The (un)official MacRumors Recipe thread

[Lord Blackadder]

This week has been quite hot for my region (mid 80s F) and since I don't have air conditioning I've been staying out of the kitchen and eating leftovers. However, we did fire up the oven do one of my favorite summer dishes: Fish tacos.

I like using a firm mild whitefish: Halibut if you are treating yourself; I used haddock this week. You can use just about any fish though, including more sustainable options like Tilapia, catfish or carp (for some of these fishier-tasting fish, you'll want to amp up the flavors in the marinade and/or toppings).

Marinade Fish:
In the case of the halibut or haddock (or cod), marinade a 1 pound filet overnight (or at least a few hours) in lime juice, salt, olive oil and your favorite spice blend (a good quality chili powder with crushed garlic is an excellent basic pairing).

Cook Fish:
Bake at around 350F for 10-20mins till the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork. serve in the tortilla either in chunks or flaked if you prefer (if you want to be precise, pull it when the fish registers 140F on a meat thermometer). Note: obviously in the summer you should be grilling the fish! I used the oven due to lack of access to a grill and being pressed for time during a busy work week. But nothing beats a cold beer on a sunny day while waiting for the coals to heat up...

Assemble Taco:
Hipster fusion restaurants love to make tacos piled high with too much nonsense. I think fish tacos are best served simple - don't overthink it. A basic cabbage or jicama slaw drizzled with a cilantro-lime crema. Maybe some sautéed black beans and onions for added heft if you're particularly hungry. Add diced chili peppers or your favorite hot sauce (most likely Cholula in my case) for heat. Cheese on a fish taco is weird as hell apart from perhaps a judicious sprinkling of cotija. The choice of tortilla can be a sensitive issue for purists - I am not a stickler. Hard corn, soft flour, or authentic fresh corn tortillas are all delicious.

Best accompanied by a very cold yellow beer or your favorite summer cocktail (G&T please).

 

[anika200]

Who is going to be the first person to put up their Video Recipe that they hashed up in their kitchen? Can we get a betting sheet out, haha. Will it be one of our regular food genius or some new video recipe guru.

In case this does not make sense, macrumors forums have allowed video content today in the whole forums.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Who is going to be the first person to put up there Video Recipe that they hashed up in their kitchen? Can we get a betting sheet out, haha. Will it be one of our regular food genius or some new video recipe guru.

In case this does not make sense, macrumors forums have allowed video content today in the whole forums.

Not me.

Pots and pans (Italian stainless steel and/or copper, or - for that matter - French copper pots and pans), wooden chopping boards, Japanese knives and an Italian garlic press/crusher are all tools that sit easily in my hand, but the mastery of video technology is something that remains well above my technological pay grade for now.

 

[Huntn]

Boiled Shrimp
https://www.myrecipes.com/how-to/how-to-boil-shrimp

• Fresh Shrimp with shell on preferred. With shell off can become mushy during boiling.
• The more aromatic your boiling water, the more flavorful your shrimp. There’s no right or wrong combination of ingredients, so feel free to experiment with different amounts and types of spices and fresh or dried herbs until you find what you like best. Toss in aromatics like coriander seed, mustard seed, celery seed, whole allspice, and cloves—or keep it old-school with Old Bay Seasoning (if you're a paprika fan, you'll instantly fall in love). Whatever you do, aim for bold, but balanced flavors.

Options any combo with 1-2 lb of shrimp in mind:

• 3-4 bay leaves.
• 3 TBS Old Bay Seasoning (a must IMO)
• Pinch of Cayenne
• 2 Tsps of black peppercorns
• 1/2 head garlic, halved crosswise (I used minced garlic).
• 5 sprigs fresh parsley (I used dry parsley).
• 1 Cup apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 Lemon Halved.

Steps:

• Fill a large pot with water until a little more than halfway full.
• Stir in all of the aromatics except lemon (if using) and bring the water to a boil.
• While waiting fill a large bowl with ice to cool the shrimp after cooking so they don’t overcook.
• After the water boils, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to infuse the flavors.
• Squeeze the lemon juice into the water (toss in the lemon if you want).
• Add the shrimp (cook in two batches if more than 2 pounds of shrimp). and simmer 2-3 minutes until pink. Shrimp cook quickly!
• Remove shrimp with slotted spoon and place on ice. Serve immediately or chill on ice in the refrigerator.

