Salmon, Pork Butts and Pastrami...

[Smokin']

Here's what kept me busy this past week, had three really good cooks on the WSM. The salmon and pork butts turned out real good, but the pastrami was excellent. Dry cured that brisket flat for 5 days, then smoked it using pecan wood. Enjoy the pics folks.

http://community.webshots.com/album/546648085NhJtSV

http://community.webshots.com/album/546801082pHwaav

http://community.webshots.com/album/546832507jXNhds

[TAR RIVER RAT]

Now THAT is some fine looking chow, all of it! :D
Tarrib

[Steve-O]

What is your recipe and process for the salmon? Looks like it turned out great! What temperature do you cook it to?

[Smokin']

Here's what I do with the salmon:

INGREDIENTS

BRINE

1 gallon of water
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup soy sauce
½ cup white wine
1 tbls granulated garlic
1 tbls onion powder
1 tbls dried thyme
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dill

DIRECTIONS

Brine salmon for 3 hours, remove from brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towel and then air dry on rack for at least 1 hour or until pellicle has formed on fish.

Place ½ chimney of unlit charcoal into the charcoal chamber. Light about 8-12 briquettes and place on unlit along with 2-3 chunks of alder wood, or any mild fruit wood.

Spray cooking grates with Pam or rub with potato. Brush salmon with maple syrup, sprinkle salmon fillets with additional spices or Hi-Mountain Salmon Rub, then place into cooker.

Assemble cooker and run with top grate temp of 190-205. Smoke until fish reaches an internal temp of 145-150, no higher than 150.

[freefaller]

PLEEEEEEEESE post how you did the pastrami. looks great :!:

[Smokin']

I dry cured an 8.6lb brisket flat with the following, for 5 days:

Pastrami Dry Cure
1/4 cup Morton Tender Quick
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons granulated garlic powder
2 tablespoons ground coriander
Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Makes enough cure for one brisket flat.

After applying cure, place brisket flat into a 2 gallon zip lock bag, or wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator on a rimmed baking sheet for 3-5 days. Turn and rotate flat twice a day until smoking day, do not drain liquid that will accumulate in package.

On smoking day, remove flat from package and rinse well to remove all the dry cure, when you think you have rinsed enough, rinse it again. Then soak the flat in water for one hour, changing the water after thirty minutes.

Pat dry with paper towel and apply the finishing rub, consisting of:

3 T freshly ground black pepper, or coarse grind
1 T ground coriander
1 T granulated garlic
1 T onion powder
2 t Canadian/Montreal Steak seasoning
1 t thyme, dried
1 t paprika (may need to double recipe depending on size of flat)

Place flat on smoker and cook between 225º-240º until you reach an internal temp of 165º. I used 4 fist size chunks of Pecan wood in my WSM. Your internal temp may be slightly higher in some spots of the pastrami and slightly lower in others, when you feel you're averaging 165, take it off.

Double wrap the pastrami in heavy duty foil and allow it to rest in a cooler or a cold oven for two hours. At this point you may slice it or refrifgerate and slice the following day.

Above dry cure recipe from www.virtualweberbullet.com

[david brace]

Good looking food and the recipes look good too. I imagine a few folk will be trying to make their own pastrami around here...

DB

[Bob-BQN]

Smokin' you're gonna have to forgive me but those pictures were so delicious that I've copied them and the recipes into a Word document for later referral. Fantastic job! :D

[Bad Santa]

Great job Smokin' excellent looking vittles....

[TexLaw]

Thanks for those recipes, Smokin'! I've been meaning to make some pastrami, and I like the idea of the dry cure.


TL

[DoubleBarrelSmoker]

smokin- I've wanted to do a pastrami for a long time but was a little apprehensive--- you have given me incentive with the pics and recipe- will try one real soon- Thanks :wink: