Description

Prepared with a combination of different cooking techniques such as brining, sous vide, and smoking, this delicious pastrami will please a hungry crowd.

Ingredients

• 12 pounds beef brisket
• 1 gallon water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 ½ cups kosher salt
• 10 cloves garlic, crushed
• 4 teaspoons pink curing salt
• 1 gallon ice cubes
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon mustard seeds
• 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 bay leaves

Instructions

1. Trim off the fat cap of the brisket and poke some holes in the meat with a paring knife.
2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Remove from heat; as it starts to cool down, add white sugar, kosher salt, garlic, and pink curing salt.
3. Find a food-grade, nonreactive container with a lid; pour in brine and ice, then add the brisket. Keep brisket in brine for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Flip the brisket every 24 hours.
4. After brining, pull the brisket out of the container and rinse under cold water.
5. Heat a pan over low heat. Toast coriander seeds, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in the hot pan, about 2 minutes. Remove and transfer to a food processor; add red pepper flakes, cloves, ginger, and bay leaves. Grind well.
6. Use 1/2 of the spice mixture to coat the brisket; seal in a food saver bag. Reserve remaining spice mixture. Place brisket in a sous vide at 137 degrees F (58 degrees C) for 18 hours.
7. Remove from sous vide, cut open the bag, and set out to dry and rest on a wire rack from a smoker for 30 minutes. Use remaining pickling spices to re-coat the brisket.
8. Place a wire rack into the smoker. Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions and heat to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C).
9. Smoke brisket until browned, tender, and no longer pink in the center, about 5 hours. Pull brisket from the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.