Yes, I said bison pastrami!
This past spring I found out that I was one of the lucky two non-resident bison tag holders in the Book Cliffs of Utah. This once in a life time opportunity lived up to all it could have been.
First the unbelievable habitat that these creatures live in was one of the most diverse I've ever been on. Each and every draw, valley and canyon was completely different as was the variety of species. Everything from antelope, mule deer, mustangs, elk, bear, cougars, wild turkeys, coyotes and I was old that there are desert bighorns and moose as well as bison. Just incredible!
I have found that bison meat is just as diverse as the habitat that they occupy; bison also have a unique muscle formation that makes up their hump. They have three muscle sections that can best be described as lean brisket. After analyzing these muscles I thought that the old time approach of curing, smoking and slow roasting (poeleing*) would bring out the best in these boulders of plenty.
*Poele – a classical culinary term, seldom used in todays cooking vernacular. It is when a meat item is cooked in it's own juices. Often used back in the day to cook capons (older chickens) another term seldom used today.
Recipe for 3 – 5 to 5 ½ lbs chunks of bison hump meat
First these pieces of meat had been dry aged in a meat locker for 28 days, trimmed and ready to go.
Second comes the brine, take all the spices listed below and gently toast them in a dry sauté pan until they become fragrant. Let them cool slightly and grind them course, either in a grinder or mortar and pedestal, old school style.
Place all the rest of the ingredients and water into a large pot. Bring the brine to a boil. This helps release all the flavors of the spices into the brine. Then add the ice to cool the brine down. Make sure the brine is completely cooled before adding the meat. Make sure the meat is full submerged, cover and refrigerate for 7 days.
Pickling Spice
- 2 tbsp Coriander Seeds
- 1 tbsp Black Peppercorns
- 2 tbsp Mustard Seeds
- 2 tbsp Red Chile Flakes
- 2 tbsp Whole Allspice
- 2 tbsp Whole Cloves
- 1 tsp Ground Mace
- 1 Cinnamon Stick
- 4 bay leaves
Brine Ingredients
- 1 Gallon Water
- 3 cups Kosher or Sea Salt
- 2 cup Sugar
- 4 tsp Pink Curing Salt (also called Insta Cure #1 and/or Prague Powder #1)
- 10 Cloves Garlic, Crushed
- 2 cups fresh sliced ginger
- Course ground Pickling Spice Above
- About 1 Gallon of Ice
After the 7 days of curing your pastrami, rinse with cold water to flush the excess salt and pat dry.
Final Dry Rub
- ¼ cup black peppercorns
- ¼ cup whole coriander seeds
- ¼ cup whole pink peppercorns
- Coarsely grind this mixture
- 1-2 cups of mayonnaise
- 1 can/bottle good flavored beer like an IPA
Rub the meat with the mayonnaise. I use the mayo to add additional fat to the very lean bison. Sprinkle with the final dry rub.
Pre heat your smoker to 250°F. I use a combination of hickory and apple wood. You can certainly use your own favorite blend. I like the apple/hickory combo because it adds a subtle, almost sweet smoky flavor. Place the bison in the smoker and smoke for 5-6 hours. After that time you should develop a rich, yet subtle smoking aroma.
Place the chunks of bison in a roasting or hotel pan, add the beer and cover tightly. Place in a 250°F oven and slow cook for another 8-10 hours. When you wake up your house will smell like heaven. Make sure the meat is fork tender. I know you'll want to dig in right away but you should let it rest for at least an hour.
At this point your bison pastrami is ready for any application. Sliced thin for a Ruben, heated in a pan with some butter for pastrami and cabbage, diced up and mixed with potatoes for hash, cubed and served on crispy tortillas for one of the best nachos you've ever had.
You get the point, versatile just like the habitat where it came from. Enjoy and be safe!
