[ApplegateRanch]

I’m planning on about 10 days, give or take.

Also, I’m going to use my Big Chief smoker, rather than the BBQ smoker, with a mix of apple & hickory; maybe a wee bit of cherry.

[dennisw]

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html

This guy seems to know what he is talking about. I have eaten a lot of pastrami in my life but I never thought of it as a smoked product. I have never tasted the smoke in any pastrami..... but that could be my fault. I taste a lot of things in it like garlic, coriander and black pepper but not smoke

The smoking process in these pastrami recipes is actually a cooking and low-temp roasting process that could be done in an oven if you wanted. The most important part is the brining in salt and spices and the rub that is put on before “baking” “Roasting” or “smoking” it. Now maybe you can great new spin on it with the woods you smoke it with..... But my opinion this is all secondary to proper brining, proper rub, then proper low-temp for a few hours roasting.

And all that bs about steaming for 3-4 hours after the smoking? No way does that compute. One hour should do. Even 30 minutes but maybe the meat will still be a bit tough

[dennisw]

If pastrami turns out good please PM me and let me know that way or if you post it on the weekly gardening thread. It’s a real test of skills, in my book at least. With these pickled (brined) products. What really goes great with it is pickled green tomatoes and Dr Brown’s Cel-Ray soda. Two Jewish items you will find at good Jewish delicatessens. When you hit the big city you can try and find the Cel-Ray