Sous Vide and Smoked East Coast Pastrami

1. Trim off fat cap of brisket; poke some holes in meat with a paring knife.

2. Bring water to a boil in a large pot on the stovetop. Remove from heat; as it starts to cool down, add white sugar, kosher salt, garlic, and pink curing salt.

3. Find a food-grade, nonreactive container with a lid; pour in brine and ice, then add brisket. Keep brisket in brine for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator. Flip brisket every 24 hours.

4. After brining, pull brisket out of the container and rinse under cold water.

5. Heat a pan over low heat. Toast coriander seeds, peppercorns, and mustard seeds in the hot pan, about 2 minutes. Remove and transfer to a food processor; add red pepper flakes, cloves, ginger, and bay leaves. Grind well.

6. Use 1/2 of the spice mixture to coat brisket; seal in a food saver bag. Reserve remaining spice mixture. Place brisket in a sous vide at 137 degrees F (58 degrees C) for 18 hours.

7. Remove from sous vide, cut open the bag, and brisket set out to dry and rest on a wire rack from a smoker for 30 minutes. Use remaining pickling spices to re-coat brisket.

8. Place a wire rack in the smoker. Add wood chips according to manufacturer's directions and heat to 225 degrees F (107 degrees C).

9. Smoke brisket until browned, tender, and no longer pink in the center, about 5 hours. Pull brisket from the smoker and let rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

Editor's Notes:

Always brine foods in a food-grade, nonreactive container such as a stainless steel or enameled stockpot, a brining bag, or a food-grade plastic bucket.

Nutrition data for this recipe includes the full amount of brine ingredients. The actual amount of brine consumed will vary.