightly in the foil, make sure foil piece is large enough to completely encase the brisket and overlap Place wrapped brisket on another sheet of foil with the seam and fat side down Wrap with this sheet of foil snugly Do this several times (at least 3 more) reversing the seam each wrap Be sure each wrap is tight so spicy juices won't escape or pastrami will be dry Place brisket in baking pan and cook in preheated 225º oven for 6 hours
• Remove from oven and set pan on rack, leaving aluminum wrap intact Cool at room temperature for about 3 hours After 3 hours, place still wrapped pastrami in heavy duty plastic bag and set in fridge overnight (at least 10 hours)
• When ready to serve, preheat oven broiler Unwrap pastrami and place on baking sheet lined with foil Sprinkle reserved pepper mix over pastrami Place in oven about 6-8 inches from broiler Broil for 3 or 4 minutes to brown Remove from oven and place on serving platter Cut into thin slices
• Preheat heavy skillet over low heat Heat pastrami slices in skillet with a few drops of water until fat begins to turn from white to translucent (about 5 minutes)
• Good luck and good eating.