Venison Pastrami
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
4 hrs
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Total Time
4 hrs 15 mins
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Servings
2 pounds
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Calories
106 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Venison Pastrami
Description
This Venison Pastrami is prepared by weighing the venison and applying a carefully measured mix of kosher salt, Instacure No. 1, sugar, and aromatic spices such as thyme, celery seed, caraway, juniper berries, and black pepper. The cure is rubbed thoroughly into the meat, which is then vacuum-sealed or tightly bagged and refrigerated for 3 to 5 days, allowing the cure to preserve and season the venison evenly without excess saltiness.
After curing, the venison is rinsed and patted dry, then left uncovered in the refrigerator to form a pellicle for up to a day. Following this, the meat is dipped in brandy and coated with a thick layer of coarsely ground black pepper and coriander, preparing it for smoking or cooking. This process imparts a complex mixture of earthy spices and peppery tones, producing a flavorful cured meat distinct from traditional beef pastrami.
Ingredients
- venison roast hind leg or backstrap
- kosher salt (see recipe notes)
- Instacure No. 1 (see recipe notes)
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon juniper berries optional, crushed
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper plus 3 tablespoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup brandy red wine, vinegar or water
- 3 tablespoons Coriander coarsely ground
Instructions
- Weigh your venison. For every pound of meat, you’ll need 10 grams of kosher salt and about 1.5 grams curing salt. Mix the salt, curing salt, sugar as well as the thyme, celery seed, caraway, juniper and the teaspoon of black pepper and grind them all together in a spice grinder. Pack the venison with this mixture, massaging it into the meat. Vacuum seal or put the meat into a Ziploc bag or closed container and set it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. A general rule is 2 days per pound of meat. If you’re unsure, leave the meat in one more day than you think you need to. This salt ratio will prevent the meat from getting overly salty.
- Rinse the cure off the venison and pat it dry. It’s fine if you have a little bit of the cure stuck to the meat, but you don’t want too much. Put the venison on a rack in the fridge and let it dry uncovered for up to a day.
- Dip the meat into the brandy — or really any other liquid you want — and then coat thoroughly in the 3 tablespoons of remaining black pepper and ground coriander seed. I like to grind this myself so the texture is a little coarse, a little fine. Press it into the meat well.
- Smoke the venison at about 165°F to 200°F until the interior hits 145°F, which takes me about 3 hours. Let the pastrami cool and eat as lunch meat, or on crackers or whatever.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2pounds
Amount Per Serving
Calories 106 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 106kcal | 5% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 1g | 2% |
| Fat | 2g | 3% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Sodium | 4mg | 0% |
| Potassium | 95mg | 2% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin C | 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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