Brisket cured with garlic and pickling spices, coated with cracked pepper and coriander, then smoked until tender. Slice it warm for sandwiches or chill it for thin deli-style slices.
Equipment
Smoker, pellet grill, or grill configured for indirect smoking; meat thermometer; large food-safe, nonreactive brining container; wire rack; heavy-duty foil.
Timing
5 days curing, 24 hours drying, approximately 6–8 hours smoking, plus at least 30 minutes resting. C
- 1 flat-cut beef brisket, approximately 7 pounds, fat cap trimmed to ⅓ inch
- 6 quarts water
- 1½ cups kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons pink curing salt — original source quantity; formulation and dose not yet verified
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
For the pepper-coriander coating:
- ¼ cup whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
Let’s get cooking.
Prepare the brine. Combine the water, kosher salt, both sugars, curing salt, pickling spice, mustard seeds, and garlic in a large pot. Heat, stirring, until the salts and sugars dissolve. Cool the brine promptly, using an ice bath if needed, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Cure the brisket. Using a clean metal skewer, pierce the brisket all over. Place it in a food-safe, nonreactive container and add the cold brine. Use a clean plate to keep the meat submerged, cover, and refrigerate at 40°F or below for 5 days, turning once daily.
Dry overnight. Remove the brisket and discard the brine. Pat the meat dry and place it fat side up on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours, keeping it separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Preheat the smoker. Set up for indirect cooking at 225°F. Keep the brisket refrigerated until you’re ready to season and cook.
Apply the coating. Coarsely grind the peppercorns and coriander seeds. Press the mixture onto the fat side of the brisket.
Smoke unwrapped. Place the brisket on the grate with the seasoned side facing up. Smoke until the thickest part reaches 160°F, approximately 3–4 hours. Use temperature rather than the clock as your guide.
Wrap and finish. Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil and return to the smoker at 225°F. Continue cooking until approximately 204°F and tender when probed, allowing roughly another 3–4 hours or longer as needed.
Rest and slice. Rest in the foil for at least 30 minutes, then slice across the grain.
For cold pastrami or leftovers. Divide into smaller portions and refrigerate promptly in shallow containers. Don’t wait for the whole brisket to cool completely on the counter. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F. Once chilled, slice thinly.
Around this recipe.
Ask a question, share your results, or offer a helpful tip. Keep it kind.
Paper preview · Final page breaks appear in your browser’s print dialog.
JUST BBQ · Beef
Smoked Beef Pastrami
By tlk2drew · Published Sep 20, 2026
Brisket cured with garlic and pickling spices, coated with cracked pepper and coriander, then smoked until tender. Slice it warm for sandwiches or chill it for thin deli-style slices.
Equipment
Smoker, pellet grill, or grill configured for indirect smoking; meat thermometer; large food-safe, nonreactive brining container; wire rack; heavy-duty foil.
Timing
5 days curing, 24 hours drying, approximately 6–8 hours smoking, plus at least 30 minutes resting. C
Yield
One 7-pound brisket before cooking.
Ingredients
- 1 flat-cut beef brisket, approximately 7 pounds, fat cap trimmed to ⅓ inch
- 6 quarts water
- 1½ cups kosher salt
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons pink curing salt — original source quantity; formulation and dose not yet verified
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
- 8 garlic cloves, crushed
For the pepper-coriander coating:
- ¼ cup whole black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
Instructions
Prepare the brine. Combine the water, kosher salt, both sugars, curing salt, pickling spice, mustard seeds, and garlic in a large pot. Heat, stirring, until the salts and sugars dissolve. Cool the brine promptly, using an ice bath if needed, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
Cure the brisket. Using a clean metal skewer, pierce the brisket all over. Place it in a food-safe, nonreactive container and add the cold brine. Use a clean plate to keep the meat submerged, cover, and refrigerate at 40°F or below for 5 days, turning once daily.
Dry overnight. Remove the brisket and discard the brine. Pat the meat dry and place it fat side up on a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Refrigerate uncovered for 24 hours, keeping it separate from ready-to-eat foods.
Preheat the smoker. Set up for indirect cooking at 225°F. Keep the brisket refrigerated until you’re ready to season and cook.
Apply the coating. Coarsely grind the peppercorns and coriander seeds. Press the mixture onto the fat side of the brisket.
Smoke unwrapped. Place the brisket on the grate with the seasoned side facing up. Smoke until the thickest part reaches 160°F, approximately 3–4 hours. Use temperature rather than the clock as your guide.
Wrap and finish. Wrap tightly in heavy-duty foil and return to the smoker at 225°F. Continue cooking until approximately 204°F and tender when probed, allowing roughly another 3–4 hours or longer as needed.
Rest and slice. Rest in the foil for at least 30 minutes, then slice across the grain.
For cold pastrami or leftovers. Divide into smaller portions and refrigerate promptly in shallow containers. Don’t wait for the whole brisket to cool completely on the counter. Refrigerate within 2 hours, or 1 hour when the surroundings exceed 90°F. Once chilled, slice thinly.