Alton Brown Pastrami Rub Recipes

CORNED BEEF

Steps:

• Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.
• After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

EASY HOMEMADE PASTRAMI

Steps:

• Mix garlic and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Set aside for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
• Combine black pepper, paprika, coriander, dry mustard, white pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl. Set aside.
• Cover a baking sheet with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Coat aluminum foil with prepared garlic oil. Lay corned beef brisket on foil and brush with remaining garlic oil.
• Cover all sides of corned beef brisket completely with pepper mixture, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons.
• With fat side of corned beef brisket up, wrap in the sheet of aluminum foil. Place wrapped corned beef on another sheet of aluminum foil with the seam and fat side down. Place double-wrapped corned beef on a third sheet of aluminum foil (seam down), and wrap again.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 6 hours.
• Remove pastrami from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours.
• With pastrami still wrapped in aluminum foil, place in a freezer bag or other plastic bag and refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
• Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source.
• Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
• Remove pastrami from refrigerator, unwrap, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with 1 to 2 tablespoons of remaining pepper mixture.
• Place pastrami in the oven, 6 to 8 inches below broiler heat. Broil briefly to brown surface, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and slice thinly, about 1/8-inch slices.
• Heat a large skillet over low heat.
• Heat pastrami slices in the skillet with a few drops of water until fat begins to turn from white to translucent, about 5 minutes.

ALTON BROWN'S BABY BACK RIBS

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients and mix well; place each slab of ribs on a large piece of heavy-duty foil, shiny side down; sprinkle each side generously with the dry rub and pat the rub into the meat.
• Securely wrap the ribs in the foil but leave one end wrapped a bit more loosely; refrigerate the ribs for a minimum of 1 hour.
• Combine all ingredients for the braising liquid and microwave on high for 1 minute.
• Place the ribs on a baking sheet; open one end of the foil on each slab and pour half of the braising liquid into each foil packet; close the end of the packet and tilt it around to evenly distribute the liquid.
• Braise the ribs in a 250° oven for 2 hours (his original recipe said to braise for 2 1/2 hours but the ribs were almost TOO tender at that point!).
• Carefully open the packets (they'll be very hot) and transfer the braising liquid into a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer and reduce by half or until it's of a thick syrup consistency.
• Brush the glaze onto the ribs and place under the broiler just until the glaze caramelizes lightly.
• Slice each slab into 2 rib bone portions; place remaining hot glaze into a bowl and toss the rib portions in the glaze.
• *This recipe makes several batches of dry rub. If more rub is needed, it can be extended by any amount, as long as the ratio of 8:3:1:1 remains the same.

PASTRAMI RUB

Steps:

• Remove brisket from brining bucket. Run under cold water to remove any excess spice or solution. Pat down with paper towel.
• Mix black pepper and coriander in small bowl.
• Apply a thin layer of yellow mustard across surface of brisket, on all sides.
• Apply seasoning mix liberally across all sides of the brisket.

SMOKED BRISKET

Steps:

• Rinse the brisket and pat dry. Trim the fat cap to approximately 1/4-inch thick and score the fat with a sharp knife, making sure not to cut through to the surface of the meat. Set aside.
• Combine the salt, black pepper, green pepper, and white pepper in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Sprinkle the spice mixture over the entire brisket and rub all over. Cover with plastic or foil and refrigerate overnight.
• Place 4 ounces of hickory wood chunksMeasuring approximately 2-by-2-by-3 inches. into the smoker box and turn smoker to 225ºF. Place drip pan under smoker.
• Unwrap the brisket and place directly on the center rack, fat-side up. Close the door and cook until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 140 to 150ºF.
• Remove the brisket and wrap in a double layer of aluminum foil. Place it in a pan, put it back in the smoker, and continue to cook until the brisket yields to pressure when pressed, is pinkish on the inside, pulls apart easily, the fat cap is slightly blackened and jiggles, and when picked up with two pairs of tongs, bends in half and sags almost as though it will break in half. It should reach an internal temperature of 185 to 190ºF fairly quickly, and then hold that temperature for several hours. Don't rush this step.
• Rest at room temperature for 45 minutes to 1 hour before slicing and serving with a side of bread and butter pickles.

KATZ'S DELI PASTRAMI RUB RECIPE

Steps:

• Prep. Begin by crushing the seeds. If you wish, you can use only powdered coriander, ground black pepper, and ground mustard, but I like using some whole seeds. If you are using some whole seeds, pour them into a zipper bag and smash them with the bottom of a sauce pan so they are "cracked" but not completely powdered.
• Mix. Blend together all the spices.
• Use. Once prepared, either store the rub in a jar or other airtight container or use it to prepare Katz's Delicatessen quality pastrami as seen in this video.

8+3+1+1 RUB

Steps:

• Seal first 3 ingredients in a jar and shake to combine.
• Now we come to the final 1 cup/part add on or spices. Use about anything you like. Alton uses black pepper, cayenne, jalapeno seasoning, Old Bay, dried thyme, onion powder mixed to equal one part as an example.Add the 1 part add on to the jar and shake well.
• Sprinkle liberally on meat of choice,patting the rub onto the meat. Wrap in foil and let set for at lease 2 hours if not overnite. Depending on what meat, cut and grade, you can grill, braise, broil, glaze, barbeque or smoke to your heart's content.