This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please see the disclosure for more information.
I love the week around St. Patrick’s Day. Not because I’m Irish or love the color green. No, it’s because corned beef briskets go on sale. And every year, I buy a big load of them and make cheater pastrami on my smoker. The end result is tender and very flavorful. Perfect for sandwiches. Almost beyond perfect.
The Real Thing Takes A Lot Longer
So why is this approach called ‘cheating’? Well, real pastrami takes a long time to make. You don’t start with a corned beef brisket out of the grocer’s fridge. I’ve had the most amazing pastrami in New York City. Here in Indianapolis, the closest I’ve found is at Shapiro’s Delicatessen (though I’ve heard that Fat Dan’s Deli is also great). This cheater pastrami version isn’t as good, of course, but it’s actually quite fantastic.
All my neighbors will back me up on just how fantastic this is. They always ask me around March when I’ll be making some, because everyone always gets some! That’s just one of the reasons why I make extra!
The Seasoning
I start out by rubbing corned beef in a mix of mustard, all spice, coriander and a lot of cracked pepper.
Overnight Marinating
The meat gets wrapped and goes into the fridge overnight to get ‘happy’. Just leave it there. No messing with it. It’s not going to bother anything.
Smoking
Then onto the smoker at 225 F for about 8 hours or until the internal temperatures reach 195-205 F. Let them rest then slice then and enjoy!
Note: Many pieces will magically ‘disappear’ as the corned beef is sliced. This happens. You have to account for that when you decide how much meat you’ll actually have in the end.
Da Wood
I don’t usually use a strong wood when I smoke my corned beef. Fruit woods are my go-to chunks. And not a whole lot of them at that. I fire up my Weber Smokey Mountain smoker with charcoal first. Then, once that’s good and lit, I add a few (usually three or four) good-sized chunks of fruit wood. After they’re good and smoky and burned down a bit, I add the meat and go from there. I don’t ever have to add more smoke. It gets what it needs in the first hour or so. More doesn’t help. In fact, it hurts.
- Pecan wood chunks
- Provides a rich & Sweet flavor
This recipe is a combination of a recipe I found on Patio Daddio and the technique on my favorite Weber Smoky-Mountain-related site, the Virtual Weber Bullet.
Cheater Pastrami
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 corned beef brisket try to get a flat, one that is consistent in thickness
- 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3-4 tablespoons ground black pepper coarsely ground
Instructions
- Note: I buy coriander seeds and whole peppercorns from the local GFS store and grind them using an old blade-style coffee grinder. Make sure you keep the grind a little coarse. You can also use a mortar and pestle.
- Rinse and dry the corned beef.
- Whisk together the mustard, brown sugar, coriander and allspice. Rub the mixture all over the brisket, then cover completely with the ground pepper. Place in a large resealable bag or wrap tightly in foil and keep in the fridge overnight.
- The next day, fire up your smoker for 225-250 F. Place a chunk or two of light fruit wood in the smoker (I used cherry). Cook the brisket for at least 8 hours or until the internal temperature reaches 195 – 205 F.
- Remove, wrap in foil, and let rest for 30 minutes.
- Thinly slice the brisket against the grain using a meat slicer or sharp knife. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
- ใBILLOWING SMOKE AND BIG CAPACITYใ The pellet…
- ใUNFORGETTABLE FLAVORS FOR HOT AND COLD…