# Help smoke a corned beef.



## buckytom (Jul 15, 2011)

i was planning on smoking a store bought corned beef, and having no time to do research on the particulars i hoped someone could help me here.

i have a vacuum sealed flat cut corned beef (that is supposed to be cooked in water), but i thought i'd smoke it in my vertical gas smoker as a change of pace.

i was planning in grinding the little spice packet that is enclosed with it and rubbing it into the meat, then putting it in the smoker using apple and hickory.

anyone know how long i should smoke it, and at what temp?

would the final product be considered a pastrami, or just a smoked, brined brisket?

tia.


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## pacanis (Jul 15, 2011)

Well I just happen to be smoking a corned beef this very minute 
There's a little info here from a while back.

From everything I read and then concluded, smoke it to 165F at low temps, 200-225. Lots of smoke in the beginning and mild wood. Wrap it and let it rest for a couple hours when through Qing. Cool it and slice thin.
I'm at 157 right now and I put it on close to 10:00 this morning, It stalled at 145 for about 2 hours.
I through the packet of stuff away and am using maple wood. My rub is in the thread.

Oh, ETA, Soak in cold water for six hours, changing the water every two before starting.


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## justplainbill (Jul 15, 2011)

Almost sounds like you're trying to make pastrami; if so, a dry rub including crushed peppercorns, garlic,  and coriander seeds would be in order.


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## pacanis (Jul 15, 2011)

Dang Bucky. That one smoked up quick. It was done about an hour ago. The first one stalled twice and needed foiled, this one cruised right up to my target temp without foil, though I did increase my temp from hovering around 210 up to 225 for an hour.


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## buckytom (Jul 16, 2011)

thanks very much, pac and jpb.

i didn't get to it yesterday. hopefully tomorrow. will post results.


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## pacanis (Jul 16, 2011)

buckytom said:


> thanks very much, pac and jpb.
> 
> i didn't get to it yesterday. hopefully tomorrow. will post results.


 
I'll be eating my results today 

Looking forward to hearing how it went.


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## justplainbill (Jul 16, 2011)

buckytom said:


> thanks very much, pac and jpb.
> 
> i didn't get to it yesterday. hopefully tomorrow. will post results.


Hope your's comes out as well as one of Katz's better pieces.


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## justplainbill (Jul 18, 2011)

How'd the corned beef turn out?


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## buckytom (Jul 18, 2011)

i just took it out of the fridge and am going to set up the smoker now.

will post pics tonight.


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## buckytom (Jul 18, 2011)

darn, as i was setting things up, i realized that i never soaked the corned beef. so it's getting a 2 hour soak (i just changed the water after the first hour, will change again in a half hour), then it's getting rubbed with the spice packet that's been ground with some additiinal pickling spices, and smoked over hickory and apple. i'll have about 5 hours of smoking time before i have to head into work, so hopefully it won't take that long.


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## Andy M. (Jul 18, 2011)

Details please, when you're done, BT.  I might give this a try.  I have a cryovac corned beef in the freezer.


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## buckytom (Jul 18, 2011)

sure thing, andy.

unfortunately, my method's gonna vary from pac's in that just as i was about to put the meat into the smoker, the gas ran out. i should have checked the gauge first.

so, it was soaked for almost 3 hours with 3 changes of water, rubbed with the ground up spice packet plus a little extra pickling spice, then wrapped in plastic and put back in the fridge.

tomorrow afternoon when i wake up, i'll fill the lp tank and start the smoking. pics and description tomorrow night.


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## pacanis (Jul 19, 2011)

That's probably just as well, Bucky, because I think you're going to need more than five hours if you are taking it the whole way in the smoker.


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## CWS4322 (Jul 19, 2011)

Okay--I want a smoker. I have an engineer <g> who can fabricate just about anything you can think of--he's doing some sort of prototype for treating cancer patients right now--he can work with any metal you'd like...if you can describe it, he can make it. I haven't searched on the web--but wanted to know, if you could have your "dream" smoker custom made, what would the specs be? I want to smoke a 20# turkey, ribs, etc.


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## buckytom (Jul 20, 2011)

so, i unwrapped the rubbed corned beef and popped it in the gas smoker at 220, with the smoke just starting up:









smoked it for 6 hours at 220:







then raised the temp to 240 for 2 more hours. so, after a total of 8 hours, i took it out when the meat reached 160.











it's in the fridge chilling for the night. pics of is sliced tomorrow.

i have to say, i amazed that the whole fat cap all but dissappeared!


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 20, 2011)

Aw, Mongo want some!


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## pacanis (Jul 20, 2011)

Looking good. Yours did have quite a bit more fat on it that the ones I have boughten. I'm curious how it compares.
And from what I have read, the sliced pastrami is good for a week in the fridge.


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## buckytom (Jul 21, 2011)

it won't last a week. 

it was fantastic! best pastrami i've ever had in my life, even beating the carnegie deli, and katz's.

it was really juicy and tender, and if you sliced off the fat cap, very lean. it was so tender you could cut it with a fork, but it wasn't falling apart.






and here was dinner tonight. pastrami, mashed spuds, and fresh rye from the polish bakery. (and a salad of peppers, snow peas, and tomatoes from the garden too, not pictured). this was my plate, so i cut thicker slices for myself that still were fork-cutable.








thanks very much for your help, pac. it was a great success. i will definitely be doing this one again.


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## pacanis (Jul 21, 2011)

Nice. 
I bought a little slicer after making my first one.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Jul 21, 2011)

Excellent!


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## Andy M. (Jul 21, 2011)

That looks really good.  Makin' me hungry.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Jul 21, 2011)

You owe me for that new title.  Send me some pastrami!

Sounds like you did a phenomenal job, and the pics are making me drool all over my Keyboard.  It seems we share more than just a birthday.  We both love, and love making great food.  I am a bit envious though.  I have made my own home-made corned beef, and I have smoked it.  But alas, the DW is overly sensitive to any kind of pepper or "heat", and so I can't use it in my cooking (heavy sigh).  I would love to try your home-made pastrami.  It looks amazing.  Great job!

Seeeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## purple.alien.giraffe (Jul 21, 2011)

You could always make two smoked corned beef briskets, one with and one without pepper. I'd be happy to help you eat them.


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## buckytom (Jul 21, 2011)

while i agree most pastramis are heabily peppered, there was very little black or hot red pepper in the spices i rubbed onto the meat.

i'd say it was mostly dill seed, celery seed, and crushed bay leaves, and something that gave it a sweet taste, maybe minced sundried tomatoes.


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## rks922 (Sep 17, 2011)

I thought smoked corned beef was pastrami.  Next month (when it is cooler and easier for me to get even low temps) I will brine my own brisket and then make itinto pastrami.  Results to follow.


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