Brought to New York City by Jewish immigrants in the late 19th century, pastrami became iconic in restaurants like Katz's Delicatessen. Initially a preservation method, it evolved into a beloved sandwich staple, featuring spiced, smoked, and steamed beef, capturing the essence of NYC's diverse culinary heritage. It's a versatile cut of beef that can be used not only in a sandwich, but in so much more. Here at Delish, we’ve made kugel and casseroles (hello, Reuben casserole) with it!
Pastrami takes effort and time. This version is more straightforward for the person living in a studio apartment who doesn’t have a smoker in the middle of their living room. The truth is, it’s just not possible to get that smoky flavor without actually smoking it. Believe me, I tried hard to get around it. Keep reading on for everything else I learned while creating this recipe:
The cut of beef:
Pastrami usually uses fattier cuts of beef, unlike corned beef. The recipe calls for brisket for accessibility, but when you buy your beef, be sure to choose a cut that is more generous with fat. This will help your meat stay moist and tender, giving you that fall-apart quality.
Brining:
Brisket by itself is not a very flavorful cut of beef. This is why it needs a bit of a spa treatment, a good old facelift. Brining essentially enhances the flavor, tenderness, and juice retention, and ensures the beef is salted throughout the whole cut.
Spice rub:
If you can grind your own spices, by all means, please do. Always try to give your beef the best service you can. Leaving the beef to rest overnight in the fridge will help the spice mix stay on during our cooking process. You don’t want to skip this because you want as much of the spice rub on your pastrami as possible.
Sauna time:
The brisket bakes for a long time at a very low temperature. That means it's very difficult to overcook, and you’ll end up with a more tender pastrami.
Into the steam room:
Steaming is absolutely essential to finishing this off. You should not skip this. It will help with the tenderness. It’s a game-changer. Chances are you don’t have a pot big enough to lay the whole cut of beef in and steam it all together. That’s okay, just measure out how much can fit and steam it as you can.
Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
Yields: 10 servings
Prep Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 6 days 10 hours
(28 c.) water, plus more for steaming
kosher salt
cloves garlic, smashed
(3") cinnamon sticks
bay leaves
mustard seeds
plus 2 Tbsp. packed light brown sugar, divided
plus 1 Tbsp. black peppercorns, divided
plus 1 Tbsp. coriander seeds, divided
pink curing salt (such as Prague Powder #1)
(5-lb.) brisket
garlic powder
onion powder
paprika