Pastrami Beef Short Ribs

Posted on December 20, 2013

This is a awesome recipe. I plan to use it the next time I cure a brisket into pastrami.

For the meat and brine:
4 to 5 pounds meaty bone-in beef short ribs
2 quarts cold water
1/3 cup kosher salt
2 teaspoons pink salt (important for curing and color)
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
4 tablespoons pickling spices, roughly crushed
In a large mixing bowl, combine the water, kosher salt, pink salt, and brown sugar and stir until the salt and sugar crystals have dissolved. Place ribs in large Ziplock bag. Allow to marinate 48 hours turning bag to mix brine twice a day.

Take ribs out of the brine and rinse off any spice left on them. Pat dry with paper towels. Now make the pastrami rub.

3 tablespoons coriander seeds
3 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons yellow mustard seed
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic granules

Put coriander, black pepper, mustard seed, and red pepper flakes into a spice grinder and coarse grind them. Stir in the garlic and mix well.

Press spice into the meaty sides of the ribs, tops and sides. Don’t bother with the bone side. Place into a ziplock bag, remove as much air as possible and then place a weight on the ribs for 4 hours.

Place ribs on a grill with smoke or a 375 degree smoker for 45 minutes. Remove and place ribs on a baking sheet bone side down.

Pour ginger ale into the bottom of the baking sheet and up to the middle part of the bones on the ribs. Cover tightly with heavy duty foil and put into an 325 degree oven for 2 hours.

Remove ribs from the baking sheet and place on a serving platter. Serve with cole slaw and garlic bread.