# Wild Game Pastrami



## wyogoob

*Pastrami meat:*
Any big game will work. Use the big roasts off the shoulder or rump. Trim off the silver skin and most of the fat. A lean trimmed elk or moose brisket works well.

*Brine:*
3 - 5 lb roast
6 tbsp Morton's Tenderquick cure
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/2 quarts water

*Rub:*
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp coriander
3 tbsp coarse black pepper

*Curing Instructions:*
Mix cure, garlic & sugar with 1/2 qt of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Add the other 2 quarts of water, mix well and set aside to cool.
When cooled, inject 1 to 3 cups of the solution into the roast.
Put the meat and the rest of the solution in a 1-gallon ziplock bag.
Make sure the air is squeezed out of the bag.
Store in a 40° fridge for 10 to 14 days.
Remove from the bag, rinse, and then drain.

*Cooking Instructions:*
Spread the rub mixture out and roll the cured meat in it until covered.
Bake over a drip pan in a 200° to 225° oven until the internal temperature is 152°.
Refrigerate overnight and then slice deli thin for sandwiches.

Just like from the Deli.


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## wyogoob

Here's a couple elk roasts for pastrami. One is a rump roast, the lighter-colored one is a shoulder roast:









Add the ingredients to 1/2 of the water and boil for a little while. Add the other 1/2 of the water (some of it can be ice), mix well, and then let the brine solution cool:









Inject the solution into the meat:









Put the meat into gallon Ziploc bags, add the solution to cover. Remove all the air before sealing the bags:









Cure in the fridge for 10 days or so.

More later.


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## pkred

nice work Goob.


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## Moostickles

That sounds great. I am going to try it this week, so I can begin clearing the freezer for the upcoming season.

Keep the recipes coming Good!!!


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## wyogoob

UtahHuntingDirect said:


> That sounds great. I am going to try it this week, so I can begin clearing the freezer for the upcoming season.
> 
> Keep the recipes coming Good!!!


Thanks. I'm cleaning out the freezer myself. Man, this recipe is so easy and the end result is deli-quality cured meat. Moose and elk are the best.

You can leave some of the white skin on, as-a-matter-of-fact it helps hold the roast together when slicing.

You don't have to inject the meat if you don't want to. Just leave the roast in the brine solution longer, say 20 to 25 days total.


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## Moostickles

Great, thanks! Make sure to post up a pic of your end product, as it will be about a week ahead of mine.


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## wyogoob

11 days in the cure the meat has a nice red color and the brine was just starting to get a litlle "slime" to it:









Rolled in the rub and put in a 200° pre-heated oven:


















It cooked about 11 hours at 200°. Every oven or smoker will be different. It's done when the internal temp is 150° - 152°:









This cut looks like the bottom of the round, not the best for pastrami, but I won't tell:









I like the big muscle on the shoulder blade for pastrami; lean, just the right size and not too tough:









I broke out the home-made, 23-day old sauerkraut and made some sandwiches:


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## Moostickles

That looks incredible. I haven't been able to start mine yet, because I've been having trouble finding Tender Cure. But I just ordered some from Amazon, and it will be here on Friday. In the mean time, I trying your Pepperoni #1 recipe.


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## Moostickles

Pulled my batch out of the oven yesterday, after a 12 hour cook (put it in the night before). The stuff is amazing, thank you for posting this one up!! :O||:


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## wyogoob

UtahHuntingDirect said:


> Pulled my batch out of the oven yesterday, after a 12 hour cook (put it in the night before). The stuff is amazing, thank you for posting this one up!! :O||:


Cool!

It's easy huh? Did you use elk? deer? beef?


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## Moostickles

Yeah, lots easier than it looks. The hardest part is making room in the fridge for 10 days. I used elk.


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## cfarnwide

Awesome Goob! Ive used a recipe like this for years on deer and elk. For some reason deer always turns out better -Ov- .

How will antelope turn out with this recipe?


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## archerben

Wow, that looks really good! I've got a couple of elk roasts in the freezer just waiting to be made into pastrami, although I've never done it before. A couple of quick questions:

1- Do you have a recipe for the pastrami rub that you use?
2- I plan on smoking mine. Do you have a suggestion of what wood works best for pastrami?


