# For Pastrami Lovers



## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

My BIL made homemade pastrami from the instructions on the following link (has a nice video too). You mix a spice rub from common ingredients, wrap multiple times in foil, slow roast at 240*:
http://video.about.com/americanfood/Homemade-Pastrami.htm

It is fabulous, and now DH & I are making our own. Yummo! And it really couldn't be easier.

My BIL add this comment on email when he sent the recipe & link:


> I cooked another pastrami today. The recipe called for a 5 lb. brisket to cook for 5 hours. The last time I cooked a 3 lb for 5 hours, it was great. This time I figured 1 lb per hour, I had a 3 lb brisket so I cooked it for 3 hours (1 hour per pound) It was very tough, I suggest that you cook the meat for a minimum of 5 hours.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Thanks for that recipe. This is the season for the corned beef.

I sent a link of this recipe to my DH (who is a meat mkt mngr in a small store). He said..."Can do!" Yay! Pastrami sandwiches...

Now, the rye bread recipe...


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

We're covered  I'm putting this favorite in the bread machine this morning. I just do the dough cycle though. Then rise it in a bread pan and bake in the oven.:

Light Rye Bread


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The only thing I dont have for the pastrami is 'smoked' paprika. I have roasted red chile powder, plain paprika, smoked chipotle...oh, and I have liquid smoke. Hmm.


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

It's in gourmet food/kitchen shops and can be ordered online.

I cheated with this Rachael Ray substitute, can't tell the difference:

To substitute for 1 Tbl smoked paprika, mix these...
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika 
2 pinches cayenne pepper


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

Here are both - all finished...

The homemade Pastrami and the loaf of Light Rye bread










A little work with the food slicer. Then yummm, yummm, the sliced rye and pastrami are ready! With a honey mustard condiment -let's make a sandwich!










It was a great lunch - and I can't wait to make another sandwich tomorrow.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Oh wow Kim! That looks great, your bread looks so pretty too. Thanks for sharing I love Pastrami


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

DH must have taken me seriously...I have a piece of beef in the fridge right now awaiting this recipe.

Kim, did you scrape all the pepper off yours? It looks great!


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

Thanks for the compliments. LOL....DH and & ate pastrami sandwiches for 'brunch' this morning. And then we were talking about making some reuben sandwiches from it & our homemade sauerkraut. We're hooked! 

No, we did not scrape any of the pepper off. The end slice was too spicey since it had top/bottom/side coated. But the remainder are perfect with just the thin layer of pepper on top/bottom. You might try a slice before removing the pepper. Then if it's too spicey for you, remove some or all of it.

Hope it turns out great for you!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Okay, mine is in the oven. Now my house smells like fresh-ground cilantro seeds and cumin seeds....very ethnic and yummy!




Note to self: almost out of aluminum foil...


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

LOL @ 'note to self'

The hardest part is ...

after smelling it cooking for 5 hrs, and while it cools - then having to put it in the fridge and chill overnight before you can cut it.

I soooOOOOOoooo wanted to cut that thing right after it came out of the oven and smelled so heavenly. 

BTW, it did take a long time to cool being wrapped in all that foil. I waited until it no longer felt warm before refridgerating.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Kim,

If I am reading the recipe right, you purchase a Corned Beef Brisket right? I wouldn't use a regular Beef Brisket. Am I understanding this correctly?


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

Tirzah, yes that's right. You use a corned beef brisket, not a regular one. You'll disgard the spice packet that comes with the corned beef, and trim fat from the corned beef.

The video shows the chef trimming the fat from the corned beef. He leaves just 1/8" of the fat.

We'll be having a couple beef slaughtered soon - then I'm going to try taking a fresh brisket, corn it myself (brining), and then make the pastrami from my own corned beef. LOL...but that'll be another story.


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## Tirzah (May 19, 2006)

Thanks Kim  Keep us posted on corning the brisket yourself. I have a beef brisket in the freezer from our half a cow so I may just try corning too!

Thanks for your help


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## ajaxlucy (Jul 18, 2004)

Thanks for this recipe. My husband is going to be so happy!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Now can you tell me how on earth I am to restrain myself frome eating the entire thing before tonight's supper?

I could very easily shave thin slices from this little nugget all day long....I should have left the foil on! 

Awesome flavor and soooo tender!


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

LOL...oh, i know! DH has declared me "an addict". Hahahaha...but he is just as bad! 

Wow, your close-up photo is truly gorgeous. Deli's all over the country would be envious.

Hmmm...so then the taste suits you? :happy:

ETA: And did you remove any of the pepper/spice coating?


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Does the taste suit me? Yes, though it is not perfect. I ground my own cilantro seeds and I think I could have used a smaller percentage, they were a lot more intense than the jarred powder. There is just a bit too much corriander, imo. Nothing terrible but "next time". 

Also I would like to find, (more like make) some actual smoked paprika. I have Hungarian peppers started so that is on my list for this year. If I had the smoked paprika then I wouldn't have to use the substitution with cumin in it. Again it was with fresh ground cumin seeds. 

After all this time, you would think I would KNOW that fresh ground herbs are more powerful...but at least twice a year I seem to forget. 

All this said, I need to make this recipe for my summer-only stepDD14. She was the one who had to help me harvest and clean all my herb seeds last year. She's a carnivorous thing and maybe she would 'get' the reason for our labor.

I am leaving it to DH whether to scrape or not (I am guessing not). 

