Smoked corned beef brisket

[PZ]

Today we wanted to try something new for us - smoked corned beef.  This is an experiment because we are not following any kind of recipe; instead we are going with our BBQ instinct, which hopefully has not led us astray.

Our plan is to warm smoke the meat for 2 hours in the pellet smoker. The wood is mesquite.
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This is what the meat looked like immediately after starting the grill - the smoking temperature is 160F
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After an hour or so, the meat is taking on a smoky appearance
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Because the weather is so nice (mid 70's F), we decided to have the remainder of our smoked salmon and a pomegranate mimosa.  Along with the smoked salmon, we had sliced sweet onion, capers, and cream cheese.
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We had our bug screen out to keep the carnivorous wasps away.
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After a couple of bites of salmon, we wanted something crisp, so with trepidation, we added slices of bread to the smoking briskets - the toasts were actually delicious!  A hint of smoke, and crisp bread is just what the salmon needed.
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After the initial 2 hour smoke, we turned up toe smoker to 225F for the last hour - here we are just about ready to take the meat off the grill.
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Now the plan is to wrap the briskets tightly in foil and slowly cook in a 275F oven for about 4.5 hours.
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As I'm writing this, I'm about 15 minutes away from removing the briskets from the oven, then reset the temperature to 450F so my wife can bake a boule of French bread (the kind with the thick crisp crust).

I plan to let the meat rest, taste a little piece (because I just can't wait), and then refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to meld.  Then use a couple of slices of the baked bread to create a Reuben sandwich (of sorts).  The fatty spread for the sandwich will be basil mayonnaise (fresh basil out of the garden), sauerkraut of course, and then a heaping mound of thinly-sliced smoked corned beef.  I hope it turns out.

[PZ]

Finally sandwich time!  I must admit that I wanted to place the briskets in the fridge overnight, but I simply couldn't wait.  Here is one of the briskets as it came out of the oven.  Once it came out, the bread went in at 450F

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... a closeup

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Once the bread was finished, we let it rest and the crust crackled like a bowl of rice krispies.  Man, that bread is perfect and we cannot purchase anything that even approaches the quality of the crust.

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First the bread slices were liberally spread with a mayonnaise concoction created by my wife.  It has savory, spicy notes with a hint of sweet, plus some bite from horseradish.  Then meat, sauerkraut, and Swiss cheese were piled high.
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The finished product - this sandwich was better than any I'd had in a long time, and was totally worth all the time it took to make the ingredients.  The bread was soft and chewy in the center, while crisp in the crust.  The meat was butter tender and not a single piece pulled out of place when you take a bite - each bite was absolutely clean and sharp.

Tomorrow it is time to smoke cheese!

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[Abletile]

If I lived in your house I would develop a weight problem............. :)

Your culinary skills look soooo tasty.  :-X

You should open a restaurant! 

[Art Blade]

wonderful, PZ, amazing.  :) :-X

Able, he's got a restaurant already. You're basically looking at it, it is a very small one.. only for his sweetie and himself :-D

[mandru]

If I lived in your house I would develop a weight problem............. :)

Your culinary skills look soooo tasty.  :-

Abletile, I know that feeling.  Oh wait, I already have a weight problem. 

I'm pretty sure if you lived in PZ's house its a good bet that the constant busy w@&k you'd have to do for all their Around-the-House improvement projects it would burn it all right back off of you.

By reading between the lines and jumping to conclusions (my primary aerobic exercise  >:D  ) I've observed not only that their boys have moved out on their own choosing between freedom over really good food but have you seen how skinny PZ is?  I suspect the poor guy has to eat like this or he'd wither away.



That said PZ, geez you've pushed all my hunger buttons with this experiment.  I would never have thought to do anything with a corned beef but boil it.  The preparation looks flawless.  I'm touchy about meat being well enough done but it is clear that this was a real home run and you tagged every base on your victory lap.  :-X

And then you guys made what I would consider to be as close as humanly possible to my ideal of a perfect Reuben sandwich.  :o

I call it a Cowboy Reuben.  I've never liked thousand island on a Reuben.  For decades when dining out every time I've spotted a Reuben on a menu I give the server a lop-sided grin and ask them to check to see if there's some horseradish available in the kitchen that I could get on the side in place of the thousand island.  If I can't get the horseradish I order something else.

I've yet to see a Cowboy Reuben pop up on a menu after I've visited and requested the switch but quite often when the server has dropped our order off at the table I've received a comment from them along the lines of "You know...  I've never liked Reubens.  But I'd eat that one!"

[Art Blade]

mandru, your post made me grin all the time and I still can't get it off my face  :-D Very good read  :)

[PZ]

  :-X  great lines, guys!

Thanks for the comments; as most of you know, we love to cook, and are now outside on the deck smoking cheddar and Gouda using pecan wood.

[nexor]

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I had it in pickle water for a week and only took it out this morning, had the fan on it for two hours to dry the outer skin a bit then smoked it for about six hours until the internal temp reached 170° F. I just took it out of the smoker now, if it tastes as good as it looks   :-D

[Art Blade]

it looks a bit rotten. :-D

Pickle water.. made me think of where the name corned beef came from. Corns of salt, as in cured with coarse grains of salt.

[mandru]

Interesting, Cornichons are a french recipe pickle from baby cucumbers.  :)

[Art Blade]

it's just the French word for cucumbers soaked in / cured with vinegar while to pickle originally meant a brine and refers to salty water; to cure meant to preserve with salt. Funny enough, "grain" is French for grain, as in corns of salt. Apparently you can use both vinegar and salt to preserve something. I don't think the corn in cornichon has got anything to do with corns of salt.. just as little as corn flakes for breakfast, in that context. :-D

[PZ]

Looks good nex; make some into sandwichs  :)

[nexor]

I did just that PZ, wife and I were out for the whole day on Saturday so we packed a picnic basket, made sandwiches with slices of the meat on bread added some of the smoked cheese I did the other day topped with homemade mustard.
Man, did that go down well   8) 

[Art Blade]

homemade mustard ???  sounds good :) :-X

[nexor]

It is good Art, the advantage of homemade mustard is that you can make it as strong as you like without stuffing up the recipe.
We use the microwave oven to make it, it's quick and no mess at all.

[Art Blade]

it simply never occurred to me that one could do it.. sounds like a very good idea :)

[PZ]

Sounds like you had a great pinic, nex! How do you make your mustard?

[nexor]

PZ, this is a mild one, you can increase the mustard powder, we use three smallish glass jars to store it in.

Spoiler

! dozen eggs, 3 cups sugar, 3 cups vinegar 12.5ml salt, 100g mustard powder, 30 ml Corn starch (for thickening)

Beat eggs, blend sugar and mustard, blend all ingredients, place in double boiler (or cook in microwave)
cook until mixture thickens, stirring periodically to prevent lumps, bottle and let mature for at least a week, refrigerate once opened

[PZ]

Sounds delicious, nex! Thanks!

[Art Blade]

excellent, +1 :-X :)

[nexor]

While I was cutting the meat for our sandwiches the light caught the meat at an angle and you could clearly see the reflection of mother of pearl, I've only seen it on a Gypsy Ham made by the German company Hartlief cold meats from Namibia, this Gypsy ham is about four times more expensive than any other cold meats available here.   

[Art Blade]

sounds like a nice reward for your efforts :)

[nexor]

Is surely is Art, never expected it to turn out that good, even the wife is enjoying it

[PZ]

+1 from me too, nex  :-X

[fragger]

Another delicious topic you guys, cheers :) :-X My stomach-rumbling is up to a category 6 :-()