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## Moostickles

*Re:*



archerben said:


> Wow, that looks really good! I've got a couple of elk roasts in the freezer just waiting to be made into pastrami, although I've never done it before. A couple of quick questions:
> 
> 1- Do you have a recipe for the pastrami rub that you use?
> 2- I plan on smoking mine. Do you have a suggestion of what wood works best for pastrami?


The rub is already listed in Goobs recipe...

I think a hickory/mesquite or hickory/alder mix would add great flavor to it.


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## archerben

Oops. I saw the brine mixture, but somehow missed the rub. Thanks. I think I'm gonna try smoking it with cherry.


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## wyogoob

Traditionally, pastrami is not smoked.

Antelope does not make the best pastrami in my opinion.


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## manzquad

Before:








After:















This a good way to use the Swan meat, but it seems a little salty. This was my first Swan and my first time making pastrami.


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## wyogoob

Whoo hoo, whoo hoo, whoo hoo.

I love it.


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## wyogoob

archerben said:


> Oops. I saw the brine mixture, but somehow missed the rub. Thanks. I think I'm gonna try smoking it with cherry.


How 'bout an update. pictures


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## archerben

Man, I wish I had an update to give and pics to show off. However, that roast is still sitting in the freezer waiting for me. I do have some bratwurst, snack sticks, and turkeys I could show off though. I'll create a new thread or two.


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## swbuckmaster

Wyogoob

You cook so must good stuff id think you were 300 lbs eating it all.

Thanks for the read!


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## wyogoob

*Spicy Wild Game Pastrami*

This is a new recipe for me, a spicy version of Pastrami. Made from an elk round roast, we'll see how it goes:

*Spicy Wild Game Pastrami*

Elk roast:









*Brine:*
3-5 lb roast - any big game will work. Use the big roasts off the shoulder or rump. 
6 tbsp - Morton's Tenderquick cure
2 tsp - garlic powder
2 tsp - white pepper
1/4 cup - sugar
2 1/2 quarts - water

*Rub:*
2 large cloves - garlic, crushed
1/3 cup - vegetable oil
1/4cup - coarse ground black pepper
3 tbsp - paprika, smoked
1 tbsp - coriander
2 tbsp - dry mustard
1/2 tsp - ground white pepper
1/4 tsp - cayenne pepper

Mix cure, spices & sugar with 1/2 qt of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
Boil for about 5 minutes.
Add the other 2 quarts of water; mix well and set aside to cool.
When cooled, inject about 1 cup of the solution into the roast.
Put the meat and the rest of the solution in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag.
Make sure the air is squeezed out of the bag.
Store in a 40° fridge for 10 to 14 days.

Remove from the bag, drain, and pat dry.
Mix garlic and vegetable oil in a small bowl and set aside for 1 hour.
Coat cured roast with garlic oil
Spread the rub mixture out and roll the cured meat in it is lightly coated.
Wrap the roast in 2 layers of aluminum foil.
Bake over a drip pan in a 210° oven until the internal temperature is 150°.
Remove from the oven and let cool for about 3 hours.
Refrigerate overnight, still wrapped in the foil.

Remove foil and place roast on a baking sheet.
Brush off any excess rub.
Broil in a pre-heated oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
Slice deli thin for sandwiches.










This is a spicier version than what is normally found at the Deli. It's got a kick to it; very tender and moist.
.


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## wyogoob

*Spicy Wild Game Pastrami*

Wow, some of the best Pastrami I ever had; tender, moist, garlicy, with a slight cayenne bite in the rub.


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## wyogoob

*Spicy Wild Game Pastrami*

I ate about one-half of my spicy pastrami around the last of February and then vacuum packed the remainder. Took it out of the fridge last week, sliced it deli-thin and then served pastrami on rye with home-made sauerkraut to a bunch of construction guys from Florida.

Some of them said it was the best pastrami they ever ate. I have to agree. I'm staying with the Spicy Pastrami recipe from now on.

wow


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## elkmule123

I'll have to dig through my roasts an try this recipe. I'll take your word wyogoob and just jump straight to the spicy pastrami recipe first. Mmm my mouth his already watering just thinking of it. :mrgreen:


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## elkmule123

Thanks for sharing this recipe wyogoob. I cooked the spicy version over night last night. I smoked a bit this afternoon, yum. I used a round roast from a doe that was harvested on the extended.