Don’t forget the dipping sauce:

• Cocktail Sauce
• Remoulade Sauce
• Tartar Sauce
• or melted butter.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

One summer dish that absolutely must be part of your repertoire:

Vichyssoise

Very simple, it is a creamy potato-leek soup served chilled. The challenge is to get it come out as white in color as possible, but don't worry if yours doesn't look like what they serve at the Ritz - it will be delicious all the same. And this is one of those dishes that is perfect for a picnic or hike - just pour it into a thermos or insulated container.

I first attempted this after watching the Two Fat Ladies make it in an episode of their inimitable cooking show.

Ingredients:

• 6 leeks
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
• 4 cups chicken stock or water
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 6 ounces thick cream*
• Fresh chives

(* I have made this with coconut milk for lactose intolerant dinner guests, and while I prefer the cream it is a workable alternative)

Instructions:

Slice the leeks thin, using only the the white parts, and cook them in the butter till soft. Add the potatoes and stir, add the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 45 minutes.

Let the soup cool, then blend it very smooth with an immersion blender or food processor. Add the cream, adjust seasoning. Chill until quite cold. Serve with snipped chives on top.

 

[Huntn]

One summer dish that absolutely must be part of your repertoire:

Vichyssoise

Very simple, it is a creamy potato-leek soup served chilled. The challenge is to get it come out as white in color as possible, but don't worry if yours doesn't look like what they serve at the Ritz - it will be delicious all the same. And this is one of those dishes that is perfect for a picnic or hike - just pour it into a thermos or insulated container.

I first attempted this after watching the Two Fat Ladies make it in an episode of their inimitable cooking show.

Ingredients:

• 6 leeks
• 2 ounces unsalted butter
• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and finely sliced
• 4 cups chicken stock or water
• Salt
• Black pepper
• 6 ounces thick cream*
• Fresh chives

(* I have made this with coconut milk for lactose intolerant dinner guests, and while I prefer the cream it is a workable alternative)

Instructions:

Slice the leeks thin, using only the the white parts, and cook them in the butter till soft. Add the potatoes and stir, add the stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then simmer for about 45 minutes.

Let the soup cool, then blend it very smooth with an immersion blender or food processor. Add the cream, adjust seasoning. Chill until quite cold. Serve with snipped chives on top.

How would you describe the taste? A rich potato soup?

 

[Scepticalscribe]

How would you describe the taste? A rich potato soup?

The leeks give it a wonderful flavour.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

How would you describe the taste? A rich potato soup?

Yes, it's more of an even blend of potato/leek flavor - not much to hide behind! The potato starch and cream give it an extremely smooth texture. Very filling but when eaten chilled it's quite refreshing. Good with crusty bread if you are especially hungry.

The trick, as I said, is to get the perfect color - using only the whitest parts of the leeks, white-fleshed potatoes, and chicken stock that has been strained to make it as clear as possible. I am not super picky so mine usually comes out a little yellow compared to the "pro-chef" version, but I make it to eat, not look at.

EDIT: Oh, and some variations call for white pepper. It's OK, but it is very easy to overdo it on the white pepper, so be judicious.

 

[Huntn]

Baked Zeti I (found on AllRecipes.com)
Easy tasty recipe. For two people it’s easy to half this recipe.

not my photo​

Ingredients

• 1 pound dry ziti pasta (Any short pasta. I used a gemeli pasta made with chick pea flour.)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 pound lean ground beef (I used ground turkey.)
• 2 (26 ounce) jars spaghetti sauce
• 6 ounces provolone cheese, sliced
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• 6 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add ziti pasta, and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes; drain.
• In a large skillet, brown onion and ground beef over medium heat. Add spaghetti sauce, and simmer 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9x13 inch baking dish. Layer as follows: 1/2 of the ziti, Provolone cheese, sour cream, 1/2 sauce mixture, remaining ziti, mozzarella cheese and remaining sauce mixture. Top with grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cheeses are melted.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Baked Zeti I (found on AllRecipes.com)
Easy tasty recipe. For two people it’s easy to half this recipe.

A Midwestern American classic. I think every potluck I ever attended had at least one example of this dish in it. What kid doesn't love a heaping plate of cheesy, meaty pasta casserole?

 

[Huntn]

Flexible Marinate For Grilled Chicken (can work for beef too!)

