Venison Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Venison Pastrami (2024)

FAQs

How to make venison deli meat? ›

Remove meat from brine after 24-36 hours. If desired, add any surface coating seasoning (Ranch Seasoning, Black Pepper, herbs, spices). Cook in Smoker for about 2 hours at 150ºF, then increase to 170ºF for 2 hours, then 190º-225ºF until internal temperature of 145ºF is reached.

Pastrami is made from beef brisket that has been cured, coated in spices, cold smoked and then steamed. Pastrami's thick coat of spices typically includes crushed black pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, garlic and other spices that might be included in a pickling spice mixture.

Note: Pastrami doesn't freeze well, but it keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

This Jewish Deli is made from a fine brisket; however, you can make it from turkey or lamb as well. Generally, chefs use certain cuts, such as the deckle. It is a lean, wide, and firm shoulder cut for pastrami. Sometimes, they use the navel, juicier and smaller section just below the ribs for pastrami.

Milk is best (but nothing less than full-fat) because it will do the same job as more acidic liquids like vinegar or lemon juice, but won't leave the meat mushy. If you want an extra punch of acidity you can use cultured dairy like buttermilk or yogurt in place of whole milk.

Saltwater Brine:Mix water with salt to create a brine solution. A typical ratio is about 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Submerge the venison in the saltwater brine and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight. Rinse the meat thoroughly with cold water before cooking to remove excess salt.

Romanian Jews emigrated to New York as early as 1872. Among Jewish Romanians, goose breasts were commonly made into pastrami because they were available. Beef navel was cheaper than goose meat in America, so the Romanian Jews in America adapted their recipe and began to make the cheaper-alternative beef pastrami.

Place the container in the fridge. I recommend curing at least 6 days but you can go as much as 10-12 days if you want or need to.

This darkening is due to oxidation, the chemical changes in myoglobin due to the oxygen content. This is a normal change during refrigerator storage. Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.

You can make perfectly good pastrami without sodium nitrite. It won't be as pink, but so what? The nitrite adds no flavor to the mix, and isn't necessary for safety when brining a whole muscle. Cure #1 is after all 93.75 percent plain old salt.

Is pastrami good for you? ›

While incorporating pastrami in your diet in a balanced amount helps build and repair muscles, and gives you potential health benefits, consumption of excessive amounts of pastrami leads to weight gain, elevates blood pressure, and eventually contributes to cardiovascular disease.

The result is a hopelessly rich cut of meat with a complex and distinctive flavor, in which smoky notes compete with the sweetness of the spices and the saltiness of the brine. Pastrami in its ideal form is fatty, pink, and thickly hand-sliced.

Place pastrami under the broiler and cook until surface browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and cut into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick.

Salty proposition

These salts are called curing salts, and often have a pink dye to guard against use as table salts. Pink curing salt is what gives pastrami its signature color. Do not use curing salt as table salt because excessive amounts of nitrates can be harmful.

Making your own lunch meat can actually save you money compared to buying pre-packaged lunch meat. Especially if you purchase meat in bulk or when it's on sale. Plus, when you make your own lunch meat, you have complete control over the ingredients you use, which can also be more cost-effective.

For best results I highly recommend smoking between 150-180 degrees F for two to three hours if possible. Then raising the temperature to 200 degrees F until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140 degrees F. That's it, that the secret to having juicy venison pastrami.

Deer processors know how to process your deer into anything from ground venison to sausage links and they have secret seasoning recipes that will give your meat great flavor. They're literally where the buck stops.