So on the Parent site,"Bowsite.com," craig@work posted a pic of the finished product for his recipe for Venison Pastrami. I have selected three two pound roasts and have begun the cure. I will be testing this recipe on my New Braunfels offset smoker. Hickory and Maple is what I have chosen but I have read that Cherry is also good. I prefer Hickory and hard Maple (fifty fifty). I will be updating this thread over the next week or so to verify if this IS the best recipe. Here is Craig's Recipe that I just mixed up:

"And it is cured, not brined.

Venison pastrami Cure: 1/4 c curing salt 2 tbsp brown sugar 1 tbsp black pepper 1 tbsp onion powder 1 tbsp garlic powder 1 tsp paprika 1 tsp allspice(may sub cinnamon and nutmeg 1/2tsp each) Rub: 3 tbsp black pepper 1 tsp coriander(optional) 1 tsp garlic powder

Meat: 2-4 lb whole muscle-I use the large roasts from the hindquarters, preferably not the football ones.

Mix cure and coat meat thoroughly. Place in gallon zip lock bag and refrigerate. Turn bag 1-2 times a day(I do one) for at least 5 days. Remove from bag and rinse off cure, then soak in water for a few hours or overnight(I usually do just 1 hour). Remove from water and pat dry. Coat with rub and then smoke until internal temperature reaches 140-150. Let rest and cool, then slice for sandwiches. It slices much better cold.

You will notice a lot of liquid in the bag after 1-2 days, but it nearly all is soaked back up. I have made it without soaking in water but it tends to be salty. I have found 1-2 hours is enough at least for my tastes. For the smoker I prefer a lighter wood and use English walnut shells. Hickory is good too as well as Apple. Any other questions feel free to ask."

Stay tuned over the week. I will be rotating twice a day in the fridge baggy.

Idaho_Hunter out.

Here is the modus operandi of succulence, the vehicle to produce the pastrami. Forgive the Lodge Hibatchi on the Fire box, I was grilling backstrap and back (like Texas Dove Hearts) last night for dinner.

OOOHHHHH Boy, Now you did it!!! Daughter is coming up from TX. for Christmas. Looks like I better move the smoker out. John

If you like pastrami, that's a great way to make it.

I just did four Young Turkey Breast, Jennie Oh brand. I would recommend Pecan. I had about three pounds left from Summer and just used it up. I brined them for four hours:1/2 cup Kosher salt, 1/2 cup white sugar, and two squeezed lemons. No rub just straight up smoke. TX is Mesquite, White Post Oak, or Pecan. My favorite of the three is Pecan.

I love it also. This spring will try to try on the Turkeys as well. Already ate my fall bird, yummy.

Boy, that sounds good! I'll be following this one, thanks Darren.

Following the turkey breast, I ran 11 chicken thighs and 6 legs done in Idaho Mountain Maple. Oh My gooodness...If u guys could only smell how sweet this native maple is in the house. Not over powering like East Coast hickory or south TX Mesquite. This is and Idaho dish. My oh my....I had to legs...so succulent. I use this same brine and rub on my upland game birds like German Huns and Quail. I simply love my offset smoker. It has brought me closer to God. That and all the TX lovely ladies that I met when I lived in that great state. Ha ha ha....

Following the turkey breast, I ran 11 chicken thighs and 6 legs done in Idaho Mountain Maple. Oh My gooodness...If u guys could only smell how sweet this native maple is in the house. Not over powering like East Coast hickory or south TX Mesquite. This is and Idaho dish. My oh my....I had to legs...so succulent. I use this same brine and rub on my upland game birds like German Huns and Quail. I simply love my offset smoker. It has brought me closer to God. That and all the TX lovely ladies that I met when I lived in that great state. Ha ha ha....

Up close and personal...

Really good looking food. I will add this to my favorites.