This is a very flexible recipe, mix as you see fit:
Place chicken in 1 Gallon ziplock bag, and add:

• Olive Oil
• Soy Sauce
• Any combo of crushed Garlic, Garlic Salt, Garlic Powder
• Black Pepper
• Onion cutup or diced

Marinate chicken in the fridge for 1-8 hrs or over night.
For a BBQ variant, replace the Soy Sauce with BBQ Sauce.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

A version of Indonesian Rice (Nasi Goreng).

The recipe called for one day old rice, or, "old rice"; I had prepared a batch of basmati rice yesterday in the rice cooker, ready for today.

Finely chopped onions and carrots (organic) were sautéed over a pretty high heat; a half mug of frozen peas waited to join them in due course.

Half a very finely diced chilli pepper (seeds removed, you want heat in this dish, but nothing too explosive), plus a fat thumb of grated (and peeled) ginger also awaited in another small dish. As did a small dish of minced garlic (a full head of garlic, peeled, chopped and minced).

Yet another small dish was home to chopped scallions/French onions.

In a bowl nearby, four small eggs (free range, organic), already whisked, were on stand by.

Once the onions were translucent and carrots were softened, the finely chopped chilli, grated ginger and minced garlic were added, as were half the chopped French onions, stirring briskly.

Then, I added the peas.

A few minutes later, I increased the heat, and added the egg mixture, stirring the lot with a whisk.

When the eggs were scrambled nicely, I added the day old (basmati) rice, breaking it down with a wooden spoon.

Once this was nicely mixed together, I made a small well, and added a generous teaspoon (a silver spoon somewhat larger - third to a half as large again - than a teaspoon, inherited from my grandmother) of sambal oelek, and mixed the rice through it; next to be added was shrimp paste - a generous dessertspoon; this, too, was mixed through; then two dessertspoons of kecap manis (Indonesian sweet soy sauce) were added, and a teaspoon of ordinary soy sauce, the lot stirred through.

This was when I added the rest of the French onions.

Another minute or two on the stove top, stirring (and tasting) and it was ready to serve (and eat), and very tasty, it was, too.

 

[Huntn]

I thought I posted this but a search did not reveal:

Welsh Cookies (Family recipe)
Simple but delicious.

• 4 Cups White Flour
• 1 Cup Shortening
• 2 Cups White Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1/8-1/4 cup Milk or Water
• 10 Oz Currents
• 1 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 3 Teaspoon Baking Powder (not baking soda)
• Nutmeg for sprinkling.
• small bowl of sugar for dipping

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Mix ingredients except (except flour, milk or water) together. I start with the shortening and sugar first, eggs, seasoning, then add flour and currents last. This mixture will be on the verge of being crumbly to being crumbly. Then add just enough milk or water to moisten the mix so it holds together, don't over do it. If you add more than the recommended quantity of liquid, the dough will become sticky when you are handling it. I take a large tablespoon dallop, shape into a ball, flatten the dough a little, then dip the top in white sugar. Place a dozen on a greased cooking sheet. Sprinkle them lightly with nutmeg. Bake for 15 minutes. Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

3Jan Updated Recipe to make corrections, length of time to cook, amount of liquid specified, suggestions on the order to mix ingredients, my photo.

​

My cookies, mmm.

​

 

[Huntn]

Gingerbread Cutouts

1 Cup Butter
1 Cup white granular sugar
1 Egg
1 Cup Dark Molasses
2 TBS Vinegar
5 Cups All Purpose Flour
1.5 TSP Baking Soda
2 TSP ginger
1 TSP Cinnamon
1 TSP Cloves

Cream butter. Add sugar, beat in egg, molasses, and vinegar. Blend in dry ingredients. The original recipe says to sift ingredients, but I never do. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill.

Then take out of the refrigerator, allow to warm enough to roll out at 1/8”-1/4” thick on a flourerd surface. Cut into desired shapes, ideally with cookie cutter cutouts. Place on greased baking sheet. Bake at 375, 5-15 minutes depending on thickness. Allow to cool on sheets of paper towels. Then after they have cooled, apply icing and sugar sprinkles if desired. Should make several dozen up to 5 dozen, cookies depending on how large they are.

Here are my masterpieces. My favorite is the road kill reindeer and the Christmas headstones, somehow Mickey Mouse showed up.

