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[okie smokie]

Just picked up a 4.25 lb "Paddy Oniell's" repacked corned beef flat produced by Premium Foods in Greeley, Co.  (Just revealing this in case someone has done one of these.  It has separate instructions for smoking which are: 
1. Rinse. (I called the producer and asked "for how long to rinse?") and he said that it was fine without a rinse or just a quick rinse would do.  After I closed the call I realized that they have either pre-rinsed it or have really changed the brining process.  He was very specific about this.
2.  Season with your own favorite beef rub.
3.  Smoke naked at 275 for about 3 hrs or to 165*
4.  Foil and ad 1/2 cup water, and continue at 275 for another 1.5 hrs or a temp of 185-190.
5.  Let it set wrapped for 15 minutes
5.  Slice and serve.

Does anyone have better suggestion? I sure am concerned that if the corning process is the usual, that it might be too salty unless I soak it longer in the rinse process.??

[Bentley]

Salt intensity is such a personal thing.  I have never understood folks that will soak a CB before making pastrami.  But I am a salt fiend.  So I would not even know how to advise you on the soak question.

You are wanting it to taste like corned beef and not pastrami correct?  I would cook more towards feel, using temperature as an extra guide.  Gonna assume you want it the texture and tenderness of your briskets?

CB sandwich, that is another wonderful meal!

[okie smokie]

Salt intensity is such a personal thing.  I have never understood folks that will soak a CB before making pastrami.  But I am a salt fiend.  So I would not even know how to advise you on the soak question.

You are wanting it to taste like corned beef and not pastrami correct?  I would cook more towards feel, using temperature as an extra guide.  Gonna assume you want it the texture and tenderness of your briskets?

CB sandwich, that is another wonderful meal!

Yup, we want corned beef for sandwiches.  Love Reubens. Best corned beef to my liking used to come from Denver (Kosher) according to my grandmother, and had enough retained fat to keep it very tasty.  Sliced very thin and thickly applied to  marbled rye with thousand island, sour kraut, swiss cheese. First butter fry both pieces of rye and then apply the fixing.  Yup.  Don't like it too salty. The big kosher dill pickle on the side (unsliced).

[Bentley]

Since you are going to dry heat cook it instead of steam like me, a soak is probably best for your tastes!

[Bar-B-Lew]

That is a small cut of meat.   I'm not sure you need to go more than 6 hours with it.  Maybe try it after six with a slice.  If it is not what you want, they go with the longer hour sous vide recommendation.

What temp you think?

I would probably do 135°.  I only say that because the tri tips that I have sous vide after smoking first were at that temp and for 6 hours and were tender.  They were similar in size but probably a little bigger.

[okie smokie]

 Lots of good advice.  Will have both the sous vide cooker, and plastic square tub and lid this next week. Report when available.

[Bentley]

Ahh, 1000 Island over Russian dressing...the great debate.

[Bentley]

We were stepping pretty hard on Okie Smoke's thread (he may not care but I try and show some respect...I am just real slow as you know), see Sous Viding a Corned Beef flat. for continuation of that thread.

[okie smokie]

Here goes.  Smoked the whole flat at 275 for 3 hrs.  Meat temp was 157*.  Cut in half and bagged and sealed for sous vide. Other half in the freezer for another time.  Into the sous vide. Fat made it float, so I added a small salad plate on top to keep it under.  Set temp and 160* and cook for 24 hrs. planned.  Lookin good! 

Here it is after 3 hrs on GS.

Here it is with plate added for weight.

Will pull at noon tomorrow and will cool before slicing thin for Reubens.  (Unless my wife changes her mind for thicker cuts with cabbage)
BTW, looks like it is a combo cut of flat and point.?

[Bentley]

Never sure if I have terminology right.  I thought the fat between the point and flat was the deckle, and that looks like it has that and some of both point and flat.

BTW, looks like it is a combo cut of flat and point.?

[dk117]

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did this last week, went up to 200 IT.   Still working on it.  Made a great one a few years back, still trying to replicate.

[okie smokie]

Never sure if I have terminology right.  I thought the fat between the point and flat was the deckle, and that looks like it has that and some of both point and flat.

BTW, looks like it is a combo cut of flat and point.?

That's what I too think.  Should make excellent sammies.

[okie smokie]

Final report:  Finished the corned beef at noon today.  3 hrs smoked at 275* and 24 hrs sous vide at 160.  I am sold on sous vide.  It came out perfect.  Chilled and then thin sliced for Reubens.  Classic Reuben with marbled jewish rye, swiss cheese, thousand island, corned beef, thousand island, kraut (don't forget to drain it well), swiss cheese again, and more 1000 island.  Toasted in butter on the griddle till the cheese melted.
My wife and I agree it was the best corned beef for both tenderness, and flavor.  Forgot to take pics of the slices-sorry.
Only change for next time:  When I took it off the smoker and divided in half (froze the other) I then vacuum sealed for the sous vide, and got liquid into my sealer, so had to seal it double to be sure. Then nasty clean up of my vacuum sealer.  Next time will freeze it before sealing--which means a day of delay. Afraid to use a zip lock for such a long cook. ?

[Bar-B-Lew]

I don't eat corned beef or rueben's but that looks like a great sandwich.  Congrats.

I usually let the meat cool in the fridge after smoking and prior to vac sealing.  I have not had any issue with juices in the sealer then.  It is a two to three day process for me though.

[cookingjnj]

Similar to Lew, prior to sealing, depending on the size of the meat or the amount of possible juices that will come from the meat, I par freeze in the freezer for 30 minutes up to an hour.  This will allow the piece to maintain shape (usually with fish) or keep the juices in because they start to freeze first, but not fully freeze.  Then I pull from freezer, vac seal and into the freezer til needed.