BBQ Beautiful “Black Gold” Cured and Smoked Pastrami
BBQ Beautiful “Black Gold” Cured & Smoked Pastrami
Deep spice bark, silky smoke, and a cure that loads every bite with flavor.
Concept
We’re taking a whole brisket, wet-curing it for 7 days with a bold, aromatic brine, then coating it in a custom pastrami rub heavy on cracked pepper and coriander. The cure infuses the beef with a savory-sweet foundation while preserving its juiciness, and the smoke layer brings that signature BBQ Beautiful punch.
Ingredients
For the Cure (7 Days)
· 1 whole brisket, trimmed to ¼ inch fat cap
· 1 gallon cold water
· 1 cup kosher salt
· 1 cup brown sugar
· 5 tbsp pink curing salt #1 (Prague Powder #1)
· 2 tbsp cracked black pepper
· 2 tbsp crushed coriander seed
· 1 tbsp mustard seed
· 6 garlic cloves, smashed
· 4 bay leaves
· 1 tbsp smoked paprika
· 1 cinnamon stick
· 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
For the Rub
· 3 tbsp cracked black pepper
· 3 tbsp crushed coriander seed
· 1 tbsp BBQ Beautiful Brisket Rub
· 1 tbsp brown sugar
· 1 tbsp smoked paprika
· 1 tsp garlic powder
· 1 tsp onion powder
· 1 tsp ground mustard
Method
1. Cure the Meat
o Mix all cure ingredients in a large pot until dissolved. Chill completely.
o Submerge brisket in brine (use a plate to weigh it down). Refrigerate 7 days, flipping daily for even cure penetration.
2. Rinse & Rest
o Remove brisket from brine, rinse under cold water.
o Pat dry, place uncovered on a rack in the fridge overnight to develop a tacky pellicle.
3. Apply Rub
o Mix rub ingredients.
o Coat the brisket evenly, pressing spices into the surface.
4. Smoke
o Preheat smoker to 225°F with hickory + cherry wood.
o Smoke until internal temp hits 165°F (6–7 hrs).
5. Steam Finish
o Wrap brisket in foil with a splash of beef broth.
o Steam (in a covered roasting pan in the smoker or oven) until 203°F and probe tender (2–3 hrs).
6. Rest & Slice
o Rest in foil 2 hr. Slice against the grain into pencil-thin strips.
Flavor Profile
· Cure: Savory-sweet with a whisper of cinnamon warmth and bay leaf aroma
· Smoke: Hickory depth cut with cherry’s soft fruitiness
· Bark: Peppery heat and fragrant coriander snap with each bite
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