​

 

[Huntn]

Brandy-Buttered Cornish Hens (Southern Living Cookbook 1987, page 406)
Bake 1-1.5 hours @350°F
Yield: 4 servings.

​

• 4- 1.5 Lb Cornish Hens
• Salt and Pepper
• Pecan Stuffing
• 1/3 Cup butter melted
• 3 Tbs Aricot, Peach, or Plum flavored Brandy
• Fresh Parsley sprigs
• Apple Slices
• Green Grapes

Baking Instructions

• Remove any giblets found in hens, reserve for other uses if desired. Rinse with cold water, and pat dry. Sprinkle cavity with salt and pepper.
• Stuff hens with Pecan stuffing and close cavities with wooden picks or truss. (or heat the Pecan stuffing separately your preference).
• Brush hens with butter and sprinkle generously with pepper. Combine remaining butter with brandy.
• Place hens, breast side up, in a shallow pan. Bake 1-1.5 hours @ 350°F or until juices run clear when thighispierced with a fork, basting frequently with the brandy/butter mix.
• Garnish with parsley, apple slices, and grapes.

Microwave Cooking Direction
Place hens breast side down on a microwave roasting rack, placed in a 12x8xx2 inch baking dish. Cover hens with a tent of wax paper. Microwave High for 15 minutes. Flip hens breast side up then rotate 1/2 turn on rack. Brush with brandy mixture. Cover with wax paper, and microwave at High for 16-20 minutes or until juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a fork.
Baste with brandy mixture, and turn uncooked portions to outside every 5 minutes.* After cooking let stand 4-6 minutes before serving. Garnish with fruit as above.
*I'm not actually sure what "uncooked portions to outside" means. I assume this means to baste the birds and rotate them on the rack every 5 minus.


Pecan Stuffing- This is delicious.
Yield: Enough stuffing for 4 Cornish Hens.

• 1 cup apple juice
• 1/4 cup apricot, peach, or plum flavored brandy
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1- 8oz package of cornbread stuffing mix.
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a saucepan; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until butter melts. Add stuffing mix and pecans; stir lightly.

 

[Huntn]

Broccoli Puff Casserole
https://www.keyingredient.com/recipes/207553/broccoli-puff-casserole/

Ingredients

• 2 bunches broccoli (2 small bags of frozen or 1 large bag of broccoli florets)
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup grated cheddar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon melted butte

Directions

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut up broccoli into florets, and steam until crisp, drain.
• Put broccoli in casserole dish.
• Stir soup, cheese, milk, Mayo, and egg and pour over broccoli. Combine bread crumbs and butter and sprinkle over top.
• Bake for 45 minutes.

​

 

[shadow puppet]

A friend recently made this substituting tortellini for the shells and I plan to make this soon since I have everything on hand. We're about to get a lot of rainy cold weather and comfort food is perfect for chilly nights.

Baked Tortellini (or shells ) with creamy artichoke and spinach sauce

Ingredients:

8 oz medium pasta shells
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes
10 oz fresh baby spinach or frozen chopped spinach
1 (14 oz) can artichoke hearts drained & roughly chopped
2 C heavy cream (1 pint)
4 oz grated parmesan (about 1 cup)
Black pepper
4 oz grated mozzarella (about 1 cup)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Turn down to medium hight and cook pasta according to package directions until 2 minutes short of al dente (the pasta will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and reserve liquid.

Meanwhile, heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add spinach little by little until wilted, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. Stir in chopped artichokes.

Stir in cream and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Sir in the Parmesan until melted. Remove from the heat then carefully stir in the cooked pasta or transfer to large bowl to mix together. The liquid might appear wet and loose but will thicken up as it bakes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the pasta to a 2 quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with mozzarella and bake until bubbling. 20-25 minutes. Broil unit browned in spots, 1-2 minutes if desired.

Note: my friend also added bacon.

 

[anika200]

Smoked Chicken Hearts - Say prayer for chicken hearts

This comes in handy when you have way too many chicken hearts to eat or are serving a crowd.

Smoked Chicken Hearts

Started with
(1) Quart Chicken hearts
(4-6) Cups Water
(1/8) Cups Morton Tender Quick
(1) Tbs Garlic granular or fresh
(1/2) Tbs Onion granular

In a two quart plastic container mix the water and Mortons Tender Quick and spices and whisk until salt is dissolved.
Add the chicken hearts and stir to get the mix in the little hearts, you can use your hands which is good.
Refrigerate for 24-48 hrs to pickle and preserve basically.

