What is Smoked Pastrami?
Smoked pastrami is a cured deli meat with a Jewish history, but has its origin in Romania. Beef is brine cured with a mix of spices and then smoked to impart a strong flavor. The pastrami is pink with dark brown exterior from spices. The flavors are salty, smoky, and umami. The texture is tender and pairs great on sandwiches.
What does Smoked Pastrami Taste Like?
Salty is one of the five main tastes. It has a satisfying and addictive quality with hints of sourness. Salty foods include cheeses, cured meats, chips, and olives. It is used in almost every dish and prepared food. Salt is added to enhance flavor and offer a distinctly salty taste.
Umami is one of five main tastes. It is savory with a depth of flavor. Umami is a taste in many foods, including meat, seafood, beans, and nuts. It is both naturally occurring and created through the specific use of ingredients to create a satisfying taste. Umami is characteristic of proteins and savory dishes.
Ingredients
Beef refers to any part of meat from the cow. Beef is a popular meat across multiple cuisines and pairs well with a multitude of dishes, often serving as the main ingredient. There are eight main cuts of beef and many more within each section of the animal. Varieties of beef vary depending on the breed of cattle and its diet.
Water is a substance and chemical compound made up of hydrogen and oxygen. It is clear, fluid, flavorless and odorless. Water is a necessity in nearly every aspect of life, including cooking, baking and hydrating the human body. Water can be served as a cold beverage, or at any temperature comfortable to the mouth and skin.
Corn syrup is made from the starch of corn and is a high glucose product. There are different kinds of corn syrup, high fructose, light and dark. The syrup is viscous and sticky from the sugar content. The flavor is sweet and is used in many food products in America. It is also used in baked goods to improve the texture and add volume. Corn syrup is made to be added to food and not eaten as is.
Salt is a mineral composed mostly of sodium chloride. It is the main flavoring used in food and is naturally occurring in certain foods, such as cheese, beets, meat and celery, plus many others. Salt is white and has finer granules than sugar. Many commercial salts include iodide, while others exclude it. Most salts are white, while some are naturally pale pink with minerals. Salt brings out the flavor of something and can create a tangy mouthfeel, if used in excess.
Sugar comes from sugar cane and sugar beets. The sugar is extracted from the juice of both plants and refined into the granulated substance known as sugar. Sucrose, the sweet substance of sugar is a combination of glucose and fructose. White sugar is composed of tiny white, dry granules. The flavor is sweet and neutral. Brown sugar is brown and has more moisture, with a richer flavor that hints at molasses. Sugar is used in both sweet and savory foods.
Carrageenan has been used for hundreds of years in food use. It is made from Irish sea moss. It is extracted as a gel and comes in powder form. It is added to food to preserve, emulsify, and thicken. It has no flavor and no nutritional value.
Sodium citrate is a compound made from citric acid and has a white crystalline structure, similar to salt. It is used in food production as a preservative and flavoring agent. It reduces the acidity of foods and adds a flavor that is both salty and sour.
Vitamin C is derived from fruits and vegetables and is an important water soluble vitamin and essential nutrient. It is used as a preservative in food and drink and to enhance citrus flavor. Vitamin C for food production often comes in an off white, granulated powder form. It has a tart flavor, with a mouth feel that is similar to biting into a slice of lemon.
Sodium nitrite is an inorganic salt compound that is used as an additive in food production to help preserve and work as an antimicrobial. It is commonly used in preserved meats. Sodium nitrite is a white granulated substance that is used in small amounts.
