Originally posted by: GagHalfrunt
Homemade pastrami, very ambitious undertaking. How long did you brine the brisket?
I cheated a bit and bought a brisket already corned. Normally it takes some days, but where I am (for whatever reason) it costs less per pound to buy it that way. Didn't seem to make any sense to wait days and have to pay more too.
It's really not that difficult.
Rinse the beef well to remove excess salt. Trim to a rectangular shape, removing any flaps or excess fat. Do not remove the fat layer on the one side, but if it is thick trimming it a bit is OK.
The rub I use:
* 4 tablespoons kosher salt
* 4 tablespoons paprika
* 3 tablespoons coriander seeds
* 3 tablespoons brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons black peppercorns
* 2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
* 8 cloves garlic, minced
Apply it to the beef for several hours to overnight, then smoke at 230F until 190F inside. I usually smoke with hickory or apple for the first three or four hours and then stop adding wood (I use an electric smoker). It's not a brisket, so you aren't trying to add a lot of smoke flavor.
It needs to cool a good deal before slicing.
It's pretty tasty