Gentlemen,

The day has arrived. It is time to smoke the Venison Pastrami. The following series of photos will chronicle and document this historic event. First, it is 35 degrees out and a slight drizzle. After cleaning out the fire box from Xmas smoking, reloading the charcoal basket with Idaho Mt. Maple logs, I set 1/2 chimney of briquets alight. As the smoker charcoal warmed up, I went to rinse off the three 2LB roast from the cure, as per Craig@work's recipe states. The following photos show this process and the events. I have one note: the roast were very firm and there was very little blood or residual moisture. This was as per Craig's recipe above. Here we go now....

Gentlemen,

The day has arrived. It is time to smoke the Venison Pastrami. The following series of photos will chronicle and document this historic event. First, it is 35 degrees out and a slight drizzle. After cleaning out the fire box from Xmas smoking, reloading the charcoal basket with Idaho Mt. Maple logs, I set 1/2 chimney of briquets alight. As the smoker charcoal warmed up, I went to rinse off the three 2LB roast from the cure, as per Craig@work's recipe states. The following photos show this process and the events. I have one note: the roast were very firm and there was very little blood or residual moisture. This was as per Craig's recipe above. Here we go now....

The smoker getting going...next photos are of the roasts pulled with the cure on them...here we go....

Here are my supervisors...my little helpers...can't beat cow dogs. Both are females...the one on the right is Little Lucy. She is 100% Aussie and is 7 years old. The one on the left is Piddles. She is 100% Border Collie and is 9 months old. The are resting from gnawing all night on the elk carcass in the yard. They were instructing me on how to do these things,"You moron. You forgot to open the large wood door on the smoker box...etc. etc..."

Here are the three roasts with the curing salt rub on them...right out of the fridge....

Roast rinsed in cold water and then rubbed in virgin olive oil and a rub of garlic powder, onion powder, and cracked pepper added to them....

And the ascension to greatness...emplacement upon the grates of fire. The process of slow smoking with season maple logs, the hint of sweet maple from the blue smoke streams...It is done. I have added them to the fire. I burn meat to the Pagan hunting Gods here in Idaho. I used to feel shame but with age comes less care. I will update this 1/2 way through. According to Craig I am looking for 150 degree internal temp. so at 275 for several hours we shall see. As you who smoke and offer burnt meat to your hunting Godz may testimony to, there is not exact timing on these things. Cheers and I hope you all got every damn present you asked Santa for. I asked for Mrs. Claus and got a lump of dang coal again....

1/2 hour on the smoke and we are steady at 260 degrees. At this point, to honor the hunting Godz, I digress. Here is a little more back ground on how to get the best and most out of one's smoke. The Jameson is my favorite with a Cohiba Red Dot. Nothing like kicking back, enjoying non sub zero temps and a little of the high end of things.

They get it all in the end. As a single guy that fills all his tags every year, and that is a lot of tags, these two beast are very spoiled. The only carcass this last spring that went unguarded and abandoned was the nasty old Boar Black Bear. He was tough and I made summer sausage out of him. They will get a cut but not much. The meat is very salty if you look at the cure portion. I don't know who the hell Craig on Bowsite.com is but if this pans out I am going to be doing a LOT of pastrami. I have 300LBs of venison from 2017 to process. 175 is slated for sausages the rest, well jerky is old and I think this Pastrami gig is the new ticket. Adds a whole new dimension. Thanx... I will try to keep you all posted.

2 hours into the smoke and they are at 120 degrees. Here is what they look like.

Baloney is good. Have made it before. Here we are at the end of it all. Not too salty but more sweet. Enjoy.

Being single has privlege beyond comprehension. I let this pastrami stand for four hours at room temp, in fridge for one hour, and it got better. Wow! If you guys find this recipe, save it. Print it off and laminate it. This is AWESOME. Happy holidays guys...

Can you post a close up of some of the slices?

How's the texture and firmness?

It was firm, line dry salami. It was sweet, not too salty. I soaked them in cold water for an hour prior to applying rub and then smoking them. I think this drew out some salt. I served these on New Years Party. They lasted 1/2 hour and then gone.

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here