Venison Pastrami

[Meat Hunter]

This is a smoke I did a while back.

Between myself, the daughter and the boy, we harvested 4 deer. Not too bad this year.

Started out with the spices.


Added all that to some water to make a brine. This pic is after the mix simmered for a bit. The smell was fantastic.


Next, took two 2 1/2 pound roasts and injected the brine into them. You could see them swell up.


Next came the dry rub.


Here it is all rubbed down and ready for a week nap in the fridge.


After the week was up, removed from the fridge and washed off the rub, then applied the rub for the smoke. Yes, there were two different rubs used. One while it cured, one for the smoke.


Rub for the smoke.


Out of the smoker after spending 6 hours in there at 210 degrees. Would you believe this was done in my Big Chief Smoker? It was,but I had to wrap it up in 6" of insulation as it was 9 degrees here today. Just did not want to tend to the stick burner in this weather.


After a rest for 30 minutes in foil along with some beef broth, I unwrapped it and cut it in half.


I couldnt resist a slice or two. You really should let it sit in the fridge overnight, but I wanted to try it before heading into work tonight.


The taste of this was really really good. It was so tender you thought you were eating fillet mignon. No kidding. A for sure do again smoke.

[SmokinLee]

Wow that is a fine looking pastrami.............Wild Blueberries eh?....

[wutang]

You are killing me with all these great posts. Nice step by step along the way. The slices have a great color to them.

[Slanted88]

Whooooa....Man that is fantastic! Great work!

[Bassman]

That's some fine looking pastrami! You didn't say what kind of cure you used. I wouldn't mind trying that one myself.

[Meat Hunter]

That's some fine looking pastrami! You didn't say what kind of cure you used. I wouldn't mind trying that one myself.

Your right, I forgot to post the recipe.

For a 5# venison roast, I used the following amounts.
Brine
1 3/4 cups of water.
1 Tbls Whole Juniper berries
1 Tbls Cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tsp Mustard seed
1/2 Tbls Coriander
1 Tbls Brown sugar
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Fennel seed
1/2 Tbls Rosemary
1 Tbls Pickling spice
3 Bay leaves
1 Tbls Tender Quick

Bring all the ingredients close to a boil and simmered for 20 minutes. I then let it cool and stirred in the Tender Quick.

Used my injection needle and injected about 3/4 of the mixture into the meat. Swelled up real nice. Make one entry point and and withdrawl needle almost all the way out, turn and insert again. 3 times per injection point. That way you only have one hole per injection and the brine won't leak out.

1st rub
1 1/2 Tbls Course black pepper
1/2 Tbls Ground corriander
1/2 tsp Ground Thyme
1 Tbls Garlic powder
1 1/2 Tbls Brown sugar
1/2 Tbls Smoked Paprika
1/8 Cup Tender Quick
1 tsp Ground Fennel
1 tsp Ground Mustard seed

This was just enough to do 5#. Sprinkled what I could onto the meat. Sprinkled the rest on the counter and basically rolled the meat in it to cover all sides.

After it sat in the frdge, rinse and apply the following rub for the final smoke.

Smoke rub
1 tsp Onion powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Coriander
2 Tbls Black pepper
1/4 tsp Ground Juniper berries
1/2 tsp Ground Fennel
1/4 tsp Ground Allspice.

[ALX]

Great stuff todd....Pass a hunk a that...

[Whisky Fish]

Very nice! Another pastrami, another twist. Thanks for the post.

JT

[Richtee]

Wild Blueberries eh?....

Nooo...junipers right? I'z confusticated...

[Meat Hunter]

Nooo...junipers right? I'z confusticated...

Yes you are correct, Juniper berries. I meant to post the ingredients the same time as the original post, sorry for the cunfussion there Smokinlee, I can see how one could take those for blueberries, they do look like em a bit.

[BBQ Engineer]

Hey Todd,

Man that looks amazing...Love homemade pastrami. Great pics and step by step too. For that ya get a dancin' 'nanner and some