Thanks for an awesome recipe, and Happy St. Patricks Day!


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

Tirzah said:


> Thanks Kim  Keep us posted on corning the brisket yourself. I have a beef brisket in the freezer from our half a cow so I may just try corning too!
> 
> Thanks for your help


Tirzah, here's the recipe for the corned beef brisket

*Corned Beef or Venison*

For 10 Lb Brisket (or adjust for your size brisket)

1 1/2 gal water
1 cup + 2 Tbl tender quick
4 beef boullion cubes
3 Tbl mustard seed
3 Tbl celery salt
3 Tbl coarse black pepper
1 full bulb garlic, clean all cloves and dice
1 meat injector needle

Bring all ingredients to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then cool the brine.

Immerse meat in brine mixture. Keep at a refridgerated temerature (40- 45 degrees)
First 4 days - inject meat everyday
Next 8 days - inject meat every other day
Drain meat for 1 day and continue to refridgerate.

To make cooked Corned Beef 
(If you want pastrami, skip this step and move on to pastrami recipe):
Cover sides generously with coriander, Bake at 225* for 4 to 5 hours.

It will be a couple weeks before I try my own corned beef. But I'll let you know the results. I got the recipe from my Mom & her husband. They say it's great. LOL....and they should know. We always enjoy their fresh elk meat, and cooking 


ajaxlucy said:


> Thanks for this recipe. My husband is going to be so happy!


Hope he loves it!


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

thinking more about the seasonings...I wonder if toasting the peppercorns would give it more smokiness...? I am just silly when it comes to herbs and seasonings (if you cant already tell!)


Honestly though, if you just took the corned beef and sprinkled it with plain paprika and then coarse black pepper~ I doubt there would be much complaint about the results!


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Does the taste suit me? Yes, though it is not perfect. I ground my own cilantro seeds and I think I could have used a smaller percentage, they were a lot more intense than the jarred powder. There is just a bit too much corriander, imo. Nothing terrible but "next time".
> 
> Also I would like to find, (more like make) some actual smoked paprika. I have Hungarian peppers started so that is on my list for this year. If I had the smoked paprika then I wouldn't have to use the substitution with cumin in it. Again it was with fresh ground cumin seeds.
> 
> ...


Oh wow, yeah! I sure your fresh ground cilantro seed is much stronger than store bought ground coriander. I grow cilantro - but it all gets used in salsa, etc - or sold at the farmers market before it can go to seed. So I buy the ground seed as coriander.

The fresh ground cumin seed is surely stonger in the substitute mix for the smoked parika as well.

What a great project for you and stepDD14. I hope you pursue it together Bet she would enjoy that! Its always great to find 'hit projects' with a stepchild.

Happy St Pattricks!


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## Mrs.Swirtz (Jan 13, 2009)

Help me !! My internet connection is to slow to watch videos. Can anybody put the recipe on here for me? Pretty please?  Andi


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## Kim_NC (Sep 5, 2007)

I've copied the instructions over from the other site for you. It's the actual text from the video which the Chef says as he walks you through the recipe.



> *Buy a Corned Beef Brisket*
> What we need is a 5 lb. corned beef. We're going to attempt to do the impossible, we're going to take a corned beef brisket and turn it into a pastrami.
> 
> *Homemade Pastrami Ingredients*
> ...


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

oh, it is the season to BUMP this thread. 

Try it! You will not be disappointed!


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

My pastrami is in the oven now. It about killed me to use all of that foil 
so, about 7 pm or so to come out of the oven


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

Well, this was gosh darned yummy. Try it!!
I made it with some pumpernickel....heaven


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

beaglebiz, I am glad you tried it. 

I am getting ready to do several more next week.
I even have the smoked paprika this time.

It does use a lot of foil though.


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

where'd you get the smoked paprika? I even checked Penzey's...ended up using the substitute, but I wonder if I can smoke my own paprika peppers


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## beaglebiz (Aug 5, 2008)

rose2005 said:


> Oh wow! We love pastrami and DH just pm'd me a link to this thread.
> 
> As soon as I have corned some beef, I'll be right on this.
> 
> ...


Was that a hint or what??
Really, it was well worth it. Our local grocer has point cut corned beef for .99 lb this week and last, (thats what I used)...Im sure its not the best cut, but I trimmed the fat off and it was delish. Next time I will do two at once, so we can have a bit for sandwiches. DH too two sandwiches to work, on the pumpernickel...he shared and the fellas at work loved it too


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

beaglebiz said:


> where'd you get the smoked paprika? I even checked Penzey's...ended up using the substitute, but I wonder if I can smoke my own paprika peppers


I got my smoked paprika at the health food store. Well, I guess that is what they call it. They sell bulk teas and spices out of gallon jars. After I made this recipe last year, I was keeping my eyes peeled for the stuff. I have found that I use a lot of it now. It is great to add to red chile sauce, it gives a good color and that smokey flavor. & it is great in a b-b-q rub. 

Rose, I cant wait to hear how you like the pastrami.  Or maybe how DJim likes it...

It is a good idea to make more than 1 at a time, since the oven has to be on for so long. And since it is gluttonously good...


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## Mooselover (May 4, 2009)

moosethanks Kim NC for this recipe. i love pastrami but i have a friend who LOOOOOVVESSS it. i'm emailing her the recipe. i've got the corned beef and she's got the time. hopefully we can 'work' something out. {wink,wink, nudge, nudge}


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