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## wyogoob

elkmule123 said:


> Thanks for sharing this recipe wyogoob. I cooked the spicy version over night last night. I smoked a bit this afternoon, yum. I used a round roast from a doe that was harvested on the extended.


That really looks nice, good job.

It's easy to make isn't it?

.


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## elkmule123

Very easy!!! The hardest part I guess would be seeing it in the brine solution day after day in anticipation of the tasty treat it was creating. :mrgreen: So tender, I actually put mine in the oven over night. Placed it in the oven at 10:30pm at 190* and got up at 5:00am the next day and quite surprised to see the internal temp at 170*. I was a bit worried that I had over cooked it, but it still turned out great.


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## elkmule123

Now I just need to learn how to make the sauerkraut ;-)


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## wyogoob

I made two nice 4-lb pastrami roasts from elk round roasts. They have been "aging" in vacuum bags in the fridge for two months. Took one of them out and sliced it up. This particular cut is very tender compared to shoulder roasts or brisket made into pastrami. It's the spicy variety, juicy with a kick, but not my best. It could use a little more salt (cure):


I have some "vintage" sauerkraut, started in February 2014 - time for Reuben sandwiches.

.


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## Gumbo

Goob, why didn't you smoke these for true pastrami?


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## wyogoob

I don't smoke pastrami, thank you.


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## Gumbo

Hmm, then wouldn't that would make this corned venison?


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## wyogoob

My corned venison has pickling spices in it.

.


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## Cooky

That is _very_ good pastrami! It's moist and tender and that bit of spiciness pushes it over the top.  
The mailman brought me the package you sent right at lunchtime today... perfect timing. When Mrs. Cooky got home I had her try it too&#8230; if you see a small lady in a big red car wandering around Evingston looking for the pastrami guy send her home will ya?


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## wyogoob

*Make ya some!*

Get an elk roast out of the freezer and make some pastrami!:










It's easy.


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## Dunkem

Gawd thats purty!!


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## wyogoob

Dunkem said:


> Gawd thats purty!!


Thank you.

.


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## elkmule123

Oooh Man, now I'll have to make some more. The spicy recipe is awesome, thanks for sharing it wyogoob. I smoked the last pastrami that I made :drool: it turned out awesome.


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## willfish4food

wyogoob said:


> Get an elk roast out of the freezer and make some pastrami!:
> 
> 
> It's easy.


I want to eat some of that RIGHT NOW!


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## johnnycake

I went with the oven for these pastramis. Elk rump on the left, bison shoulder on the right. My rub was a mix of salt, pepper, coriander, chili powder (my own blend of anaheims, chipotles, and chilis de arbol moderately spicy overall), and smoked paprika.

After some initial sampling, they are headed to the fridge for a good chill so I can do some wafer thin slicing on the deli slicer later.


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## wyogoob

Holey Moley, that's what I'm talkin' about!

.


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## wyogoob

bump


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## wyogoob

wyogoob said:


> This is a new recipe for me, a spicy version of Pastrami. Made from an elk round roast, we'll see how it goes:
> 
> *Spicy Wild Game Pastrami*
> 
> Elk roast:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Brine:*
> 3-5 lb roast - any big game will work. Use the big roasts off the shoulder or rump.
> 6 tbsp - Morton's Tenderquick cure
> 2 tsp - garlic powder
> 2 tsp - white pepper
> 1/4 cup - sugar
> 2 1/2 quarts - water
> 
> *Rub:*
> 2 large cloves - garlic, crushed
> 1/3 cup - vegetable oil
> 1/4cup - coarse ground black pepper
> 3 tbsp - paprika, smoked
> 1 tbsp - coriander
> 2 tbsp - dry mustard
> 1/2 tsp - ground white pepper
> 1/4 tsp - cayenne pepper
> 
> Mix cure, spices & sugar with 1/2 qt of water in a pot and bring to a boil.
> Boil for about 5 minutes.
> Add the other 2 quarts of water; mix well and set aside to cool.
> When cooled, inject about 1 cup of the solution into the roast.
> Put the meat and the rest of the solution in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag.
> Make sure the air is squeezed out of the bag.
> Store in a 40° fridge for 10 to 14 days.
> 
> Remove from the bag, drain, and pat dry.
> Mix garlic and vegetable oil in a small bowl and set aside for 1 hour.
> Coat cured roast with garlic oil
> Spread the rub mixture out and roll the cured meat in it is lightly coated.
> Wrap the roast in 2 layers of aluminum foil.
> Bake over a drip pan in a 210° oven until the internal temperature is 150°.
> Remove from the oven and let cool for about 3 hours.
> Refrigerate overnight, still wrapped in the foil.
> 
> Remove foil and place roast on a baking sheet.
> Brush off any excess rub.
> Broil in a pre-heated oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
> Slice deli thin for sandwiches.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is a spicier version than what is normally found at the Deli. It's got a kick to it; very tender and moist.
> .




