Pastrami Cured Salmon Recipes

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• To make the brine, fill a medium to large stockpot with 3 quarts water. Add the kosher and pink salts, granulated sugar, pickling spice, coriander and mustard seeds, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often to fully dissolve the salt and sugar in the water. Immediately remove the pot from the heat once the brine boils.Add 3 quarts ice cold water to a 2-gallon or larger food-safe container that will fit in your refrigerator (you can also use a strong sealing 2-gallon marination bag - double bag for extra insurance). Pour the brine into the container and place it uncovered in the refrigerator until completely cool. You can also divide the brine evenly between two separate containers so that it will fit better in the refrigerator.
• Trim the fat from the brisket until the fat layer is about 1/4 inch thick.
• If necessary, cut the brisket in half so that it will fit into your container(s).
• Submerge the brisket in the cooled brine.Allow the brisket to brine in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 days, flipping it daily top to bottom and stirring the brine. Make sure that if any of the brisket sides are touching one another you regularly turn them away from each other to expose all of the sides to the brine.
• To cook the brisket, pour 4 cups water into the bottom of a 12 by 15 inch roasting pan. Set a rack inside the pan and place the brisket on the rack, fatty side down.
• To make the spice rub, mix together the coriander, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Evenly rub 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the top of the brisket. Then flip the brisket and rub the remaining spice mixture onto the fatty side. Allow the brisket to come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees with a rack low enough to fit the pan holding the brisket. Tightly cover the brisket and pan with a double layer of aluminum foil.
• Bake until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees, about 1 hour per pound or 5 hours total. Start checking internal temp at 3 hours and periodically every 20-30 minutes or so to avoid overcooking.
• Without trimming the fat, carve the pastrami into 1/4 inch thick slices, or cut as thin as possible without the meat falling apart. Keep tightly wrapped, or in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
• SAFETY NOTE: handle the pink curing salt with care and keep it out of reach of children. It is used in pastrami and other cured meats to kill bacteria, prevent botulism and add flavor. However it is extremely toxic if ingested directly; in fact, it's colored pink to prevent people from mistaking it for regular salt. When used with care in recipes like this, it is very safe and necessary for proper flavor and food safety. That said, you should know the risks and keep the curing salt properly labeled and out of the reach of children.

PASTRAMI SALMON

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Reduce to simmer and parboil potatoes until they begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a foil-lined pan, toss with 1 tbsp oil and salt and pepper to taste; arrange in a single layer and bake until fork-tender and golden brown, turning once, 30 minutes.
• Place peppercorns and coriander on a paper towel lined cutting board. Using the bottom of a heavy pot, press down until they crack; set aside. In a large, ovensafe pan over medium-high heat, heat remaining 1 tsp oil. Cook salmon, turning once, until browned, 2 minutes per side; remove from heat.
• In a bowl, combine molasses, salt, paprika and cayenne; brush onto both sides of salmon and sprinkle with crushed spices. Bake salmon until cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve with potatoes tossed with parsley.

PASTRAMI-CURED SALMON

Steps:

• Three days before you want to serve the salmon, put it, skin-side down, in a rimmed dish. Combine the salt and sugar, then set aside.
• Fry the coriander seeds, ground coriander, caraway seeds and peppercorns in a small dry frying pan set over a medium heat for 2-3 mins. Tip into a spice grinder or small food processor along with the bay, and blitz until finely ground. Stir the spice mixture into the salt and sugar mix. Pat the spiced salt mixture all over and around the salmon so it's well packed onto the flesh. Wrap tightly in cling film, then set a plate or board and something heavy (such as a couple of cans) on top to weigh the fish down. Chill for 48 hrs.
• Heat the paprika, cayenne and black treacle in a pan until loosened, then remove from the heat and leave to cool slightly until just warm. Brush the excess salt off the salmon and rinse the fish under cold running water. Pat dry with kitchen paper, then transfer to a clean dish. Brush with the warm treacle mixture until well coated (you may need to generously brush the fish several times before the coating covers the fish well), then wrap in a fresh sheet of cling film. Chill for another 24 hrs.
• When you're ready to serve, set the salmon on a board and thinly slice with a sharp knife, avoiding the layer of skin at the bottom. Serve with soft cheese, rye bread or bagels, pickles and some chopped dill for everyone to help themselves.

