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Smoked Chuck Roast Pastrami

Smoked Chuck Roast Pastrami

Cheri Renee
Smoked Chuck Roast Pastrami can also be made with brisket or rump roast, a homemade pastrami recipe for your smoker or Traeger pellet grill!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours
Brine Time 7 days
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 605 kcal

Equipment

  • Traeger/Pellet Grill
  • Smoker

Ingredients
  

Pastrami Brine

  • 6 to 8 pounds chuck roast or rump roast (can also use brisket) mine was cut into 2
  • 1 gallon water
  • 1 to 1 1/4 cups kosher salt (do not use table salt) depending on how many pounds of meat/ how salty you prefer your pastrami
  • 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup pickling spice
  • 1 tablespoon Prague Powder #1 pink curing salt (I got mine from Amazon)
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground pepper

Pastrami Rub

  • 1/4 cup yellow or spicy brown mustard
  • 4 tablespoons ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 tablespoon ground mustard

Instructions
 

Pastrami Brine

  • Put the water, kosher salt, brown sugar, pickling spice, Prague powder, garlic powder, ground mustard, ground allspice, and ground pepper into a very large pot. Bring to a boil for 1 minute, stirring a few times.
  • Allow the brine to come to room temperature, then put the meat into the pot with the brine (or place the meat into another container and pour the brine over top). Cover and place the pot or container in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 days. Turn the meat each day to mix up the brine.

Pastrami

  • Remove the meat from the brine and pat it dry very well.
  • Brush the mustard on all sides of the meat. In a bowl mix together the ground pepper, brown sugar, garlic powder, allspice, and ground mustard. Rub this mixture on all sides of the meat.
  • Place the chuck roast or rump roast in your smoker or pellet grill set to 250 degrees for 3 hours. Wrap the meat in foil, sealing the edges (double wrapped in foil is recommended). Place back in the smoker or pellet grill for 3 to 5 more hours, or until the internal temperature is at exactly 204 degrees.
    Note: Time will vary depending if you have one large piece of meat or if it's cut into two, so monitor closely with an internal thermometer.
  • Let it rest for an hour before slicing.
Keyword Brisket, Chuck Roast, Pastrami, Recipe, Rump Roast, Smoked, Traeger