It’s glorious, that first bite of a warm pastrami sandwich on freshly baked rye. If you’ve ever eaten pastrami at a great Jewish deli, you know what I’m talking about. That moist, tender meat topped with spicy mustard is enough to make almost anyone swoon.
When my husband and I took the Queen Mary from London to New York several years ago, we docked at 6:00am and found that we were hungry. Our first stop? Katz’s Deli for a pastrami on rye. It didn’t matter that the sun was barely up. Pastrami is good any time, day or night. When the appetite strikes, you must feed it. Trouble is, many of us don’t live close to a great Jewish deli, and mediocre pastrami can be SO disappointing. What can you do? Make it at home, that’s what!
I’ve tried my hand at homemade pastrami several times with varying degrees of success. It wasn’t until a publisher sent me a review copy of The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home that I finally found a recipe worth blogging about.
In their fabulous cookbook, authors Nick Zukin and Michael C. Zusman give workable home kitchen recipes for many Jewish deli favorites. In addition to uncovering the secrets of making these classic recipes at home, Nick and Michael delve into the traditional techniques used in deli kitchens. They also include nostalgic profiles of the most famous deli establishments in North America, including Katz’s in New York and Mile End in Montreal.
Nick Zukin helped to open Kenny & Zuke’s Delicatessen in Portland, one of the first Jewish delicatessens “focused on producing artisanal eats.” Michael C. Zusman is a state court judge who also does freelance food and restaurant writing. His bread recipes are currently used at Kenny & Zuke’s.
Deli-style pastrami emerged in New York during the late 19th century and remains a best seller on most deli menus. Because of its lengthy and laborious process, very few delis still cure and carve their own pastrami. Zukin and Zusman have whittled down the process to a very simple, doable recipe that requires relatively little effort.
After making a simple brine the meat cures in the refrigerator, then it’s rubbed with a spice blend and left to cook in a slow oven for a few hours. According to the authors:
“Delicatessen aficionados might cringe at the idea of making pastrami in the oven, since wood smoking is supposed to be the customary cooking method. At least that’s what they think. In truth, some of the most lauded pastrami and smoked meat involve no wood smoke at all. In his must read chronicle, Save the Deli, David Sax reveals that the smoky flavor in commercially produced pastrami comes from fat dripping down and sizzling on the gas element of the large ovens that are used.”
Side note: I love Save the Deli, I actually covered it on the blog a few years back.
To add that smoky flavor to the brisket, Zukin and Zusman use a hefty dose of smoked paprika (one of my favorite spices!). The result is delicious, quality pastrami hot and fresh from your own oven. My house smelled just like a deli while it was cooking. The flavor and texture were delightful– tender and flavorful. I tested the recipe multiple times just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke. It’s not. This is some killer pastrami.
I stayed pretty true to Zukin and Zusman’s recipe, though I did adapt it slightly by cutting back on the salt. My first test round was extremely salty– good for a bite or two, but if I’d eaten a few slices I would have puffed up like a balloon. The next testing round I cut the kosher salt in the brine in half. I thought it might be too much and that I’d have to add some back in, but half the salt actually provided the perfect flavor. My five dinner guests taste-tested it for me, and they all agreed that the lower sodium brine it was plenty salty. So I present the recipe with the kosher salt halved; if you prefer to try it as written in the cookbook, use 2 cups of kosher salt in the brine.
Update: Nick Zukin let me know in the comments that they used Diamond large crystal kosher salt, which has less salt per cup than Morton’s. I didn’t realize that salt content varies from brand to brand. I am updating my recipe instructions to reflect the brand of salt we used. Thanks to Nick for the heads up!
Don’t be daunted by the long prep time, the preparation is actually very simple. Most of the time here is spent on curing the pastrami in the refrigerator. After that it’s no more difficult than roasting a brisket on a rack. The results are totally worth the wait.
I have to hand it to Nick Zukin and Michael Zusman, this is a genius recipe. Their book has a lot of other great recipes for Jewish deli classics including Classic Deli Sandwich Rye, Onion-Poppy Seed Bialys and Cabbage and Smoked Meat Borscht. If you love deli food like I do, check out The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home. You’ll be glad you did!
What’s your favorite place to get a hot pastrami on rye?
