Those ribs look wonderful! Can't beat Costco's ribs, I agree. Yesterday I attempted the fauxstrami, after pouring over suggestions on here. I went 2 1/2 hours on the smoker and 2 1/2 hours in a steamer in the over. Still very tough. So, I luckily had also smoked a whole chicken and some parts - phew, we didn't starve. However, any suggestions on my next step with the fauxstrami? More steam, oven, grill, smoker???

Hi,

I am doing fauxstrami presently. I will suggest it needed to simmer cook in the oven until it was fork tender rather than rely on timing. It always takes longer to simmer a corned beef or pastrami than my best estimates.

Regards,

Actually, I think what it mainly needed was to fully cook as a brisket, which would have been at least twice as long if not 3-4 times as long.

Until the collagen is broken down, it will always be tough. The steaming is more for reheating the next day, sure it could do some of that work, but I see making pastrami as a two-day process, first day, cook it completely as a brisket, second day, steam to soften up and reheat.

I tried a tip I learned on a meat smoking website in regards to the probe thermometer. I had seen alot of pictures of the probe stuck in an apple on other peoples smokes, and was told it was to get a good reading of the temperature inside of the smoker. I tried it this past weekend using a potato, and was able to get very accurate, and real time readings of the temperature above the grates. Plus I could set my alarm on the probe to let me know if the temps were getting to hot.

^^^ That is definitely the way to go, onions work really well too.

Attrill wrote:^^^ That is definitely the way to go, onions work really well too.

I bet, being Irish there are always potatoes, and onions around, not so many apples.

Hi,

I smoked the pastrami for almost 7 hours. The sample I took tasted wonderful. I may simmer it tomorrow or leave it as-is, though I am leaning to leaving it as-is.

Regards,

allegedly 80 degrees on Saturday, another perfect day for a smoke.

Like I said upthread Ill be doing my last practice run of BB ribs in anticipation of MIM. I will also be doing some ABT's.

I did a fauxstrami about a month ago. I just put it on the smoker at 10:00 PM, and took it off when I got up the next morning. It was outstanding!

razbry wrote:I did a fauxstrami about a month ago. I just put it on the smoker at 10:00 PM, and took it off when I got up the next morning. It was outstanding!

preparing a pastrami on the smoker is on my "to do" list for this summer.

jimswside wrote:I tried a tip I learned on a meat smoking website in regards to the probe thermometer. I had seen alot of pictures of the probe stuck in an apple on other peoples smokes, and was told it was to get a good reading of the temperature inside of the smoker. I tried it this past weekend using a potato, and was able to get very accurate, and real time readings of the temperature above the grates. Plus I could set my alarm on the probe to let me know if the temps were getting to hot.

Jim - I use the potato method as well..

Head's Red BBQ wrote:

jimswside wrote:I tried a tip I learned on a meat smoking website in regards to the probe thermometer. I had seen alot of pictures of the probe stuck in an apple on other peoples smokes, and was told it was to get a good reading of the temperature inside of the smoker. I tried it this past weekend using a potato, and was able to get very accurate, and real time readings of the temperature above the grates. Plus I could set my alarm on the probe to let me know if the temps were getting to hot.

Jim - I use the potato method as well..

I really liked it and will continue to use it, it allowed me to keep the temps very steady between 225 & 235,

jimswside wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:

jimswside wrote:I tried a tip I learned on a meat smoking website in regards to the probe thermometer. I had seen alot of pictures of the probe stuck in an apple on other peoples smokes, and was told it was to get a good reading of the temperature inside of the smoker. I tried it this past weekend using a potato, and was able to get very accurate, and real time readings of the temperature above the grates. Plus I could set my alarm on the probe to let me know if the temps were getting to hot.

Jim - I use the potato method as well..

I really liked it and will continue to use it, it allowed me to keep the temps very steady between 225 & 235,

Jim you could also get a good size wood chunk and drill a hole through it to fit the probe through..it will last longer than a potato..

Head's Red BBQ wrote:Jim you could also get a good size wood chunk and drill a hole through it to fit the probe through..it will last longer than a potato..

But you get to eat the potato.

stevez wrote:

Head's Red BBQ wrote:Jim you could also get a good size wood chunk and drill a hole through it to fit the probe through..it will last longer than a potato..

But you get to eat the potato.

I dont know..after an overnight cook the shriveled up and slightly blackened potato has never looked that appetizing to me ..it pretty much resembles a wood chunk at that point:D

revised menu for tomorrow, I will still be doing 2 racks of BB ribs, one in my smoker using the 2-2-1 method, and one on my new Weber kettled grill I bought last night using my unwrapped method & indirect heat and lump and wood chunks.

I have some jalapeno stuffed olives left from last week, so it will be armadillo eggs again. I will also do some baked beans in the smoker, probably under the ribs so they can catch any rib juice.

Last practice before MIM, and I think I am ready. I have been purchasing extra BB ribs each week, and throwing them in the freezer, so I should be good to go.

Sorry if I'm posting this in the wrong place, but:

Can folks recommend a source of wood chunks? I'm not looking for fireplace wood (treated?) or charcoal, but nice big chunks to keep the smoker going all day.

I'm not such a purist, as yet, that I'm looking specifically for apple, cherry, hickory, whatever. I just want to get the job done.

I will need delivery to the near north side of Chicago (3500N/2000W).