PRIMETIME PASTRAMI

Steps:

• For the brine: In a large stockpot, add half of the water, the brown sugar, kosher salt, curing salt, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, juniper berries, chile flakes, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon and star anise and bring to a boil. Then simmer for 30 minutes. Add the remaining water with some ice to chill the brine.
• For the rub: Grind the peppercorns, coriander and juniper until crushed but still a little chunky. Add to a mixing bowl. Add the salt, brown sugar, chile flakes and granulated garlic and stir to combine.
• For the pastrami: First, clean all the fat off the brisket including the "V" between the two muscles, then follow the fat between the two muscles and separate them making a flat and a cap.
• Transfer the brine to a large hotel pan or roasting pan. Add the brisket and refrigerate at least 5 days and no more than 10 days. Make sure the brisket is stirred once a day to get an evenly brined brisket.
• After a minimum of 5 days, prepare a smoker for 225 degrees F.
• Remove the pastrami, rinse it and blot dry with paper towels. Thoroughly rub the brined brisket with the pastrami rub. Place in smoker and cook for 8 hours until the internal temperature reaches 210 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine all of these ingredients together into a bowl until you have an even blend.
• Transfer the contents to an air-tight container so that you can preserve the seasonings' flavors for as long as possible.

PASTRAMI SALMON

Steps:

• Place salmon on a platter. In a bowl, combine salt, sugar and one tablespoon of the cracked pepper. Mix well, and coat both sides of the salmon with mixture.
• In a food processor combine coriander, parsley and shallots. Puree until smooth but not watery. Coat both sides of salmon with mixture.
• Cover, and refrigerate salmon for 2 to 3 days.
• Scrape marinade from fish, and discard. Dry fish with paper towels.
• In a saucepan, combine molasses, cayenne and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and simmer for one minute. Allow molasses mixture to cool slightly. Using a brush, paint fish on both sides with the mixture.
• Sprinkle paprika, coriander, 2 tablespoons of the ground black pepper and the cracked pepper on both sides of fish. Refrigerate salmon overnight.
• Cut salmon widthwise on a bias into thin slices. Serve with mustard oil and rye toast

SIMPLE AND SMOKY HOMEMADE PASTRAMI RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep the corned beef. Buy or make corned beef. For pastrami, the flat section of the brisket is favored by many because it makes nice even slices for sandwiches, but I prefer the point section of the brisket because it is fattier, richer, and more tender. It can also be made from flank steak, or leaner cuts, or even from boneless short plate (rib meat). Remove all of the fat cap and if there is any filmy membrane on the other side, remove it all.
• Desalinate. Put the corned beef in a pot slightly larger than the meat and cover it with cold water in the fridge for at least 8 hours. Change the water at least once. This removes excess salt. Trust me, you need to do this or you will be gulping water all night after your meal.
• Rub. Make the rub. Rinse the meat, and while it is damp, apply the rub liberally and press it into the surface to help it adhere.
• Fire up. Set up your grill in 2 zones for smoking or set up your smoker. Preheat to 225°F. Pick your wood. I don't think it makes a huge difference with all the other flavors banging around in there. My best batch was with cherry wood.
• Cook. Place the meat on the smoker or on the indirect heat side of the grill. You only need to smoke it with indirect heat until it reaches the stall at about 160°F and the crust is brown. Then wrap it tightly in foil and roast it up to 203°F. This is called the Texas Crutch and it does wonders. It significantly reduces cooking time and makes the end product much more tender and juicy.
• Slicing. Slicing is crucial to maximize tenderness. Look at the meat and notice which way the grain is running. Cut it by hand in thin slices, about 1/8" thick, perpendicular to the grain. If you cut parallel to the grain it will be much chewier. Don't try to slice it with a machine. It will just fall apart.
• Serve. I serve the homemade smoked pastrami on fresh untoasted rye bread. A good brown mustard on both slices is all it needs. If you want, you can make a Rockin' Pastrami Reuben with sauerkraut, melted swiss, and thousand island or Russian dressing, or beter still, my famous Burger Glop. Reubens were originally made with corned beef, but there's no rule that you can't make one from pastrami. In fact, I prefer it.Leftovers freeze well and they can be reheated in the microwave or steamed. They can also be made into a killer hash. Ess, bench, sei a mensch!