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Corned Beef

4K views 46 replies 12 participants last post by  Robert Engleheart 
#1 ·
Bought a beautiful beef brisket flat yesterday and have it brining in the fridge as we speak. In 5 days I shall have my first home cured corned beef. Yes! :)
 
#2 ·
Bought a beautiful beef brisket flat yesterday and have it brining in the fridge as we speak. In 5 days I shall have my first home cured corned beef. Yes! :)
I love to make corned beef. In the warm weather I'll even go a bit further and smoke up a pastrami. There is no comparison between deli case pastrami and home made.
 
#4 ·
I use a regular Webber kettle and it's been a while since I've used a thermometer. I generally just feel the outside of the dome and regulate the coals as needed. For a small piece of meat like this one I just try and keep it low, probably 220-250. I'll let it smoke for a while over hickory or oak and then finish in the oven.
 
#12 ·
Patrick--
Can you/would you consider sharing your pastrami spice recipe... I know there are a bunch of different ones around, but first hand knowledge is always a good thing...

Thanks!
I can't remember the exact recipe I use for the spices and cure. I started out with a recipe from Steven Raichlen's Barbeque Bible, but after making it a few times I got a feel for it and adjust based on what I think might taste good. It looks like Raichlen now sells a packet of the spices on the web so you could go for that and expect great results.

Pastrami is easier to cook than a regular brisket. The brine solution that cures the meat also seems to keep it juicy, so you can use a smaller cut and still not worry about it drying out.
 
#9 ·
Here's a secret, don't tell nobody, keep it just between us....

Use goose breasts instead of beef. Make corned goose, goostrami, eventually gooben sandwiches.

Best ever. But remember, it's a secret.
 
#10 ·
Nothing to add to the DIY, (except to try Red Flannel hash if you like beets) but I will share a couple of places to get a killer CB or Reuben in the big smoke.
Market House Meats @ 1124 Howell Street Seattle has been supplying most local restauraunts with quality corned beef for the last 1/2 a century. They now have a deli too, to serve sandwiches or whole CB.
Shite sound, but you get this jist:


The Square Knot in Georgetown is a newer 24 hr diner, and they serve a bad ass Reuben as well, using MHM product. The SK had the same owner as the 9Lb, and it's right next door.
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2012/07/the_square_knot_diners_a_bount.php
 
#13 ·
Nothing to add to the DIY, (except to try Red Flannel hash if you like beets) but I will share a couple of places to get a killer CB or Reuben in the big smoke.
Market House Meats @ 1124 Howell Street Seattle has been supplying most local restauraunts with quality corned beef for the last 1/2 a century. They now have a deli too, to serve sandwiches or whole CB.
Shite sound, but you get this jist:

The Square Knot in Georgetown is a newer 24 hr diner, and they serve a bad ass Reuben as well, using MHM product. The SK had the same owner as the 9Lb, and it's right next door.
http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/voracious/2012/07/the_square_knot_diners_a_bount.php
Holy crap that sandwich looks good.
 
#24 ·
Care to share your corned beef brine recipe? I may just have to copy cat what you did, except I can't use rye bread because of this damn gluten allergy.
I usually just forgo the bread anyway :) (although the bread in bitteroot's pic looks terrific, and I expect is homemade)

BTW: Follow bitterroot's linke to ruhlman's blog. While I was browsing it I noticed that there a several links to gluten free blogs.
 
#25 ·
I use a regular Webber kettle and it's been a while since I've used a thermometer. I generally just feel the outside of the dome and regulate the coals as needed. For a small piece of meat like this one I just try and keep it low, probably 220-250. I'll let it smoke for a while over hickory or oak and then finish in the oven.
Patrick, after reading your post I've decided to try my hand at it. Do you cook (smoke) it to a certain internal temperature?
 
#26 ·
About 170 should do it, but 165 is fine. You can do the entire thing in the smoker or wrap it in foil and transfer it to the oven to finish. I'm not sure what type of smoker you're using, but if it's charcoal you should expect to tend it more than in the summer. The wet cure brines the meat so it's pretty hard to dry out. The goal is to make the inter-muscular fat soft and springy. If you cook it beyond that point it might just fall apart. Don't worry, it'll still taste good. Slicing is important. Always slice it against the grain of the meat. If you slice it with the grain you'll get a tough, stringy mouthful.
 
#30 ·
Robert, If you can have choice of the beef cuts ask for the plate. It was traditionally what pastrami was made from, but now it is very common to use brisket. The plate is generally not a very desired cut so you might more likely to get it, plus I actually like it better
 
#31 ·
Robert, If you can have choice of the beef cuts ask for the plate. It was traditionally what pastrami was made from, but now it is very common to use brisket. The plate is generally not a very desired cut so you might more likely to get it, plus I actually like it better
That's a great idea Gary. Most of the cheap cuts are getting popular and more expensive, but I bet plate is still pretty cheap.
 
#32 ·
Just know that you won't find it in the grocery store. You will likely need to go to a specialty butcher shop or to a ranch. I would think it would be a cheaper cut, although you may find less of it as the hanger steak and flank steak are becoming more popular.
 
#34 ·
Yeah, they are all from the same general section. You can still take off the flank and have an intact plate though. I'll be calling Bill (the Butcher) soon to see if I can get the plate for my first pastrami creation.
 
#36 ·
BNLS short ribs are from the same section too! That is a damn tasty part of animal.
I did some checking in Seattle and its tough to come by plate. I found 3 sources, however, the price is prohibitive at $8-10/lb. The Seattle butcher shops are very high end so that is to be expected. Outside of Seattle or with a ranch/butcher connection it may be an affordable way to go.
 
#42 ·
BNLS short ribs are from the same section too! That is a damn tasty part of animal.
I did some checking in Seattle and its tough to come by plate. I found 3 sources, however, the price is prohibitive at $8-10/lb. The Seattle butcher shops are very high end so that is to be expected. Outside of Seattle or with a ranch/butcher connection it may be an affordable way to go.
Gary--
Costco carrys their boneless short ribs (same as plate w/o bones) vacuum packed...I think their price was $2.09 at the Fife business center... they work great! I've got both shorts and brisket in the brine now... We're headed for SR pastrami about Feb 1...!
 
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