Smoked and Sous Vide East Coast Pastrami

Name: Smoked and Sous Vide East Coast Pastrami
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 23 h 10 min
Total time: 23 h 40 min
Yield: 24 servings
Cuisine: Jewish, American
Ingredients: 1 tbsp Black Peppercorns; 1 tbsp Coriander Seed; 2 whole Dried Bay Leaves; 10 cloves Garlic; 1 tsp Ground Ginger; 1 tbsp Mustard Seeds; 1 tbsp Red Pepper Flakes; 1.5 cups Salt; 2 cups Sugar; 1 gal Sugar Cubes; 1 gal Water; 1 tbsp Whole Cloves

Dinner 🍽️Lunch 🥪 Jewish 🇮🇱American Low-Sodium Gluten-Free Vegetarian 🥦Vegan 🌱Plant-Based 🌻Ayurvedic 🧘Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Smoked and Sous Vide East Coast Pastrami layers a peppery, aromatic crust over incredibly tender, brined beef brisket. Gentle sous vide cooking locks in juiciness before a smoky finish deepens the spices and adds classic deli character. Serve piled on rye, sliced for charcuterie, or as a showpiece dinner when you want bold flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Prep30 mins
Cook23 hrs 10 mins
Serves24
DifficultyHard

1

Trim the fat cap from the brisket; use a paring knife to poke holes in the meat.
2

Bring water to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Remove from heat; as it begins to cool, add the white sugar, kosher salt, garlic, and pink curing salt.
3

Choose a food-grade, nonreactive container with a lid; pour in the brine and ice, then add the brisket. Keep the brisket in the brine for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Flip the brisket every 24 hours.
4

After brining, remove the brisket from the container and rinse it under cold water.
5

Heat a pan over low heat. Toast the coriander seeds, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in the hot pan for about 2 minutes. Remove and transfer to a food processor; add the red pepper flakes, cloves, ginger, and bay leaves. Grind thoroughly.
6

Use 1/2 of the spice mixture to coat the brisket; seal it in a food saver bag. Reserve the remaining spice mixture. Place the brisket in a sous vide at 137 degrees F (58 degrees C) for 18 hours.
7

Remove from the sous vide, cut open the bag, and set the brisket out to dry and rest on a wire rack from a smoker for 30 minutes. Use the remaining pickling spices to re-coat the brisket.
8

Place a wire rack in the smoker. Add wood chips according to the manufacturer's directions and heat to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C).
9

Smoke the brisket until browned, tender, and no longer pink in the center, about 5 hours. Remove the brisket from the smoker and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.