How to Cure Your Own Pastrami

• 1 (10- to 12-pound) beef brisket
• 1 1/2 gallon water
• 1 to 1 pound 4 ounces kosher salt
• 5 ounces granulated sugar
• 3 1/2 ounces Insta Cure No. 1
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon pickling spice
• 2 ounces coriander seeds, toasted
• 2 ounces black peppercorns, toasted and cracked
• 1 to 2 loaves rye bread, fresh, sliced
• 1 bottle mustard, spicy brown

1. Trim the external fat on the brisket to 1/16 in./1.50 mm thick.
2. In a brining tub, combine the water, salt, sugar, and Insta Cure.
3. Mash the garlic cloves and crush the pickling spice and add to the brine solution.
4. Weigh the brisket and inject the brisket with brine equal to about 10 percent of its weight.
5. Place the brisket in the brining tub and use a plate or rack to keep it completely below the surface.
6. Brine the brisket for 3 days.
7. After 3 days, remove the brisket from the brine and soak it in warm water for 30 minutes.
8. Drain and dry the brisket.
9. Grind the coriander and peppercorns to medium-fine in a spice grinder.
10. Rub the spices over the surface of the brisket on all sides.
11. Cold-smoke the brisket for 2 hours.
12. Hot-smoke the brisket at 185F/85C to an internal temperature of 155 to 160F/68 to 71C.
13. The smoke intensity should be about medium; you do not want it to be too strong.
14. Cherry, mesquite, and hickory are woods that go well with beef products.
15. To finish the pastrami, simmer in water until tender, about 2 hours.
16. It may also be cooled, wrapped, and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
17. To reheat the brisket, place it in water or stock and reheat to an internal temperature of 165F/74C.

beef brisket, water, kosher salt, sugar, insta, garlic, pickling spice, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, loaves rye bread, bottle mustard

Taken from www.foodrepublic.com/recipes/how-to-cure-your-own-pastrami/ (may not work)