When you look around the world, the chefs who have earned real appreciation are those who understand and can prepare meat. Even in India, the art of preparing sauces and sweetmeats reached a high science and require years of training before they were allowed to serve anyone.
As I have discussed in previous blogs, Pastrami is smoked and re-seasoned corned beef . How it is ‘corned’ and finally prepared is almost a state secret. (The British Army relied heavily on Irish Corned Beef whose preparation is a highly guarded secret to those who claim real knowledge). However, there is much to be said for Pastrami!
So, maybe the secret of a great Pastrami is like an old Tijaran recipe “marinating the pollo for 6 weeks” is crucial (as quoted in the original “In Laws” movie). However, I think it has much to do with the right brine solution and seasoning ( heavy on beer), the right preservative ( we want the meat with its characteristic ‘pink’ color after all) and finally the right final spices (loads of Pimenton) and the right set of woods for the smoking ( Hickory and Mesquite for me).
Here are a few hints from an earlier blog
So while Laura is away with two of our beautiful daughters at a conference in Greece, I have left Jenny Craig (our diet food) tied up in the back… and Karla and I are having some culinary fun! ( Karla also wants to learn how to make those simple frosted animal cookies covered with little sugar balls).
Roger Freberg