Thanks folks!

bean wrote:I will need delivery to the near north side of Chicago (3500N/2000W).

If you want quantities of split logs Chicago Firewood will deliver, smaller amounts of split wood pickup there. If you mean fist size wood chunks then Home Depot, Menard's, Ace, Berger Brothers etc will fit the bill.

Chicago Firewood Company
1300 N Halsted St
Chicago, IL 60642
312-335-9696
www.chicago-firewood.com

free delivery and nice prices...why leave home?
http://www.mainegrillingwoods.com/index.htm

Great smoke yesterday, had to fight about an hour of rain that was trying to drop my smoker temp, but made it through. Did 2 slabs of bb ribs, 1 using the 2-2-1 method then sauced for the last hour, and one slab old school, just a dry rub, and 5 hours on the smoker. I also did some baked beans for 2.5 hours, and some armadillo eggs for 2.5 hours. The beans I added sliced hotdogs, brown sugar, yellow mustard, garlic powder, and bbq sauce to. Turned out great. The armadillo eggs were Italian sausage with some marinara added and jalapeno stuffed olives. Turned out better than last week.

My Flickr account is full(too much good eating) for this month so I will give Photobucket a try.

armadillo egg setup:


rolled eggs:


rubbed ribs:


approx. 3.5 hours in:


approx. 4 hours in:


sliced armadillo eggs:


2-2-1 sauced:


unsauced-unwrapped:


some of the best bbq I have turned out, and I am kind of embarassed to say I like the 2-2-1 sauced ribs as much as the ones that were smoked/unwrapped without sauce.

enjoy

Does anyone know if Peoria packing carries packer cut or packer trimmed brisket. Or, does anyone know of a good source for the product....I live in the western burbs...

jimswside wrote:The armadillo eggs

Armadillo eggs are high on my must do list!

KevinT wrote:Does anyone know if Peoria packing carries packer cut or packer trimmed brisket. Or, does anyone know of a good source for the product....I live in the western burbs...

IIRC Peoria Packing has packer cut brisket, in wrapped packages (as opposed to the way many of their products are just out in bins), near the door from the meat locker section of the store to the grocery section of the store.

KevinT wrote:Does anyone know if Peoria packing carries packer cut or packer trimmed brisket.

Peoria Packing typically has packer cut brisket in cryovac on hand. Call first.

Ex-cel corned beef is my go to for packer cut brisket. Make sure Bill the owner knows you want a fresh uncured brisket for the smoker or you may walk out of there with a corned beef, not a bad thing at all as the corned beef is the best commercial product I have ever had.

I should note, Ex-cel is mostly wholesale, full packer cut (raw) corned beef, full packer cut (raw) brisket, they will not cut into smaller portions, no prepared food and cash only.

Peoria Packing
1300 W Lake Street
Chicago, IL 60607
312-738-1800

Ex-Cel Corned Beef
1009 W Lake St
Chicago, IL 60607
312-666-2535

G Wiv wrote:

jimswside wrote:The armadillo eggs

Armadillo eggs are high on my must do list!

they are good,

alot of people use pork breakfast sausage, but I like the bulk Italian(the marinara mixed in really worked well, extra moist, and mellowed the flavor)

A friend of mine wanted me to make pastrami again. When I mentioned my homebrew kegerator (chest freezer with a temp controller) had some room in it for a bit, he offered to run and grab what I needed. When I got an email stating he grabbed 2 briskets from Excel for me, I started making sure I had everything necessary to cure them.

That was until I realized he got me these:


So, fauxstrami it is! Rinsed and rubbed with black papper/coriander:


I did a high heat cook; empty water pan using Minion method with maybe 25 lit coals. 2.5 hours with the upside-down door propped open to maintain heat:


Ready to be pulled off smoker:


Foiled and ready for 1.5 hours in oven at 325 degrees:


Done! I let them rest for an hour or so before removing from foil and slicing:


Sliced:


Lots of pastrami:


A lens of cured meat:


Overall it is good, though very salty on it's own. It is fine on bread. Next time I'll do a soak to pull some salt out, I just didn't have time for it for these. It did come out nice and tender with just the perfect amount of bite left in it.

Not bad for 4 hours work!

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:A friend of mine wanted me to make pastrami again.

those look darn good,

that is next on my list of items to tackle.

well done.

Well, since Jamieson22 helped inspire me to make my own pastrami, I should say...

be inspired to make your own pastrami!

The Fauxstrami method is not bad by any means, it's actually quite clever. But it's relatively easy to make a pastrami from simply a fresh brisket, and more satisfying, not to mention it lets you dial down the salt so the final product isn't so hardcore as the Fauxstrami (or many pastramis out there).

Mike G wrote:Well, since Jamieson22 helped inspire me to make my own pastrami, I should say...

be inspired to make your own pastrami!

The Fauxstrami method is not bad by any means, it's actually quite clever. But it's relatively easy to make a pastrami from simply a fresh brisket, and more satisfying, not to mention it lets you dial down the salt so the final product isn't so hardcore as the Fauxstrami (or many pastramis out there).

ive been studying up on the different methods here and on the meat smoking site I belong to, and am going to try it soon, maybe for MIM if Gary isnt doing pastrami.

Well, you should get started soon if you are. I'd cure it for about 10 days, which means starting within the next day or two.

I roughly followed Extramsg's guidelines (reducing quantity) in that one thread and have been very happy with the result.