Artisanal Cured Pastrami
Pastrami must cure for days before cooking to keep moisture and color. Jewish-deli brisket with a peppercorn bark and slow cook, step by step.
240 min
Internacional / Judía
6 servings
The story behind
Curing the brisket before any cooking happens isn't just about flavor: salt and the nitrites in the brine work into the fibers over several days, locking in moisture and fixing the rosy color that sets pastrami apart from plain roast beef. Skip that step and the meat turns gray and dry after hours of heat. Pastrami arrived in New York with Eastern European Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth century, heirs to a tradition of preserving meat to survive the winter; its close relative is Romanian pastramă. The crust of cracked black pepper and coriander seeds is no garnish: as the meat is smoked or slow-cooked, those spices form an aromatic bark that seals the surface. Long, moist cooking melts the tough collagen in the brisket into gelatin, transforming a chewy cut into something that yields. That's why pastrami is sliced thin and against the grain, so every bite gives way. The scent of toasted pepper and cured beef fills the room long before the meat reaches the board.
Instructions
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1Submerge the meat in the water and curing salt brine for at least 5 days in the refrigerator.
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2Rinse the meat and coat it completely with the crushed pepper and coriander mixture, pressing so it adheres.
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3Smoke the meat at a low temperature until it reaches a soft internal temperature.
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4Steam for an additional couple of hours to ensure the texture is tender and melts in your mouth.
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5Let it cool slightly and slice very thinly to serve in a clean and professional manner.
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