Wednesday, May 28, 2014

The Hawthornes Make Pastrami.

Mr. Hawthorne got a hankerin' for pastrami -
not the color-/chemical-infused store-bought stuff -
but a homemade brined, rubbed, and smoked pastrami.

I started out with my pickling mix.
Pickling Spice Mix

2 TB mixed whole peppercorns
2 TB mustard seeds
2 TB coriander seeds
2 TB hot red pepper flakes
4 dried bay leaves
1 TB ground mace
1 TB ground ginger
3 small cinnamon sticks
1 TB whole cloves
2 TB allspice berries

Combine peppercorns, coriander seeds, and allspice berries
in dry pan over medium heat, swirling until fragrant,
being careful not to burn.

Crack all peppers, seeds, and berries
in mortar and pestle.
Add in other ingredients.
Mix well and store in refrigerator.





Let's get ready for the BRINE.
3/4 cups Kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp pink salt
(I used Murray River Salt Flakes,
a product of Australia
which my AussieFriendKerry sent me.)
5 cloves garlic
2 TB pickling spice mix, ground






In a pot big enough to hold a 5-pound beef brisket,
combine 1 gallon water with Kosher salt,
 sugar, pink salt, garlic, and 2 TB pickling spice.
Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved.
Remove from heat, let cool to room temperature,
then refrigerate until chilled.
Place brisket in brine and keep submerged.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 days.


Stop and take pictures of a cute puppy dog.


After the third day,
remove the brisket from brine and rinse thoroughly.
Refrigerate, uncovered, for another day.



Prepare the rub:
1 TB peppercorns, toasted and ground
1 TB coriander seed, toasted and ground


Coat the brisket with the rub and smoke it.
Mr. Hawthorne used hickory chips in his stove-top smoker
and smoked the brisket about 4 hours, or until tender.

Here's our home-cured pastrami.
And no red dye!


I toasted some of my homemade bread.

Gave it a smear of Dijon mustard.


Added pastrami slices and sliced onion.

Topped it with Swiss cheese
and then gave it a trip under the broiler.
Give it some tomato, pickle, and basil love.

And serve with one of Mr. Hawthornes deviled eggs
which has both dill pickles and sweet pickles.







2 comments:

zzzadig said...

Looks awesome.....which means, awww, I want some.

Rosie Hawthorne said...

It was gooooood!