Buffalo Pastrami Sammie
Purchase a whole buffalo brisket.
Separate the point from the flat at the seam, try to leave the most of the fat on the point.
brine:
BASIC INGREDIENTS:
4 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
12 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tablespoons pickling spice
8 bay leaves
1 teaspoon sodium nitrate
(double or triple as needed to completely cover meat)
PREPARATION:
Bring the water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the salt and saltpeter (optional). Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. Allow to cool. Stir in the garlic, pickling spices and bay leaves. The brine is now ready for use.
Place the two pieces of meat in a container large enough to hold them and the brine. I use a 5 gal. olive crock. Cover and let stand in a cold dark place for at least 7 days, turn meat and stir brine daily make sure it does not spoil.
Remove the pieces from the brine, wash thoroughly and freezer wrap the flat to be used for St Paddys day corned beef and cabbage.
Turn the point into pastrami:
The point from the brine washed and dried.
RUB INGREDIENTS:
5 tablespoons kosher salt
4 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
8 cloves garlic, minced
PREPARATION:
Combine coriander seeds, peppercorns and mustard seeds in a spice grinder. Grind coarsely. Add in remaining ingredients and mix well. Rub is now ready to use. It may be stored, refrigerated in an airtight container.
Apply rub to point cover completely and rub in well.
Let sit overnight, in the fridge, in a airtight container.
Use a side smoker to "cold smoke" the point. DO NOT PUT WATER IN THE SMOKER ... the meat needs to dry as it smokes ... there will be enough fat in the point to keep it from drying out to much.
Get the smoker temp. to appx. 220F (a little low is better than a little high) smoking will take 10 to 12 hours for a average point. It is done when it reaches 165F internal temperature at the thickest point. The outside fat should have the consistency of grape jelly and look "crusty".
While your smoking whip up a couple loves of sourdough rye (allrecipes.com) you can start the "starter" when you begin to brine the brisket it should be mature by the time you smoke the pastrami.
It really does not matter what your favorite condiments are, add anything you like, but that meat, right out of the smoker, dripping fat, on that bread, is a epicurean delight all by itself.
