Quarantine at Home Series: Porkstrami, Another White Meat

      Welcome back to the homebodies of summer.  We're still here finding new ways to combat boredom besides just gaining weight. Everyone loves deli meats.  I found this last winter and I wanted to try it.  Although Pastrami is usually made from beef, it can also be found and is quite tasty in pork  When finished it can be eaten as a main course, but is best as a sandwich meat with Artisan Style thick bread, spicy mustard, pickles, and even kraut if you wish. I mean who the hell doesn't love a big ass Pastrami Sandwich?  On a recent trip to Lansing I found a meat market that had pork belly on hand so I bought 8 pounds.  Got some bacon and some Q in mind later as well.

MEAT:
2 lb. slab pork belly or shoulder with layered fat (trim excess only)

BRINE:
1 gallon water
3/4 cup salt (I prefer Morton Tender Quick)
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp pink salt
5 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp. pickling spice (I used commercial McCormack's)

RUB: (Mortar & Pestle time)
1/4 cup toasted crushed Coriander seeds
2 teaspoons coarse crushed black peppercorns
2 tsp. favorite BBQ rub
1/2 tsp. smoked Paprika

      To prepare the brine, combine all brine ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a boil and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.  Place belly in the brining liquid. Weigh it down with plates if needed to make sure it is fully submerged. Refrigerate for 4-6 days.  If you use a pork shoulder brine in refrigerator for 2 weeks.   Turn and stir it every day.

Ready to go into the brine for 4 days

      Towards the end of your brining, prepare your smoker.  I used cherry wood as I like the slow smoking temps it provides without many flare ups.  The taste is mild, but sweet. Remove belly from brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Combine the rub ingredients in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle and grind coarsely. Coat the belly with the rub. 

Rubbed out; now into the smoker

Smoke at 250-275 degrees F until internal temperature reaches 160ºF, about 5-6 hours. Pork butt will take much longer; perhaps 10 hours. 

4 hours in

      Wrap the pork in foil or pink BBQ butcher paper, and continue cooking until the meat is tender when probed with a digital thermometer (190ºF-195ºF), but not falling apart. Pastrami is supposed to be done at 165 degrees, but I aim for more tender.  Allow meat to rest half an hour. Slice and serve.  I sliced as thin as I could with my chef's knife; a meat slicer someday, maybe?  

Rested, sliced, and ready

     Although the traditional Pastrami Sandwich calls for Rye Bread, I used homemade Sourdough.  We spread the bread with Russian Dressing and then stacked the bread with Pastrami, Havarti Cheese, good German Mustard, Pickle, and added a little kraut. 

  

Sourdough Bread Hot Pastrami Sandwiches

      WINNER WINNER PASTRAMI DINNER!  This recipe turned out beautifully.  The sandwiches were delicious and the small leftovers we had went very well with scrambled eggs/taters the next morning for breakfast.  If a pork butt is used rather than a belly it would take some modifications of rub quantity and time for smoking.  I have several other such Deli recipes I want to try including Venison Ham and Corned Beef.  All in good time. 

"All food starting with "p" is comfort food:  pasta, potato chips, pretzels, peanut butter, pastrami, pastry"

Sara Paretsky

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