Venison Pastrami

How to make it

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• Mix everything except the meat and ice from the corning list and bring to a low boil.
• Add the ice, then add the meat.
• Let sit in the fridge for 10 days in a sealed bag making sure the meat remains submerged.
• Drain off the brine, then you have an option: if you smoke this as is it'll be salty, damned salty. It's not bad if you stick it on a sandwich at the end with a slice of swiss and some burn your sinuses German mustard, but will be a little much straight up. If you want to cut the salt I suggest at least half an hour soak in cold water before proceeding.
• For the next step, you'll need a rub and to put it on smoke (I used hickory, but applewood or mesquite could both work depending on taste [sweeter vs. southwestern]).
• Give it the first two hours fairly cold, around 130 F, then give it 2-3 hours at 210 F to cook the meat. When you get done you should have a smoke ring in the meat that comes in a third of the depth on both sides and leaves the meat fully cooked.
• Look for it to be tender, have some bark to it, then slice it thinly across the grain with a sharp knife

Ingredients

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• First of all, this is a first pass recipe, adjust as you see fit.                                             

 Corning:                                                 

• 2-2.5 lbs lean venison (I use an inside round, halved to 3/4 inch thickness)
• Quart of water
• half cup salt
• large handful brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2/3 t black mustard
• 2/3 t peppercorns
• 4 cloves
• 4 allspice
• 6 juniper berries
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 t ground ginger
• 1 lb ice

For the rub before smoking:                                                 

• 1-2 T salt (depending on original salinity)                                                 
• 1.5 T paprika
• 2 T coriander
• 2 T brown sugar
• 2 T pepper
• 2 T black mustard seed (crushed, and this can make it fairly hot, feel free to cut down some)                                                 
• 4 t garlic powder