How to Make Pastrami from Scratch | Cured & Smoked Brisket Recipe with Chef Tom

beef brisket

🥗Healthier: turkey breast

💰Cheaper: pork shoulder

Turkey is lower in fat, while pork is often less expensive.

Toast a tablespoon each of black peppercorns, coriander, and mustard seeds in a dry skillet until fragrant.

Crack the toasted spices to release aromas.

Add a tablespoon each of red chili flakes, allspice berries, whole cloves, a teaspoon each of ground ginger and ground mace, two torn bay leaves, and one stick of broken cinnamon to the cracked spices.

In a pot, bring a gallon of water to a boil and dissolve 1.5 cups of kosher salt, 1 cup of white sugar, and 4 teaspoons of pink pickling salt.

Add 10 cloves of crushed garlic and 1/4 cup of the pickling spice to the pot and stir until dissolved.

Cool the brine with 8.5 pounds of ice in a briner bucket.

Submerge 7.5 pounds of brisket flat in the cooled brine and refrigerate for six days.

After six days, rinse the brisket under cold water to remove excess salt.

Apply a thin layer of mustard to the brisket to help the rub stick.

Rub a mixture of 1/4 cup each of black pepper and coriander onto the brisket.

Smoke the brisket at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for about five hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 155 degrees.

Wrap the brisket in foil and increase the smoker temperature to 300 degrees Fahrenheit to braise it until it reaches 205-210 degrees internal temperature, about 8.5 hours total cooking time.

Let the brisket rest for 30 to 60 minutes before slicing.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: