Venison Pastrami
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processhead said in Venison Pastrami:
Ridley Acres said in Venison Pastrami:
processhead said in Venison Pastrami:
This is some pastrami I made in December from the hindquarters of a doe I shot.
So you made it in December and it is October of the following year. I have questions:
- How did you store this?
- Do you notice any flavor or texture differences being nearly 11 months old?
- What would you have done different?
I took the finished pastrami and cut it into 2-3 lb chunks of roughly the same size. Then I individually vacuum sealed them and froze them.
When I want to serve some, I thaw out one of the chunks in the refrigerator and slice it up thinly on my slicer.
Like most meats that have been frozen and thawed, I will have some moisture pulls out of the meat to the surface. Flavor and texture do not change too much on the frozen/thawed product.
At this point, I don’t know of a better way to store it. It probably freezes and stores better than a lot of other things do.
Here are some pics I took this morning just prior to slicing of that 9 month old pastrami.
Flavor and texture was great. The original bright internal color may have faded slightly.
processhead nothing wrong with that. It looks great
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That’s going to make a great sandwich
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I am going to be making some to be smoked on Halloween weekend.
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processhead said in Venison Pastrami:
Ridley Acres said in Venison Pastrami:
processhead said in Venison Pastrami:
This is some pastrami I made in December from the hindquarters of a doe I shot.
So you made it in December and it is October of the following year. I have questions:
- How did you store this?
- Do you notice any flavor or texture differences being nearly 11 months old?
- What would you have done different?
I took the finished pastrami and cut it into 2-3 lb chunks of roughly the same size. Then I individually vacuum sealed them and froze them.
When I want to serve some, I thaw out one of the chunks in the refrigerator and slice it up thinly on my slicer.
Like most meats that have been frozen and thawed, I will have some moisture pulls out of the meat to the surface. Flavor and texture do not change too much on the frozen/thawed product.
At this point, I don’t know of a better way to store it. It probably freezes and stores better than a lot of other things do.
Here are some pics I took this morning just prior to slicing of that 9 month old pastrami.
Flavor and texture was great. The original bright internal color may have faded slightly.
processhead - Looks great. I am going after elk in a couple weeks. I will have to try.
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Over the weekend I butchered a doe that my SIL shot right before Christmas. Seems like an opportune time to turn 10 lbs of hindquarter roasts into some venison pastrami while they are nice and fresh.
Here is where I am pumping them with a cure made of water, Tenderquick, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
This was also the first time I tried out my Walton’s brine pump system. Happy to report it works very well for pumping fresh meat.
Next they get a dry rub of more Tenderquick, salt, chopped fresh garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, black pepper. Then into a 2 gallon zip lock back to cure in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Day 4, out of the bag for a fresh water soak. Rinsed off the chopped garlic and curing spices, before allowing to air dry.
Then a dry rub of seasonings, ground pepper, coriander, and brown sugar before smoking. The roast in the upper right corner was also dusted with dried red pepper flakes as an experiment.
![20211230_091126.jpg]
(/assets/uploads/files/1640896266139-20211230_091126.jpg)
Paul
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Over the weekend I butchered a doe that my SIL shot right before Christmas. Seems like an opportune time to turn 10 lbs of hindquarter roasts into some venison pastrami while they are nice and fresh.
Here is where I am pumping them with a cure made of water, Tenderquick, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
This was also the first time I tried out my Walton’s brine pump system. Happy to report it works very well for pumping fresh meat.Next they get a dry rub of more Tenderquick, salt, chopped fresh garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, black pepper. Then into a 2 gallon zip lock back to cure in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Day 4, out of the bag for a fresh water soak. Rinsed off the chopped garlic and curing spices, before allowing to air dry.
Then a dry rub of seasonings, ground pepper, coriander, and brown sugar before smoking. The roast in the upper right corner was also dusted with dried red pepper flakes as an experiment.
![20211230_091126.jpg]
(/assets/uploads/files/1640896266139-20211230_091126.jpg)
processhead looks really good. I’m glad to see someone else also uses tender quick.
hey vegetarians, my food poops on your food!
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processhead looks really good. I’m glad to see someone else also uses tender quick.
kyle I use Tenderquick since it was called for in the recipe I have been using for a long time and I like the overall results I get.
I don’t think there is anything particularly special about it, since it is just salt, sugar and cure, after all.I was actually thinking about it today and was considering what combination of those ingredients I would use if I were to come up with a substitute.
Reality is, I tend to stick with something that works unless it becomes unavailable and I am forced to come up with an alternative.
Paul
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kyle I use Tenderquick since it was called for in the recipe I have been using for a long time and I like the overall results I get.
I don’t think there is anything particularly special about it, since it is just salt, sugar and cure, after all.I was actually thinking about it today and was considering what combination of those ingredients I would use if I were to come up with a substitute.
