Anton creates New York-style spicy beef flavours

Anton (29), a graduate in art and music from university in London, has just set up the smoker to specialise in pastrami sandwiches at the home of his parents, Mark and Karen Douglas, in the market town.

Mark is better known throughout Northern Ireland and further afield as Krazi Baker, a traditional griddle baker of potato, soda and treacle breads at outdoor markets especially in Newtownards, Carrickfergus and Comber.

Anton, who has vast experience in managing tourism destinations in many parts of France, Spain and Italy over the past five years, admits to being influenced by his father’s outstanding success.

“I’ve always wanted to do something innovative in food here and decided to explore opportunities when the coronavirus pandemic closed tourism in Europe,” Anton explains. “I’ve worked on stalls with my father over the years and learned a huge amount from him about building relationships with customers and in providing consistently high quality foods.”

Anton’s time in Europe included advising tourists on food eateries.

“The opportunities to sample the various cuisines also increased my desire to develop my own small food enterprise,” he explains.

He’s currently on the staff at the award-winning Stillhouse Bistro, Ruby Blue Vodka distillery and Gin School that’s run by Stuart and Barbara Hughes in Moira, Co Armagh, an immensely popular attraction before the pandemic which subsequently developed a call and collect meat service.

“I enjoy working for Stuart and Barbara and have also learned a great deal from them about exceptional food and great customer service,” he continues. “I’ve enjoyed being involved in particular with the Gin School there,” he adds.

Influenced by his experience of New York’s colourful homemade pastrami houses, Anton set out late last year to investigate how he could set up his own small food business producing the popular cured beef sandwich that has long been a feature of the US city’s culinary traditions.

What’s so special about pastrami? Anton explains: “While pastrami has its origins in Romania as cured beef, New York eat-on-the-go outlets like Katz’s has created a unique and great tasting sandwich,” he says. “The classic New York deli meat is made from cured, smoked, and spiced beef from Romanian immigrants who came to the United States in the late 19th century. It’s a peppery, spiced sandwich usually made using beef brisket.”

The distinctive flavours of pastrami, he continues, are smoke and spicy black pepper with the sweet citrus tang of coriander.

“The deli-style beef pastrami we know is made by curing beef in a brine of salt, sugar, and spices for up to a week, then it is often seasoned with a dry spice rub and allowed to sit for several days before being smoked over the course of several hours,” he explains.

He has acquired a small smoker and began researching where to source the beef to provide the distinctive flavours for his own pastrami.

“My research found that the best beef for the pastrami flavours I sought came from Hereford or Black Angus cattle. I found that the brisket provided by some butchers here is really best for pot roast. I wanted something quite different,” he adds.

His extensive research led him to Corrabach Farm, near Enniskillen, which rears Herefords. The farm’s brisket proved to be just what Anton wanted for his curing and smoking.

He has also created his own hot sauces for the process and subsequently taste tested the pastrami on family and friends.

“I’ve tried to use locally sourced ingredients for my sauces including apple cider vinegar from Long Meadow Farm in Loughgall, in Armagh for the brine. The fresh bread for sandwiches and rolls, of course, comes from my father. We’ve also been growing chillies at home for the hot and spicy sauces,” adds Anton.

He’s now developed a pastrami that he’s happy with and is “perfect for eat-on-the go” sandwiches and rolls under the distinctive Vulcan’s Smokehouse branding which is drawn from Vulcan, the mythical Roman god of fire.

The challenge now facing Anton is how best to bring his tasty pastrami sandwiches to market.

“Feedback has been encouraging and there’s a lot of interest in the sandwiches. I am looking at several routes to market including a stall at local markets and other events. Opportunities, of course, are restricted because of the lockdown on sport and other outdoor events. Creating a street food truck is another idea that I am considering. “Finding the right pitch will be crucial,” he adds.

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