PASTRAMI INSPIRED BY WHEN HARRY MET SALLY

For the Brining

Start by cutting the brisket in half, separating the lean half from the fatty point, and then trim away as much excess fat as possible - leaving about half an inch of fat.

In a 12 qt plastic container, combine: kosher salt, pink curing salt, crushed bay leaves, coriander seeds and mustard seeds, all-spice berries, cinnamon broken in half, whole peppercorns, whole cloves, dried Arbol chilis, juniper berries, dark brown sugar, and crushed garlic.

Once all the spices have been added to the container, add in distilled water and whisking together to combine.

Once everything is dissolved, drop in the brisket with a weight on top to make sure it stays fully submerged.

Place into the fridge for at least 5 days and at most 10 days. Every other day flip the brisket to make sure it gets even brining exposure.

After 10 days, remove the meat from the brine and then cut in half where the fatty point and lean flat are separated and trim off any excess fat.

Before cooking, make sure to thoroughly rinse the meat to desalinate.

For the Cooking - Boiling Method (For Fatty Pieces):

Separately place the fatty point of the brisket into a large stockpot and cover it with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and keep it there at a gentle simmer. Cover and let simmer for 3-4 hours.

After 3-4 hours, remove the brisket from the pot.

Into a spice grinder combine coriander seeds and black peppercorn and grind until just cracked, not fully ground. Dump into a bowl along with white sugar and some optional add-ins like sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder then mix together until fully combined.

Rub the beef thoroughly with the seasoning, making sure to cover every inch of the top and bottom. Make sure the beef is warm, running under warm water for a few seconds if needed, to make sure the spices adhere.

Place into a 225°F smoker loaded with cherry wood and hickory. Once placed into the smoker let the pieces of meat smoke anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on how much smokey flavor is desired.

Once the pastrami is removed from the smoker, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.

For the Cooking - Sous Vide Method (For Lean Pieces):

Place the lean meat into a vacuum-sealed bag and then place it into a well-cleaned brining container and fill halfway with water.

Set the sous vide to 180°F, cover with plastic wrap, and let it go for at least 10 hours or until extremely tender, but not falling apart.

After 10 hours, remove the brisket from the container, drain the fat, and remove the brisket from the bag.

Into a spice grinder combine coriander seeds and black peppercorn and grind until just cracked, not fully ground. Dump into a bowl along with white sugar and some optional add-ins like sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and mustard powder then mix together until fully combined.

Rub the beef thoroughly with the seasoning, making sure to cover every inch of the top and bottom. Make sure the beef is warm, running under warm water for a few seconds if needed, to make sure the spices adhere.

Place into a 225°F smoker loaded with cherry wood and hickory. Once placed into the smoker let the pieces of meat smoke anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on how much smokey flavor is desired.

Once the pastrami is removed from the smoker, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.