Bison Pastrami Salad
Arugula, Tomato, and Carraway Cream
Chef Chad Houser of Café Momentum | Dallas
Adapted by StarChefs | November 2021
INGREDIENTS:
Bison Pastrami:
1 ½ cups salt
42 grams pink salt
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
8 grams pickling spice
¼ cup honey
5 cloves garlic, minced
One 5-pound bison brisket
2 tablespoons toasted and coarsely ground coriander seeds
2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
Caraway Crème Fraîche:
1 tablespoon toasted and ground caraway seeds
1 ½ cups crème fraîche
½ teaspoon Sherry vinegar
Salt
To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 4 portions
4 beefsteak tomatoes, cut into eighths
2 ounces baby arugula
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
METHOD:
For the Bison Pastrami:
In a pot, bring salts, sugars, pickling spice, honey, garlic, and 1 kilogram water to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely. Place brisket in a nonreactive container and submerge with brine. Using a large plate, weigh down the brisket to keep it under the brine. Refrigerate brisket 5 to 7 days (1 day per pound of meat). Heat smoker to 300°F. Remove brisket from brine, gently wash in cold water, then towel dry. Rub brisket with pepper and coriander. Place brisket in the smoker and smoke until it reaches an internal temperature of 150°F, approximately 5 hours.
For the Caraway Crème Fraîche:
In a bowl, mix to combine all ingredients.
To Assemble and Serve:
Divide tomato and 8 ounces thinly sliced Bison Pastrami onto 4 serving plates, placing them randomly around each plate. Toss arugula with olive oil and place it over the pastrami and tomatoes. Drizzle each salad with 2 tablespoons Caraway Crème Fraîche.