This is the best pastrami I've ever eaten.

.


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## Kwalk3

Looks amazing. I have a few whitetail roasts I am saving just for this....


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## derekp1999

I tried my hand at pastrami last week... turned out amazing.

https://utahbiggameodds.blogspot.com/2019/12/wild-game-pastrami.html

The known deficiency in the little Harbor Freight slicer was made abundantly clear, so a new commercial grade deli slicer has been ordered and will appear mysteriously under the Christmas tree this year.


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## hunting777

derekp1999 said:


> The known deficiency in the little Harbor Freight slicer was made abundantly clear, so a new commercial grade deli slicer has been ordered and will appear mysteriously under the Christmas tree this year.


So what Slicer did you order? I am in the same boat. My old Rival is giving up the ghost.


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## derekp1999

hunting777 said:


> So what Slicer did you order? I am in the same boat. My old Rival is giving up the ghost.


Going to give this one a try: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000T3KY5Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use the term "commercial grade" loosely.


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## hunting777

keep us posted on how it works for you.


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## wyogoob

derekp1999 said:


> I tried my hand at pastrami last week... turned out amazing.
> 
> https://utahbiggameodds.blogspot.com/2019/12/wild-game-pastrami.html
> 
> The known deficiency in the little Harbor Freight slicer was made abundantly clear, so a new commercial grade deli slicer has been ordered and will appear mysteriously under the Christmas tree this year.


Good job! Great lookin pastrami!


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## StillAboveGround

wyogoob said:


> You don't have to inject the meat if you don't want to. Just leave the roast in the brine solution longer, say 20 to 25 days total.


Looks good...
I have done this several times with elk and always been pleased with the result (nobody ever spits it out)...

The corned elk (and potatoes and carrots and cabbage) are not bad either...

But I have never left it brining for that long though, 4 or 5 days at the most...

Now I need to test a longer corning process to see if I can tell the difference.

I have even skipped the curing salts because I smoke (Yes, smoke instead of bake) it a higher temps and wasn't worried about growing bacteria like when slow smoking sausages... would agree curing salts are necessary if brining for that long (40°F and lower is the key to safety).


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## derekp1999

hunting777 said:


> keep us posted on how it works for you.


To circle back on this one... made another batch of pastrami (actually like the 4th batch now) because when the whole run on the grocery stores started and the schools closed my wife looked at me and said, "With all 6 kids at home now I'm not sure we'll have enough for lunches... could you make some more pastrami just in case?" Ummm... twist my arm.

I'm quite happy with the new slicer granted my only prior reference is the POS from Harbor Freight. It slices thin and smooth, goes thru a small roast pretty quickly. The only drawback is it's a bit of a pain in the neck to clean completely.

And these little sliders were just exquisite... scratch made biscuits, thin sliced elk pastrami, melted Monterrey Jack, and homegrown banana peppers.


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## High Desert Elk

I made some bigger roasts out of a cow elk we got last year, I will definitley give this a try, especially while doing the whole 'work from home' company directive thing right now


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## 2full

I know it wasn't pastrami............But,

I tin foiled a good sized elk roast last week. 
Seasoned it with primed rib rub, garlic powder, onion powder, and some seasoning salt. 
Added some Spade L to the mix. 
Poked some holes in the top and put some strip of bacon on top. 

Slow baked it for 6 hours at 200 degrees. 
Simple and easy to prepare. 

It was fantastic. Made great leftovers for the rest of the week as well.


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## turkinator

My boys are busy with winter sports right now so it makes it hard to get out on the weekends, but it is the perfect time to make some delicious treats with the Fall harvests.

Followed Goob’s recipe and made some amazing elk pastrami. It was my first time, but it won’t be the last. I’ve also made some batches of elk breakfast sausage and Italian sausage that also turned out great. Found recipes for those off of the Meateater website.


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