At end of pickle stage drain and rinse the hearts well. You really gotta rinse these hearts or the final result will be too salty.
Dry the hearts with a towel then lay them out so they can dry (you can use a fan it helps) they are dry when they are not shiny anymore.
After dry, preheat your smoker @ 225F leave the vents full open to get a good smoke going.
Mean while.
Optional, Stuff the hearts with Jalapenos or whatever you want.
And now and if wanted coat lightly with olive oil and sprinkle spices on the outside.

Smoke with Apple wood chips (maybe one cup would work but you can do more or less) for around 2hrs or so @ 225-250F.
They need a temp of 160F and then rap them up to keep moist until they hit 170F and then let coolish and serve.
I am working with a generic electric smoker, little fridge style, which uses chips in a tray near the burner/heater to produce smoke.
You must adapt to your smoker or situation.

 

[anika200]

Super Long complicated Recipe follows, Good Luck
It is totally worth it though, so good. And you will know how to make Corned Beef and Pastrami and Finally DP spread.


Deviled Pastrami

Start your corned beef with a 5-7 lb beef brisket or buy one already corned:

You will only need about 1-2 lb final product to make 16-20 OZ of the Deviled Pastrami Spread.
First you have to corn your beef brisket using any recipe you want or purchase one.
My generic recipe is, brine for two weeks making sure to move it around as needed daily to keep the brine even, you can use a weight of some kind to hold the brisket down in the brine.
Brine Using
1 gallon water
11/2 cup salt
4 tsp pink cure 1 or 2
1/4 cup pickling spice -- This is your favorite corned beef pickle spice mix, look one up on Google
1/4 cup brown sugar

After a couple weeks you have corned beef and now we only need about 1/2 of the corned beef to make Pastrami cut it in half and enjoy the rest some other way.

Now to make the Pastrami
Dry
Let the half corned beef rest in the fridge over night, on a plate on a rack, uncovered, no extra anything just the meat.
Or you can towel dry it hardcore and then put a fan on it for 4-6 hrs rotating it and moving it to dry all sides.
Apply the Spices and then Smoke
Preheat your smoker to 215 F and get your smoke ready however you do it.
Rub
You can now apply the rub of your choice, you will probably need a sticker like molasses, mustard, good oil and then your spices of choice.
I keep mine simple, I rub down the whole thing with some good mustard, horseradish mustard is nice, then coat with some form of dried garlic, onion and a good bit of black pepper.
Smoke
Smoke in preheated smoker @ 215 degrees F and smoke with wood of choice, I use apple for this.
Smoke for 4-6 hours depending on your smoker conditions, etc....
Take it out of smoker and let it cool, I fridge it over night but not always.
It should look something like the photo below when you are done




Cook the pastrami
We are going to slow simmer this corned beef smoked brisket for about 4-6 hours in water. You seriously need to cook this at preferably 215-235 degrees for the whole time if possible. That is really low, like one bubble every couple minutes type thing. Lid partial on is good.
Once that it is done, tender, poke it with a fork etc... You must let it cool preferably in the liquid.

You have to let it cool .

Make the Deviled Pastrami
Chop up the the pastrami into a mince and then mix it together with all the other ingredients.
I usually cut it into one inch pieces and then pulse it in a food processor and then throw in onions and peppers and pulse those too.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened ( you can 1/2 this and the next ingredient or any combination )
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small finely chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 finely chopped peppers of choosing, red is nice
• Tablespoon mustard
• teaspoon hot sauce, I use Tabasco Sauce
• teaspoon pepper
• teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups minced Pastrami
• teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, not optional.

In the end you should have a spreadable meat product that you can enjoy on crackers, bread, with egg etc....
You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
It will look better than the photo below, this batch is on its last leg, hahaha.

​

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Sounds delicious! Never had it as a spread like that before. Though I am probably never going to own a smoker or a meat slicer (at least not for the foreseeable future) to do proper corn beef myself. There is a deli back in my home town that makes it themselves and it's just right. An overstuffed hot corned beef sandwich on rye with coleslaw is to die for.

I will say this though - if I can't get 'real' corned beef from a place that makes it right I just go without. The store-bought stuff / prepackaged cold cuts are just saddening.