Reality is, I tend to stick with something that works unless it becomes unavailable and I am forced to come up with an alternative.
processhead thanks. In my chipped venison recipe I use TQ , I like the results, but someone thought I should use cure since I smoked them. Im not opposed to it, but I get good results now and dont want to screw it up. Maybe you read about it in the “chipped deer” thread towards the last post. I would appreciate your input.
hey vegetarians, my food poops on your food!
-
Over the weekend I butchered a doe that my SIL shot right before Christmas. Seems like an opportune time to turn 10 lbs of hindquarter roasts into some venison pastrami while they are nice and fresh.
Here is where I am pumping them with a cure made of water, Tenderquick, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
This was also the first time I tried out my Walton’s brine pump system. Happy to report it works very well for pumping fresh meat.Next they get a dry rub of more Tenderquick, salt, chopped fresh garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, black pepper. Then into a 2 gallon zip lock back to cure in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Day 4, out of the bag for a fresh water soak. Rinsed off the chopped garlic and curing spices, before allowing to air dry.
Then a dry rub of seasonings, ground pepper, coriander, and brown sugar before smoking. The roast in the upper right corner was also dusted with dried red pepper flakes as an experiment.
![20211230_091126.jpg]
(/assets/uploads/files/1640896266139-20211230_091126.jpg)
processhead Very good looking meat there.
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Over the weekend I butchered a doe that my SIL shot right before Christmas. Seems like an opportune time to turn 10 lbs of hindquarter roasts into some venison pastrami while they are nice and fresh.
Here is where I am pumping them with a cure made of water, Tenderquick, brown sugar, and garlic powder.
This was also the first time I tried out my Walton’s brine pump system. Happy to report it works very well for pumping fresh meat.Next they get a dry rub of more Tenderquick, salt, chopped fresh garlic, onion powder, brown sugar, black pepper. Then into a 2 gallon zip lock back to cure in the refrigerator for 4 days.
Day 4, out of the bag for a fresh water soak. Rinsed off the chopped garlic and curing spices, before allowing to air dry.
Then a dry rub of seasonings, ground pepper, coriander, and brown sugar before smoking. The roast in the upper right corner was also dusted with dried red pepper flakes as an experiment.
![20211230_091126.jpg]
(/assets/uploads/files/1640896266139-20211230_091126.jpg)
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processhead thanks. In my chipped venison recipe I use TQ , I like the results, but someone thought I should use cure since I smoked them. Im not opposed to it, but I get good results now and dont want to screw it up. Maybe you read about it in the “chipped deer” thread towards the last post. I would appreciate your input.
kyle said in Venison Pastrami:
processhead thanks. In my chipped venison recipe I use TQ , I like the results, but someone thought I should use cure since I smoked them. Im not opposed to it, but I get good results now and dont want to screw it up. Maybe you read about it in the “chipped deer” thread towards the last post. I would appreciate your input.
I read through the chipped deer thread and I think the comment on TQ was the fact that it contains sodium nitrate and most other cures do not. The argument against using cures with nitrate in them has to do with cooking at high temperature and formation of nitrosamines. With chipped venison preparation in the kitchen, it seems unlikely that you would see those high temperatures, so I think that any risks are very minor when used the way we are using it.
I think the best reason for using Cure #1 in processing is the correct amount to use for good, safe results is well documented and straight forward. Directions for using TQ are less so, IMO.
Paul
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kyle said in Venison Pastrami:
processhead thanks. In my chipped venison recipe I use TQ , I like the results, but someone thought I should use cure since I smoked them. Im not opposed to it, but I get good results now and dont want to screw it up. Maybe you read about it in the “chipped deer” thread towards the last post. I would appreciate your input.
I read through the chipped deer thread and I think the comment on TQ was the fact that it contains sodium nitrate and most other cures do not. The argument against using cures with nitrate in them has to do with cooking at high temperature and formation of nitrosamines. With chipped venison preparation in the kitchen, it seems unlikely that you would see those high temperatures, so I think that any risks are very minor when used the way we are using it.
I think the best reason for using Cure #1 in processing is the correct amount to use for good, safe results is well documented and straight forward. Directions for using TQ are less so, IMO.
processhead thanks for taking the time to read through it and your explanation. As the old saying goes “*I dont understand everything I know”
hey vegetarians, my food poops on your food!
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processhead thanks for taking the time to read through it and your explanation. As the old saying goes “*I dont understand everything I know”
kyle Incidentally, I have made SOS with my venison pastrami and it was very good.
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processhead thanks. In my chipped venison recipe I use TQ , I like the results, but someone thought I should use cure since I smoked them. Im not opposed to it, but I get good results now and dont want to screw it up. Maybe you read about it in the “chipped deer” thread towards the last post. I would appreciate your input.
kyle I think if I still have a boned out hind quarter in the freezer that is going on the list for late Jan otherwise it will need to be put on the Nov list. But then I could always do a trial with beef. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice…
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kyle Incidentally, I have made SOS with my venison pastrami and it was very good.
processhead Nicely done! I always make mine from brisket, might have to do a hind next year.
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