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Homemade Pastrami
Ingredients
- 3 quarts water
- 3/4 cup Morton's coarse kosher salt (178 grams) OR 1 1/3 cup Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (181 grams) - these two brands are NOT interchangeable, the same weight provides two very different cup measurements
- 2 teaspoons pink curing salt (12 grams) - Pink curing salt is also known as Prague Mix #1, Instacure #1 or Curing Salt #1 - NOT Himalayan pink salt. See safety note below.
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole yellow mustard seeds
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 5 pounds beef brisket
Spice Rub Ingredients
- 1/4 cup ground coriander
- 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
Instructions
- To make the brine, fill a medium to large stockpot with 3 quarts water. Add the kosher and pink salts, granulated sugar, pickling spice, coriander and mustard seeds, and garlic. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often to fully dissolve the salt and sugar in the water. Immediately remove the pot from the heat once the brine boils.Add 3 quarts ice cold water to a 2-gallon or larger food-safe container that will fit in your refrigerator (you can also use a strong sealing 2-gallon marination bag - double bag for extra insurance). Pour the brine into the container and place it uncovered in the refrigerator until completely cool. You can also divide the brine evenly between two separate containers so that it will fit better in the refrigerator.
- Trim the fat from the brisket until the fat layer is about 1/4 inch thick.
- If necessary, cut the brisket in half so that it will fit into your container(s).
- Submerge the brisket in the cooled brine.Allow the brisket to brine in the refrigerator for 10 to 12 days, flipping it daily top to bottom and stirring the brine. Make sure that if any of the brisket sides are touching one another you regularly turn them away from each other to expose all of the sides to the brine.
- To cook the brisket, pour 4 cups water into the bottom of a 12 by 15 inch roasting pan. Set a rack inside the pan and place the brisket on the rack, fatty side down.
- To make the spice rub, mix together the coriander, pepper and paprika in a small bowl. Evenly rub 1/4 cup of the mixture onto the top of the brisket. Then flip the brisket and rub the remaining spice mixture onto the fatty side. Allow the brisket to come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees with a rack low enough to fit the pan holding the brisket. Tightly cover the brisket and pan with a double layer of aluminum foil.
- Bake until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 200 degrees, about 1 hour per pound or 5 hours total. Start checking internal temp at 3 hours and periodically every 20-30 minutes or so to avoid overcooking.
- Without trimming the fat, carve the pastrami into 1/4 inch thick slices, or cut as thin as possible without the meat falling apart. Keep tightly wrapped, or in a sealed container in the fridge, for up to 1 week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- SAFETY NOTE: handle the pink curing salt with care and keep it out of reach of children. It is used in pastrami and other cured meats to kill bacteria, prevent botulism and add flavor. However it is extremely toxic if ingested directly; in fact, it's colored pink to prevent people from mistaking it for regular salt. When used with care in recipes like this, it is very safe and necessary for proper flavor and food safety. That said, you should know the risks and keep the curing salt properly labeled and out of the reach of children.
NOTES
Nutrition
tried this recipe?
Let us know in the comments!
5 full stars for this recipe. Made exactly to recipe. I never tweak a recipe until I have made it once following exact directions. This one needs no tweaking. WOW is all I can say. Thank you for sharing this Tori. You have made my day.
I agree completely. I always follow the recipe first. Usually no tweaking is necessary
Do you cook the brisket flat side down or fat side up?
I usually cook it fat side up.
I just did a 2nd try on the Pastrami – brined/cured it for 10 days in a Pink Salt Cure/Mix – soaked it in clean water for 24 hrs – then dried and rubbed it in Garlic Powder – then dried again and boiled it for 2 hours – dried again and dry-rubbed it in Black Pepper, Coriander & Smoked Paprika – slow smoked in in oven at 200 for 5 hours in foil – WOW!!! Amazing!!!
Recently I went to Langer’s Deli in Los Angeles, and their pastrami has won a James Beard Award. Ever since, I really want pastrami all the time. Hoping this will keep me satisfied until my next trip to Langer’s. Anyone know where you can score double-baked rye in Anaheim, CA?
Curious if you made this yet and how it compared to Langer’s?
P.S. I think the double baked rye is somehwat unique to Langer’s – and OC isn’t known for its great Jewish delis. 🙂
Try the Farmers Market in LA they carry just about every Artisan Bread imaginable
Jeremy-
I grew up in Anaheim. Way back then we’d often go to Lin-Dels [on south side of Lincoln; I think between Euclid and Brookhurst]. No idea if its still there but…
Hi Tori,
I’ve made this pastrami from your recipe and it’s fantastic! I have another question about this that I hope you can answer. I bought the book “The Artisan Jewish Deli at Home” that you mentioned in the blog post. The recipe for brining corned beef looked the same as the one for pastrami.
