Homemade Pastrami
With deep, rich flavor, an amazing rub, and plenty of smoke, this homemade pastrami recipe is so good and so delicious that you'll never want it any other way!
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 312kcal
Equipment
- 1 Traeger Smoker or another smoker that can maintain a steady temperature
Ingredients
- 4 pound brisket
- 1 gallon distilled water
- 2 teaspoons Prague Powder #1
- 1 cup kosher salt
For the pastrami rub
- 3 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
- 1.5 tabelspoons whole coriander seed
- 1.5 teaspoons mustard seed
- 1.5 tablespoons ground black pepper
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander powder
- 1.5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons paprika
- 1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
- 1.5 tablespoons onion powder
- 1.5 teaspoons mustard powder
Instructions
For the wet cure
- This wet cure is enough for 4-5 pound slab of brisket. If your brisket is smaller, please see the adjusted amouns of water, salt, and Prague Powder #1 in the recipe post or in the recipe notes.
- Mix the distilled water with the Prague Powder #1, and salt until dissolved.
- Trim all but about 1/4-inch of fat from the brisket and submerge the brisket in the water and refrigerate.
- Flip the brisket over every day for 5 days.
- Add the end of the 5th day, drain the wet cure and rinse the brisket. Refill the container and refrigerate the brisket for another 8-10 hours, draining and replacing the water at least once during that time.
To make the pastrami
- Drain the brisket and set it aside.
- Combine the black peppercorns, coriander seed, and mustard seed in a baggie and crush them with a rolling pin or skillet. You want them coarsely crushed, not pulverised.
- Combine the crushed seeds with the black pepper, coriander powder, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder. Do NOT add more salt!
- Rub the brisket generously with the pastrami rub.
- Heat your smoker to 225-F and smoke the rubbed brisket utnil it reaches 160-F.
- Wrap the brisket in foil and turn the heat up to 250-F and continue to smoke/steam the pastrami until it reaches 204-F.
- Remove the pastrami from the smoker and let it rest 30 minutes before slicing. If using a brisket point, chill it overnight before using the slicer to get nice thin slices.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Please note: the salt is not included in the calculations. Some gets absorbed but most goes down the drain.
ADJUST the amount of Prague Powder #1, water, salt and curing times based on the size and thickness of your brisket. The following guide can help:
4 lb brisket 1.5 inches thick - 1 gallon water, 1 cup kosher salt, 2 teaspoons Prague Powder #1 -- curing time 3 days.
3 lb brisket 1.5 inches thick - 12 cups water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1.5 teaspoons Prague Powder #1. - Curing time 3 days.
2.5 lb brisket 1.5 inches thick - 10 cups water, 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1.3 teaspoons Prague Powder #1. Curing time 3 days.
3 lb brisket 2 inches thick - 12 cups water, 1 cup kosher salt, 1.5 teaspoons Prague Powder #1 - Curing time 5 days.
2.5 lb brisket 2 inches thick - 10 cups water, 3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1.3 teaspoons Prague Powder #1. Curing time 5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.25pound | Calories: 312kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 112mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 698mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 65IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 4mg