I just rinsed off the brine, although I'm sure that soaking for an hour or two would help. I used plain black peppercorns and corriander seed and coarsely ground them in a coffee grinder. My mixture was 50/50, although it turned out pretty spicy. Next time I'll back off on the black pepper a bit.
I chilled it after smoking to be able to slice it thinly. Then I steamed the sliced meat before serving. It made all the difference in replicating how it is served in a deli.