[garc_mall]

*shreik*!

That's pastrami alright! I don't care if it isn't from the navel. Have to restrain myself from gobbling it up before chilling during my quality check! Just like a lot of what we do, it's a process; the chilling makes a huge difference in the finished product.

If you try to slice corned beef or pastrami warm it will just crumble. I always make it ahead of time.

Herschel's slices theirs warm.  Best damn pastrami I ever had.  (Reading Terminal Market)  It seems to hold its shape just fine.  I wonder if it's the quality of the brisket maybe?

Man, why are you taunting me with that. Now I want one of their reubens...

[euge]

Yep thin slices. I bet you had to slice much thicker when warm or hot even.

Not sure if it is really a meat quality issue as much as a technique concern. I think it needs to rest at some point to firm up a bit prior to slicing. Also, a sharp knife without sawing away at the meat- one pass per slice will keep each brisket slice more intact. Depends on doneness too I suppose. At some point the meat loses its cohesiveness beyond the point of unctuously tender and is mushy and crumbly no matter what.

[redbeerman]

*shreik*!

That's pastrami alright! I don't care if it isn't from the navel. Have to restrain myself from gobbling it up before chilling during my quality check! Just like a lot of what we do, it's a process; the chilling makes a huge difference in the finished product.

If you try to slice corned beef or pastrami warm it will just crumble. I always make it ahead of time.

Herschel's slices theirs warm.  Best damn pastrami I ever had.  (Reading Terminal Market)  It seems to hold its shape just fine.  I wonder if it's the quality of the brisket maybe?

Man, why are you taunting me with that. Now I want one of their reubens...

Sorry Marc, I'll be sure eat one in your honor the next time I'm up there! 

[narvin]

I'm trying this Pastrami recipe for St. Patty's this year.  It's corned and rubbed so far and ready to be smoked tomorrow and finally steamed.

http://www.amazingribs.com/recipes/beef/close_to_katzs_home_made_pastrami.html

[brewmichigan]

Didn't brine one myself this year but I'll be cooking it in the morn with beer and then wrapping it in foil and keeping it warm in the smoker for a couple hours while I mess with the veggies before the folks come over.

I bought two this year, second one is destined for pastrami later on.

[bluesman]

Herschel's slices theirs warm.  Best damn pastrami I ever had.  (Reading Terminal Market)  It seems to hold its shape just fine.  I wonder if it's the quality of the brisket maybe?

Best corned beef on the planet.

Love Herschel's

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hershels-east-side-deli-philadelphia?select=C0SHylCMmvZUEKOg6RxFzw#C0SHylCMmvZUEKOg6RxFzw

[garc_mall]

Herschel's slices theirs warm.  Best damn pastrami I ever had.  (Reading Terminal Market)  It seems to hold its shape just fine.  I wonder if it's the quality of the brisket maybe?

Best corned beef on the planet.

Love Herschel's

http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/hershels-east-side-deli-philadelphia?select=C0SHylCMmvZUEKOg6RxFzw#C0SHylCMmvZUEKOg6RxFzw

I had 3 reubens in the week I was there for NHC. Liked those more than the cheesesteaks...

[redbeerman]

Fresh out of the oven, fat trimmed off.  Super tender, but still sliceable.

[redbeerman]

Sammich for lunch 3/18.

[Jimmy K]

I'm also going to try celery juice as a 'natural' source of nitrites. More to see how it works than out of a fear of nitrites.

For the record, I used about 24 oz of celery juice (1.25 heads of celery juiced) and it did not work as planned.

[Joe Sr.]

I'm also going to try celery juice as a 'natural' source of nitrites. More to see how it works than out of a fear of nitrites.

For the record, I used about 24 oz of celery juice (1.25 heads of celery juiced) and it did not work as planned.

Can you elaborate?  Was it nasty?

[Jimmy K]

I'm also going to try celery juice as a 'natural' source of nitrites. More to see how it works than out of a fear of nitrites.

For the record, I used about 24 oz of celery juice (1.25 heads of celery juiced) and it did not work as planned.

Can you elaborate?  Was it nasty?

Not nasty at all, but it had the taste and consistency of corned beef made without nitrites. No red color and no cured flavor and texture. More like spiced pot roast - like the first time I made corned beef and didn't have any pink salt.

[Joe Sr.]

I'm also going to try celery juice as a 'natural' source of nitrites. More to see how it works than out of a fear of nitrites.

For the record, I used about 24 oz of celery juice (1.25 heads of celery juiced) and it did not work as planned.

Can you elaborate?  Was it nasty?

Not nasty at all, but it had the taste and consistency of corned beef made without nitrites. No red color and no cured flavor and texture. More like spiced pot roast - like the first time I made corned beef and didn't have any pink salt.

Now that you say it, that explains the Whole Foods corned beef I had last weekend.  It was good, but was exactly as you describe.  Brown instead of red.  I assumed it was just some weird artifact of it coming from Whole Foods.

[narvin]

Cross posting from the St. Paddy's day thread... Pastrami turned out delicious!

[bluesman]

Sammich for lunch 3/18.

For the record...Jim gave me a sample of his corned beef, and it is delicious...Well done! 

Well balanced flavor. A hint of sweetness with some moderate spice and tender to the bite.