 

[JamesMike]

I'm tucking your recipe in my Special Ops cookbook @anika200. Thanks.

 

[anika200]

There is a deli back in my home town that makes it themselves and it's just right.

Yes of course just get some good Pastrami and make Deviled Pastrami, it is so much easier. I do not have that option here so hence the recipe.

I do wonder however if it would be the same, my corned beef/pastrami is pretty intense flavor but your butcher might be totally different.

 

[anika200]

I'm tucking your recipe in my Special Ops cookbook @anika200. Thanks.

Wow, that sounds pretty good I guess. It is a special ops, hahahaha, I get it.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Super Long complicated Recipe follows, Good Luck
It is totally worth it though, so good.


Deviled Pastrami

Start your corned beef with a 5-7 lb beef brisket or buy one already corned:

You will only need about 8-12 OZ final product to make 16 OZ of the Deviled Pastrami Spread.
First you have to corn your beef brisket using any recipe you want or purchase one.
My generic recipe is, brine for two weeks making sure to move it around as needed daily to keep the brine even, you can use a weight of some kind to hold the brisket down in the brine.
Brine Using
1 gallon water
11/2 cup salt
4 tsp pink cure 1 or 2
1/4 cup pickling spice -- This is your favorite corned beef pickle spice mix, look one up on Google
1/4 cup brown sugar

After a couple weeks you have corned beef and now we only need about 1/2 of the corned beef to make Pastrami cut it in half and enjoy the rest some other way.

Now to make the Pastrami
Dry
Let the half corned beef rest in the fridge over night, on a plate on a rack, uncovered, no extra anything just the meat.
Or you can towel dry it hardcore and then put a fan on it for 4-6 hrs rotating it and moving it to dry all sides.
Apply the Spices and then Smoke
Preheat your smoker to 215 F and get your smoke ready however you do it.
Rub
You can now apply the rub of your choice, you will probably need a sticker like molasses, mustard, good oil and then your spices of choice.
I keep mine simple, I rub down the whole thing with some good mustard, horseradish mustard is nice, then coat with some form of dried garlic, onion and a good bit of black pepper.
Smoke
Smoke in preheated smoker @ 215 degrees F and smoke with wood of choice, I use apple for this.
Smoke for 4-6 hours depending on your smoker conditions, etc....
Take it out of smoker and let it cool, I fridge it over night but not always.
It should look something like the photo below when you are done

View attachment 1754813


Cook the pastrami
We are going to slow simmer this corned beef smoked brisket for about 4-6 hours in water. You seriously need to cook this at preferably 215-235 degrees for the whole time if possible. That is really low, like one bubble every couple minutes type thing. Lid partial on is good.
Once that it is done, tender, poke it with a fork etc... You must let it cool preferably in the liquid.

You have to let it cool .

Make the Deviled Pastrami
Chop up the the pastrami into a mince and then mix it together with all the other ingredients.
I usually cut it into one inch pieces and then pulse it in a food processor and then throw in onions and peppers and pulse those too.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened ( you can 1/2 this and the next ingredient or any combination )
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 small finely chopped sweet onion
• 1/2 finely chopped peppers of choosing, red is nice
• Tablespoon mustard
• teaspoon hot sauce, I use Tabasco Sauce
• teaspoon pepper
• teaspoon garlic powder
• 3 cups minced Pastrami
• teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, not optional.

In the end you should have a spreadable meat product that you can enjoy on crackers, bread, with egg etc....
You can keep it in the fridge for a couple of weeks.
It will look better than the photo below, this batch is on its last leg, hahaha.

View attachment 1754814

​

Wonderful recipe, @anika200, and I love the idea of devilled pastrami as a spread.

Unfortunately, as I lack both a blender anda smoker (and we don't really have the climate fro a smoker), this is not a recipe that I am likely to be able to try out.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Yes of course just get some good Pastrami and make Deviled Pastrami, it is so much easier. I do not have that option here so hence the recipe.

I do wonder however if it would be the same, my corned beef/pastrami is pretty intense flavor but your butcher might be totally different.

There's quite a bit of variation in flavor between different recipes, to be sure - though when done right they all have that wonderful melt-in-your-mouth texture. You haven't lived till you've had a corned beef or pastrami sandwich from a genuine old-school New York Jewish deli. And with the smoker you can work magic on almost any meat.