So sorry for the delay
This recipe comes from amazingribs.com with some modification for SCD. I have made this many times and it is delicious.
Ingredients
4 pounds of brisket - I use second cut brisket
If you are going to make into pastrami then leave some fat on, otherwise trim off as much fat as possible.
1 Gallon Water
8 oz. Kosher Salt
2 tsp of non-iodized sea salt*
*The proper way to cure is by using Prague Powder #1 which is not SCD compliant. Non iodized sea salt can be used as a substitute. Please note, however that there is an increased risk from pathogens when consuming the cured meat. You may also want to shorten the curing time to limit bacterial growth. Also, meat cured with sea salt and smoked may not have the characteristic pink color of meat cured with nitrates, but it will have a similar flavor.
Optional
5 tbsp pickling spice*
1 cup of honey
4 cloves of garlic, smashed or pressed
*most store bought pickling spice will not be SCD compliant so I make my own using the following:
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
3 inches cinnamon sticks, total length
2 tablespoon dill seeds
1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon mustard seeds, any color
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon celery seeds
4 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons whole allspice berries
1 teaspoon whole cloves
Put the cinnamon sticks and peppercorns in a plastic bag and smash with a hammer. The mix the rest of the spices in.
Leave out any spice flavor that you don’t like (I personally leave out the bay leaves and sometimes the cloves). McCormick makes most of these spices. I bought mine at Stop & Shop.
• Mix the ingredients into the water and add the meat.
• Add the meat. If the meat floats to the top, fill a bowl up with the brine and place it on top of the meat to keep it fully submerged.
• Refrigerate for 5-7 days. If you can, shake the container a little every day to stir up the brine.
• Cook it!
If you want to turn the corned beef into pastrami, then:
• Soak the corned beef in clean water for at least 8 hours to remove some salt
• Apply Pastrami rub* (approx. 4 tablespoons per square foot of meat)
• Refrigerate for at least 1-2 days
• Grill/smoke at 2250 F until the inside is 2030 F. (Some people get it up to 1500 and then steam it until it gets to 2030)
*Pastrami Rub Recipe:
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Smash the whole peppercorns and whole coriander and whole mustard in plastic bag. If you prefer you can just use ground spices in the first place – the freshly smashed ones add some good flavor!
Add the rest of the spices and mix.
