• Mike Sula
  • Smoked hunter beef

One of my obsessions over the last few years has been scheming to create the elusive—or perhaps nonexistent—hunter beef pastrami. It’s a basic brisket rubbed in Pakistani hunter beef spices that’s smoked and then steamed until buttery tender. I’d dabbled with hunter turkey breast in the past, but when Friends of the Food Chain Barn & Company Pit Master Gary Wiviott and coauthor Colleen Rush asked if I wanted to contribute a recipe to their recently released Low & Slow 2: The Art of Barbecue, Smoke-Roasting, and Basic Curing, I knew the time was nigh to bring hunter beef pastrami into the world.

PREP TIME: 48 to 72 hours to soak the corned beef

2 to 3 Days before the Cook Rinse the corned beef under cold running water and pat it dry with paper towels. Trim away the excess fat the same way you would trim a packer-cut brisket, leaving at least 1⁄4 inch of fat. Or, if you’re new to running a smoker for more than 4 hours, keep the fat cap intact to protect the meat from drying out.

Every Hour in the Cook Keep an eye on the cooker temperature. If it is running hotter than 250°F or drops below 225°F for more than 10 to 15 minutes, adjust the vents or restock the charcoal to modify the temperature. To increase the temperature, you may need to restock the fire with a chimney of lit charcoal if the cooker is running low on charcoal. Or, if there is plenty of charcoal but it is not completely engaged, you may need to open the vent(s) slightly to increase airflow, which will ignite more charcoal and increase the temperature. Slightly close the vent(s) to decrease the temperature. Give the cooker 10 to 15 minutes to settle in to the new temperature before adjusting the vent(s) again.

6 Hours into the Cook Start checking the temperature of the meat every 20 to 30 minutes until it reaches 180°F and a meat fork slides in with slight resistance.

Hunter Beef RubMakes about 1 1⁄2 cups 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper4 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper 3 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons ancho chile powder
5 teaspoons ground ginger
4 teaspoons onion powder 4 teaspoons garlic powder
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 teaspoons ground cardamom 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground cloves 1 1⁄2 teaspoons ground mace Combine all of the rub ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to blend. The mixture can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.