Make Your Own Deli Meats

 Deli meats. They're convenient to get and use and are available in just about every grocery store. You can even get them lower or no sodium (Boars Head) but they're consistently higher price and, I hate to say it, not nearly as good for you as home made. The problem is, people think its difficult to have good sandwich meats on hand but that isn't the case!

Back in the 40s and 50s, women didn't buy deli sliced meats unless they were making some kind of platter for a party. If they bought it for regular use, they bought it infrequently and the favorite, if you had children, was bologna because it was cheaper than the other meats.

But if it was a matter of a turkey, chicken or beef sandwich? It came from the leftovers of a meal OR was something Mama slow roasted and cut up or sliced up for sandwiches. On this page you'll find instructions for slow roasting meats to make your own sliced sandwiches. There is one method that I'll be posting last but it requires some special equipment and, in my opinion, isn't as good as the freshly cut meat. Still, for those who like to experiment, I'll be including it.

Make your own Chicken Deli Meat

• 4 cups water
• ½ tablespoon peppercorns
• 3 tablespoons Kosher salt
• few sprigs lemon thyme, or regular thyme
• 5 cloves garlic, peeled
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 3 teaspoons oil
• paprika, to taste
• garlic powder, to taste
• onion powder, to taste
• To a pot of water on the stove, add the water, peppercorns, thyme, garlic cloves and salt. Stir and let it come to a simmer or until the salt has dissolved.
• Once dissolved, take it off the stove and let the brine cool completely. The brine should be cold. You can let it cool down and even put it in the fridge until cold to speed up the process.
• Once cold, add in the chicken breast, cover and let it sit in the fridge for 3-4 hours. I let mine sit for 3.
• After 3 hours, take the chicken out of the fridge and preheat the oven to 400F (200C).
• Now, take out the chicken from the brine and wash it really well. Once washed, pat it dry with a paper towel and set onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or foil).
• Add a small drizzle of olive oil onto each breast (both sides) and lightly season with paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
• Note: you can use any seasoning of choice making sure there’s NO additional salt as the chicken was sitting in the brine for hours.
• Massage it with clean hands on both sides and bake for 25-30 minutes or until it reaches an internal temperature of 160F (70C)
• Note: We want to take it out at 160F as it will continue to cook through residual heat and it will reach 165F (74C) as it cools.
• Let it cool, slice thinly and enjoy onto wraps, sandwiches, salads, or any way you like!
• Refrigerate for up to 3-4 days.

[ courtesy the modern nona ]

Make your own Turkey Deli Meat

I prefer bone-in and debone at the end because the bone protects the meat from getting overheated.

• 1 large turkey breast (around 1/2 lb or more) skin on
• 1 tbsp Avocado oil
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place on a lined baking sheet
2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper
3. Bake in a 300 degree oven until it reaches 100-135 degrees
4. Remove and allow it to sit undisturbed for around 10 minutes
5. Remove from the pan and sear in a non-stick or stainless steel pan to brown
6. Sit out to cool a little then debone and slice as needed

Make your own Beef Deli Meat

• 2 ½ to 3 ½ pound eye of round roast, (top or bottom round or top sirloin or sirloin tip also work well)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or enough to generously coat all sides
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (may leave out for loSo)
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• ¾ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon paprika

1. Remove your roast from the refrigerator and allow it to rest on the counter for 45 minutes to 1 hour to take the chill off.
2. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 500 degrees F.
3. Combine all the Roast Beef Seasoning Mix ingredients in a small bowl.
4. Pat your roast with paper towels to dry the surface and then drizzle with olive oil and use your hands to rub the olive oil, coating all sides of the roast.
5. Sprinkle all sides, including the ends, with the seasoning mix. Place your roast on a rack in a roasting pan with the fat cap side facing up.
6. Transfer to the preheated oven and roast for 15 minutes until nicely browned. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F and continue to roast for another 40 to 50 minutes or until internal temperature reads 130 and no more than 135 degrees F. (medium rare). Begin checking temperature after 35 minutes by inserting an instant read thermometer through the center of the roast from the side. Watch it closely because the temperature can rise quickly towards the end of the cooking time. I don’t recommend cooking this roast beyond 135 degrees for the most tender, delicious result.
7. Remove from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing. Alternately, after the resting time, wrap the roast in foil and refrigerate it for several hours or overnight before slicing. It will be easier to slice thinly when chilled.
8. Use a meat slicer or a sharp knife to slice the roast against the grain as thinly as possible.

Wrap the cooled, sliced roast beef in heavy duty foil and place the foil packet in a plastic storage bag. Label it with the date and refrigerate it immediately. It can also be stored in shallow, airtight deli meat container.

This Deli Style Roast Beef should be refrigerated and used within 3 to 4 days for the best quality and food safety concerns.

For longer storage, I recommend portioning it out and sealing it with a vacuum sealer. Vacuum sealed deli meat stored in the refrigerator will stay fresh for up to 10 days. Pop it in the freezer and store it for up to 2 to 3 months.

 [courtesy Valeries' Kitchen]

Making your own "Processed" Deli Meat

(coming soon)