Smoked Entrecôte Pastrami New York Style
Classic New York-style pastrami made from entrecôte – robustly cured, coated with a spiced pepper crust, and slowly hot smoked. The meat is first brined in a wet cure, then wrapped in an aromatic rub of black pepper and coriander. The result is a juicy, flavorful pastrami with a deep smoke character.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Prepare the brine
30 minutes + coolingBring water, curing salt, brown sugar, and half of the garlic powder to a boil in a pot until fully dissolved. Allow the brine to cool completely to refrigerator temperature. Place the entrecôte in a suitable container or vacuum bag, cover completely with the brine, and cure for 7 days at 3-5 °C in the refrigerator, turning daily.
Soak and apply rub
2 hours soaking + 12 hours dryingRemove the meat from the brine, rinse thoroughly under cold water, and soak in fresh water for 2 hours to remove excess salt. Pat dry. Mix pepper, coriander, remaining garlic powder, and mustard seeds, then generously coat the meat on all sides. Let dry uncovered in the refrigerator for 12 hours to develop a pellicle.
Smoking
6-8 hoursRegulate the smoker to 110-120 °C using alder and oak wood. Place the pastrami on the grate and smoke slowly until a core temperature of 71-74 °C is reached. Add continuous smoke during the first 3 hours. Check the meat occasionally and lightly mist with water if needed to keep the crust moist.
Steaming and resting
1-2 hoursWrap the pastrami in aluminum foil with a splash of water inside the foil and steam in the oven at 150 °C for 1-2 hours. Let rest for 20 minutes. Slice thinly against the grain and serve.
Pro Tip
After smoking, wrap the pastrami in aluminum foil and steam in the oven at 150 °C for 1-2 hours, or steam with a small amount of water in a roasting pan – this makes the meat exceptionally tender and juicy.
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