Pastrami Rubbed Smoked Boar with Grilled Rye and Quick Pickle Salad
- Level: Intermediate
- Yield: 4 servings
- Total: 1 hr 15 min
- Active: 40 min
Ingredients
1/4 cup kosher salt
1/4 cup coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons celery seeds
2 tablespoons coarsely ground coriander seeds
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground mustard seeds
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
Two 1 1/4-pound wild boar strip loins
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup applewood chips
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Grilled Rye and Quick Pickle Salad, recipe follows
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Grilled Rye and Quick Pickle Salad:
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
2 Fresno chiles, thinly sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
3 cloves garlic, smashed
1 fresh bay leaf
Kosher salt
Four 2-inch-thick slices rye bread, crust removed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Juice of 4 limes
1 cup celery leaves
Directions
Special equipment:
a 4-inch-deep hotel pan and a 2-inch-deep perforated hotel pan- Set the wild boar strip loins on the counter for 30 minutes before cooking to allow the chill to come off.
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.
- Make the pastrami rub by stirring together the salt, pepper, celery seeds, coriander seeds, garlic powder, mustard seeds and paprika in a mixing bowl. Rub both sides of the loins with the mustard, then loosely sprinkle the pastrami rub on the loins (don’t rub it in). Insert a meat thermometer into the side of 1 loin.
- Set up a smoker on your stove top by adding the wood chips to the bottom of a foil-lined 4-inch-deep hotel pan. Turn on the heat and allow the wood chips to light, then allow some of the smoke to burn off, about 5 minutes. Place a 2-inch-deep perforated hotel pan on top. Add the loins and cover the pan with foil. Transfer the smoker to the oven and cook until the internal temperature of the loin is 125 degrees F, about 20 minutes.
- Place a large cast-iron pan over medium-high heat and add the 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the loins in the pan and sear on one side until deeply golden brown and crusty, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and butter. When the butter has melted and starts to foam, baste the loins with it. Flip the loins and sear the other side, 2 to 3 minutes more, continuing to baste with the butter. Transfer the loins to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
- To serve, slice the loins and top with the Grilled Rye and Quick Pickle Salad. Spoon some of the extra dressing over the top and finish with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
Grilled Rye and Quick Pickle Salad:
- Place the jalapeños, Fresno chiles and shallots in a glass jar and pack them in tightly. Combine the rice wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, 1/2 cup water, the sugar, peppercorns, garlic, bay leaf and 1 tablespoon salt in a nonreactive saucepan and bring to a gentle boil, whisking until the sugar and salt dissolve. Strain the hot liquid into the glass jar until the jalapeños, Fresno chiles and shallots are completely submerged, then set aside for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Place the rye bread slices on the pan and toast on both sides until slightly charred. Tear the bread into rustic chunks and set aside.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, honey, mustard, lime juice and salt to taste in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, toss together the celery leaves, grilled bread and drained pickled jalapeños, Fresno chiles and shallots. Right before serving, add some of the dressing (reserving the extra) and toss to coat.