Pastrami vs. Corned Beef

Name: Pastrami vs. Corned Beef
Prep time: 2 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 14
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 beef brisket flats; 1 gallon water; 1 1/2 cup kosher salt; 1 cup sugar; 4 1/2 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrite); 10 cloves garlic, crushed; 1/4 cup pickling spice (recipe below); 8 1/2 lb ice; Depending on the size of your brisket, and the container in which you are brining, you may need to multiply this recipe. You will need enough brine to cover the brisket in the brining container.; 1 tbsp coriander seeds; 1 tbsp black peppercorns; 1 tbsp mustard seeds; 1 tbsp red chile flakes; 1 tbsp allspice berries; 1 tbsp whole cloves; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground mace; 1 small cinnamon stick, crushed; 2 bay leaves, broken into pieces; Kozlik’s Market Mustard; 1/4 cup black peppercorns, toasted, coarsely ground; 1/4 cup coriander seeds, toasted, coarsely ground; 4 cups yellow onion, large dice; 2 cups carrots, large dice; 2 cups celery, large dice; 1/4 cup pickling spice

Jun 06, 2023 • Tom Jackson

Follow Chef Tom as he takes you through an in-depth comparison of these two cuts of beef, from brining and seasoning, to smoking and boiling. You won't want to miss out on this unique and delicious culinary experiment.

Pastrami vs. Corned Beef

Tom Jackson

Rated 5.0 stars by 5 users

Cuisine

American

Servings

14

Prep Time

2 hours

Cook Time

1 hour

Calories

165

Chef Tom walks us through a side-by-side comparison of Pastrami vs. Corned Beef! From brining to seasoning to smoking vs. boiling, we'll cover every step of the cooking processes to fully compare and contrast these two cuts of beef!

Ingredients

2 beef brisket flats

Brine

1 gallon water
1 1/2 cup kosher salt
1 cup sugar
4 1/2 tsp pink salt (sodium nitrite)
10 cloves garlic, crushed
1/4 cup pickling spice (recipe below)
8 1/2 lb ice

Note

Depending on the size of your brisket, and the container in which you are brining, you may need to multiply this recipe. You will need enough brine to cover the brisket in the brining container.

Pickling Spice

1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp black peppercorns
1 tbsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp red chile flakes
1 tbsp allspice berries
1 tbsp whole cloves
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground mace
1 small cinnamon stick, crushed
2 bay leaves, broken into pieces

Pastrami

Kozlik’s Market Mustard
1/4 cup black peppercorns, toasted, coarsely ground
1/4 cup coriander seeds, toasted, coarsely ground

Corned Beef

4 cups yellow onion, large dice
2 cups carrots, large dice
2 cups celery, large dice
1/4 cup pickling spice

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Directions

For the pickling spice, in a dry hot 12” Lodge Steel Skillet, toast the coriander and black peppercorns just until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Combine the toasted spices with the remaining spices. Store in a sealed container.
Combine all brine ingredients, except the ice, in a large pot. Bring to a boil and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved.
Add the ice to a large Briner Bucket. Pour the brine mixture over the ice. Stir to melt the ice.
Place briskets in the brining liquid. Lock the plate in place to make sure it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 7-10 days.
Remove briskets from brine, and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

For the Pastrami

Apply a thin layer of Kozlik’s Market Mustard to the surface of the meat to help the rub adhere. Coat the brisket with the coriander/black pepper rub.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS480s Pellet Grill to 190ºF. Place the pastrami brisket in the smoker before going to bed. Let smoke overnight.
In the morning (8-10 hours later), increase the grill temperature to 250ºF and continue smoking until a dark bark is formed and the internal temperature is 155ºF-170ºF.
Wrap the pastrami in foil and continue cooking until the meat is probe tender and the internal temperature is around 200ºF-210ºF. Remove from the grill. Place in a room temp cooler and rest for at least an hour before slicing.

For the Corned Beef

Place the brined brisket in a large stock pot. Add the onion, celery and carrots in the pot, as well as 1/4 cup pickling spice. Cover with cool water by 4”-6”. Place on the burner of the Bayou Classic Turkey Fryer. Cover and bring to a simmer over high heat. Turn the heat down to just maintain a simmer. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 205ºF, about 2-2.5 hours.
Remove from the stockpot. Wrap in foil. Rest in a cooler for at least one hour before slicing.