Pastrami Hot Pockets
Pastrami Hot Pockets
Ingredients
For the Pastrami Brine
- 300 g salt
- 150 g brown sugar
- 30 g pickling spice
- 20 g pink curing salt
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2.5 L water
- 2.5 kg ice
For the Beef Ribs
- 1 to 2 racks beef ribs
- as needed SPG rub
- as needed beef tallow
For the Hot Pockets
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- as needed cheese, shredded or sliced
- as needed pastrami meat, sliced
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the pastrami brine, combine salt, brown sugar, pickling spice, pink curing salt, cinnamon sticks, garlic cloves, and water in a large container. Mix until all the dry ingredients are fully dissolved.
⏱️ 10 min
- 2
Add the ice to the brine mixture to chill it completely. This is crucial before adding the meat.
⏱️ 10 min
- 3
Submerge the beef ribs completely in the chilled brine. Ensure the ribs are fully covered. Place the container in the refrigerator and let them brine for 7 days.
⏱️ 10 min
- 4
After 7 days, remove the beef ribs from the brine. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Generously season the dried beef ribs with SPG rub on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min
- 6
Preheat your smoker to 125°C. Place the seasoned ribs in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 85°C.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 125
- 7
Once the ribs reach an internal temperature of 85°C, remove them from the smoker. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil with beef tallow.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Preheat your oven to 150°C. Transfer the wrapped ribs to the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 95°C.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 150
- 9
Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest, still wrapped, for at least 30 minutes. For best results, rest for 2 hours. This allows the juices to redistribute.
⏱️ 120 min
- 10
Once the pastrami is rested, slice it thinly for the hot pockets.
⏱️ 5 min
- 11
Preheat your oven to 200°C. Lay out one sheet of puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 200
- 12
On one half of the puff pastry sheet, layer a small amount of cheese, followed by a generous amount of sliced pastrami meat, and then more cheese on top.
⏱️ 5 min
- 13
Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min
- 14
Fold the other half of the puff pastry over the filling. Gently pat down the edges to seal, ensuring there are no air bubbles inside. You can use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative seal.
⏱️ 3 min
- 15
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the hot pockets are golden brown and puffed up.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 200
- 16
Serve hot and enjoy your homemade Pastrami Hot Pockets!
Kitchen Tools
Pastrami Hot Pockets
For the Pastrami Brine
- 300 g salt
- 150 g brown sugar
- 30 g pickling spice
- 20 g pink curing salt
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2.5 L water
- 2.5 kg ice
For the Beef Ribs
- 1 to 2 racks beef ribs
- as needed SPG rub
- as needed beef tallow
For the Hot Pockets
- 2 sheets puff pastry
- as needed cheese, shredded or sliced
- as needed pastrami meat, sliced
- 1 egg, beaten, for egg wash
Instructions
- 1
To prepare the pastrami brine, combine salt, brown sugar, pickling spice, pink curing salt, cinnamon sticks, garlic cloves, and water in a large container. Mix until all the dry ingredients are fully dissolved.
⏱️ 10 min - 2
Add the ice to the brine mixture to chill it completely. This is crucial before adding the meat.
⏱️ 10 min - 3
Submerge the beef ribs completely in the chilled brine. Ensure the ribs are fully covered. Place the container in the refrigerator and let them brine for 7 days.
⏱️ 10 min - 4
After 7 days, remove the beef ribs from the brine. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Generously season the dried beef ribs with SPG rub on all sides.
⏱️ 5 min - 6
Preheat your smoker to 125°C. Place the seasoned ribs in the smoker and cook until the internal temperature reaches 85°C.
⏱️ 180 min•🌡️ 125 - 7
Once the ribs reach an internal temperature of 85°C, remove them from the smoker. Wrap the ribs tightly in foil with beef tallow.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Preheat your oven to 150°C. Transfer the wrapped ribs to the oven and continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 95°C.
⏱️ 60 min•🌡️ 150 - 9
Remove the ribs from the oven and let them rest, still wrapped, for at least 30 minutes. For best results, rest for 2 hours. This allows the juices to redistribute.
⏱️ 120 min - 10
Once the pastrami is rested, slice it thinly for the hot pockets.
⏱️ 5 min - 11
Preheat your oven to 200°C. Lay out one sheet of puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 200 - 12
On one half of the puff pastry sheet, layer a small amount of cheese, followed by a generous amount of sliced pastrami meat, and then more cheese on top.
⏱️ 5 min - 13
Brush the edges of the puff pastry with the egg wash.
⏱️ 2 min - 14
Fold the other half of the puff pastry over the filling. Gently pat down the edges to seal, ensuring there are no air bubbles inside. You can use a fork to crimp the edges for a decorative seal.
⏱️ 3 min - 15
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the hot pockets are golden brown and puffed up.
⏱️ 30 min•🌡️ 200 - 16
Serve hot and enjoy your homemade Pastrami Hot Pockets!