University Station RV Resort, Auburn, AL, Amenities, Camping And RV Lots

SERVES: 4 sandwiches [at the very least]]

Ingredients:

[Must start 5 to 7 days in advance]]

3 cups water

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup juniper berries, crushed

1/4 cup freshly cracked black peppercorns

8 cloves garlic, smashed

Pinch red pepper flakes

1 (5-pound) fresh bone-in turkey breast

For the rub:

1/2 cup juniper berries

1/4 cup black peppercorns

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 cup hickory chips

For the sandwich:

8 pieces pumpernickel or dark rye bread

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/2 red onion, sliced very thin

2 tomatoes, ends trimmed, sliced in 8 (1/4-inch) slices

4 romaine lettuce leaves, trimmed

2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard

Directions:

For the brine: In a medium saucepan, bring to a boil all ingredients except the turkey. Simmer until sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool completely. Double a one gallon re-sealable bag and fill with brine. Add turkey, seal bags and place in a shallow pan in the refrigerator for 5 to 7 days. (Just in case of leaking, check occasionally.) Remove breast from brine and rinse and dry well.

For the rub: Pulse all the ingredients in a spice grinder or food processor until it becomes a coarse paste. Rub mixture all over turkey breast. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate resting in a bowl for 24 hours.

To cook: Soak the chips submerged in water for 15 minutes. Place oven rack to position 4 inches below broiler. Preheat broiler on high. Drain chips and place in a 2 pound aluminum loaf pan. Broil the chips for 5 minutes, stir broil another 2 minutes. Remove to lower third of oven. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Place turkey skin side up in a pan fitted with a roasting rack. Place oven rack used to broil the chips in to the cen- ter of oven and roast turkey above smoking chips for one hour. Increase the heat to 325 degrees F if convection, 350 degrees F if standard oven. Carefully turn over and continue to roast until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F, another 1 hour 20 minutes. Remove turkey from oven. Cover loosely with foil and cool.

To make the sandwich: Slice pastrami very thin. Toast bread. Spread mayonnaise on 1 piece, layer pastrami, onions, tomato and lettuce on top. Spread mustard on the other piece of toast. Place on top and cut it in half diagonally. Repeat with remaining ingredients.