Home-Cured Beef Pastrami

• 6 ounces or 3/4 cups Morton's kosher salt (or 200 grams if measuring water in liters)
• 3 ounces or 1/2 cup sugar (100 grams)
• 2 teaspoons pink salt (sodium nitrite), optional
• 5 cloves garlic, smashed with the flat side of a knife
• 2 tablespoons pickling spice
• 1 5-pound beef brisket, the more fat it has the better
• Rub
• 1 tablespoon peppercorn, toasted and ground (or as needed)
• 1 tablespoon coriander seed, toasted and ground (or as needed)
• Pickling Spice
• 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoons mustard seeds
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• 2 tablespoons hot red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons allspice berries
• 1 tablespoon ground mace
• 2 small cinnamon sticks, crushed or broken into pieces
• 2 to 4 bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 tablespoons whole cloves
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• Combine peppercorns, mustard seeds and coriander seeds in a small dry pan. Place over medium heat and stir until fragrant, being careful not to burn them; keep lid handy in case seeds pop. Crack peppercorns and seeds in mortar and pestle or with the side of a knife on cutting board.
• Combine with other spices, mix. Store in tightly sealed plastic or glass container.

1. In pot large enough to hold brisket, combine 1 gallon/4 liters of water with kosher salt, sugar, sodium nitrite (if using), garlic and 2 tablespoons pickling spice. Bring to a simmer, stirring until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled.
2. Place brisket in brine, weighted with a plate to keep it submerged; cover. Refrigerate for 2 days if it's thin, a third day if it's thick.
3. Remove brisket from brine and rinse thoroughly. Refrigerate it for another day uncover.
4. So this is what I do when I want both smoke and long slow cooking. I smoke the meat for a couple hours. Then I transfer it to a 200 to 250 degree oven to finish. With this pastrami, I would cook it in the oven for 30 to 60 minutes to bake the smoke on, and then cover it with foil and 1/2 cup of water and cook it for another 2 to 4 hours till it's tender (the water is to make sure there's plenty of steam).

salt, sugar, pink salt, garlic, pickling spice, beef brisket, rub, peppercorn, coriander seed, pickling spice, black peppercorns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, hot red pepper, berries, ground mace, cinnamon, bay leaves, whole cloves, ground ginger, combine, combine

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/member/views/home-cured-beef-pastrami-53009851 (may not work)