SNF Corned Beef... Wrap or No Wrap?

[BethV]

I am smoking a SRF Waygu corned beef overnight. It's desalinating now.

Once it gets to about 165, I'm debating wrapping in foil, or wrapping in butcher paper, or putting it in a covered foil pan on a rack, or letting it ride uncovered all the way.

I'm not in a rush to get it done.

Any thoughts?

 

[MikeyB]

I am zero help on this subject but being of good Irish background I can’t wait to see it complete.

 

[C. Keeper]

I am smoking a SRF Waygu corned beef overnight. It's desalinating now.

Once it gets to about 165, I'm debating wrapping in foil, or wrapping in butcher paper, or putting it in a covered foil pan on a rack, or letting it ride uncovered all the way.

I'm not in a rush to get it done.

Any thoughts?

For the final cook, I place in aluminum pan covered with foil.

 

[Mannydog]

My two cents: with Wagyu being so well-marbled, and because it is brined (corned), there's likely sufficient moisture in there without needing to wrap, unlike a traditional brisket. I prefer a bit drier exterior on corned beef, rather than the boiled wet texture. I've done a few on my RT-590 but never wrapped them. Last March I even did it in a tagine, with smoked cabbage, potatoes & carrots. Good luck Beth; let us know what you decide, and how it goes!

 

[Pops]

@BethV Did you brine your own or buy it pre cured and seasoned? I chickened out and just bought one from SNF ready to go.

 

[BethV]

@BethV Did you brine your own or buy it pre cured and seasoned? I chickened out and just bought one from SNF ready to go.

@Pops it is a corned beef (pre-cured) so it's in a brine already. The same as yours I believe. I've done them before but not wagyu. They can be very salty so I tend to desalinate them whether I cure them myself or they are pre-cured..

 

[mikeporter616]

I am smoking a SRF Waygu corned beef overnight. It's desalinating now.

Once it gets to about 165, I'm debating wrapping in foil, or wrapping in butcher paper, or putting it in a covered foil pan on a rack, or letting it ride uncovered all the way.

I'm not in a rush to get it done.

Any thoughts?

Heygrillhey has a recipe that calls for smoking for 3 hours then brazing with carrots, onions cabbage and potatoes to finish. I have that going now. Seems like a good plan since all of her recipes that I have tried thus far have been good.

 

[Pops]

@Pops it is a corned beef (pre-cured) so it's in a brine already. The same as yours I believe. I've done them before but not wagyu. They can be very salty so I tend to desalinate them whether I cure them myself or they are pre-cured..

OK, so that is my question, if I was thinking of just boiling it, will that desalinate enough?

 

[BethV]

OK, so that is my question, if I was thinking of just boiling it, will that desalinate enough?

Yes. It will be cooking in water so it is naturally desalinating in there while cooking.

My thought is when you buy a corned beef, it is pre-brined and meant to be boiled like typical corned beef is. But if you want to turn it into pastrami, you're going to smoke it. And that brine is concentrated. That's why it's desalinated before going on the grill.

However, it is a personal preference and some people will not desalinate before smoking.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Beth,
I think you're doing the right thing, removing salt. Mine was just way too salty. Almost burn your tongue salty. I had some "salt beef" once that was this salty.

As for the wrap, I don't think it makes a big difference if it's a foil covered tray or wrapped in foil tightly. I did the latter (2 layers of foil). But I've used trays for many cooks of different meats. Yes, the bark will be soft, but the meat will be moist, and that's more important to me.

As I always say, go by the bark to decide when to wrap. Also, I stopped short of "probe tender". I wanted some texture/strength to the meat. It just slices better. I removed it from the heat when it reached 203 ish, if I recall. But I think I ran it in the oven at 350F while wrapped, and at that temperature the meat gets hot but needs more time to render the collagen to make it probe tender. So, the probe (my thermapen) was still stiff to push in

Get your meat slicer out. Cut cross grain, of course. I would have used a meat slicer, but I long term loaned it to a friend.

 

[Buckeye1]

I'm using Malcolm Reeds method. Smoke for 2 to 3 hours. Then put in a pan with water to steam it and draw some of the salt out until IT of 175. Then add potatoes carrots and cabbage recover until IT over 200.

 

[mikeporter616]

I'm using Malcolm Reeds method. Smoke for 2 to 3 hours. Then put in a pan with water to steam it and draw some of the salt out until IT of 175. Then add potatoes carrots and cabbage recover until IT over 200.

That's very similar to the HeyGrillHey recipe that I did yesterday. It cam out excellent.

 

[BethV]

SRF Corned Beef to Pastrami is very good. I liked it so much, I went back to Costco and bought 4 more.

I desalinated the meat for 6 hours, changing the water 3 times.

Used Meatheads Pastrami Rub

215F from 10:00 pm to 7:45 am.

225F till it reached 170 (on for 11 hours at this point) Texas Crunch

Meat reached 202F 4 hours later.

Into the cooler wrapped in a towel.

Salt was perfect. And the meat is very tender. It's in the fridge resting until tomorrow when the slicer comes out and I slice it nice and thin.

15 hour cook

For those of you who follow Meatheads Pastrami Recipe (Katz's), he modified it in 2022. He no longer suggests steaming the meat after smoking. He said using the Texas Crunch is just as effective and much easier.

Thanks for all your advice.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Great cook, Beth. I also went back and got a couple more.

 

[Jim6820]

I guess I’d better get over to my local Costco soon; you folks look to be cornering the market on SRF corned beef. I hope they don’t run out. I’ve only got a half dozen left in the freezer and St. Paddy’s Day is Thursday.

Costco (at least in my area) usually only stocks the SRF corned beef at this time of year. The rest of the time, it is Shensons, which is usually pretty good but doesn’t hold a candle to SRF.

 

[Jim6820]

SRF Corned Beef to Pastrami is very good. I liked it so much, I went back to Costco and bought 4 more.

Yikes! There goes the corned beef supply chain.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Yikes! There goes the corned beef supply chain.

Yeah, I'm thinking of heading over to Costco again to stock up more.

 

[Roaniecowpony]

Beth,
Where are you getting your rye bread?

 

[BethV]

Costco!

 

[IPlayWithMeat]

SRF Corned Beef to Pastrami is very good. I liked it so much, I went back to Costco and bought 4 more.

I desalinated the meat for 6 hours, changing the water 3 times.

Used Meatheads Pastrami Rub

215F from 10:00 pm to 7:45 am.

225F till it reached 170 (on for 11 hours at this point) Texas Crunch

Meat reached 202F 4 hours later.

Into the cooler wrapped in a towel.

Salt was perfect. And the meat is very tender. It's in the fridge resting until tomorrow when the slicer comes out and I slice it nice and thin.

15 hour cook

For those of you who follow Meatheads Pastrami Recipe (Katz's), he modified it in 2022. He no longer suggests steaming the meat after smoking. He said using the Texas Crunch is just as effective and much easier.

Thanks for all your advice.

Thank you for the update on Meathead’s recipe! I didn’t know that .