My question is whether I could go to the store and buy a packaged corned beef ready to cook….but rather than boil or cook in a slow cooker, could I just put on the spice rub mix for the pastrami and then cook in the oven and have it taste the same as if I had just taken your recipe from the beginning?
Thanks!
Dave
Hi Dave, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Since we have not tried this, I cannot say whether or not you would have great results.
We purchased a nice 4lb corned beef this past summer, added the necessary ingredients for pastrami and put it in our electric smoker for several hours until it tested done with an instant read thermometer. I don’t have words to describe how awesome it was. Made it several times since with good results. I think it would work out fine in a conventional oven.
I buy up may of the corned beef’s at my local supermarket after St Paddy’s Day and freeze to smoke over the year and serve as pastrami to my family and friends. Just soak in fresh water for 24 hours and rub. The problem I have is that the cuts of meats used for corned beef are sub-par in my opinion. I just bought a brisket flat from Costco and am going to cure one myself.
Hi, are you using #1 or #2 prague powder? thank-you for your time and for the recipe.
Hi Jamie, Tori’s assistant Ashley here. Since this pastrami as a fairly short curing time, we use Prague Powder #1.
Served this for Super Bowl with homemade rye bread….oh my! Just like real Jewish deli pastrami. So easy to make. Thank you 🙂
Can I brine this for more than 5 days? I see a lot of other recipes out there that brine it for up to two or three weeks.
Tori, this recipe is phenomenally. Best pastrami I or my friends have ever had. Better than Katz. Thanks! This is a keeper!
I’m from the UK and just finished cooking this after following the recipe to the letter. All I can say is WOW, tastes nothing like the pastrami we get over here. I this is now a firm family favorite.
From where in the UK are you? My family name is Corbett and always interested to see the name around the world. Laonee@btopenworld.com
I live north of Boston and cannot buy pastrami that holds a candle to this recipe. Simply outstanding, exactly as written. I have made it quite a few times, and have tweaked it some, but you don’t have to.
Five stars.
Do you rinse the curing mixture off BEFORE cooking?
Hi Julia, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! We did not rinse the curing mixture off of the brisket before cooking. Hope this helps!
Delicious. Only comment is the coriander, paprica, pepper topping was mushy and tasted uncooked.
Hi Luke, Tori’s assistant Ashley here! So happy to hear that you enjoyed the pastrami and I’m sorry that the rub came out mushy. My only thought is that perhaps the meat was still a bit too damp from the brine when you added the rub? Hope this helps next time you give the recipe a try!
Here are a couple suggestions, things I do to make the rub more dry and tasting cooked. It isn’t what I would call crisp, but it is more dry. 1) I grind my own coriander and toast the coriander seeds before grinding. I think this really helps. Haven’t toasted ground coriander, but see no reason why one could’t. 2) I leave the rub on the brisket and set it in the refrigerator, uncovered for two days before cooking. It dries out a bit and sticks a little better, I think. 3) When done roasting, I remove the foil and broil it for several minutes, each side. Quite a bit of the rub will have already “washed” off the bottom, but I broil that side also. It dries the outside and cooks it. Doesn’t make it crisp, but does help some.
Has anybody tried making this using a turkey breast?
Any reason why it wouldn’t work?
Love your web page: Now I am interested being from New Zealand we eat a lot of Corned beef my late mother used to cook big chunks of it made from Brisket. Now I am in Calgary, Alberta, Canada I have a problem finding a nice BIG chunk of it I can slice up. I have found Pastrami, is it the same or can I substrtute with Pastrami.
Look forward to following you and learning more.
If you use the brine and soak at least the five days (I do ten days) then boil or broil you will have corned beef. I also add a few juniper berries and an extra 2 tablespoons of pickling spices wrapped in cheese cloth. Good luck.
Noel ask the butcher at your local grocery store to cut the meat the way you want it. Most are more then happy to accommodate your requests. I have the same problem here but I have made an effort to get to know all the local butchers at the grocery stores here and who does what the best it is worth your time. Also those that work the produce sections, you’d be surprised how much this helps in getting the freshest ingredients
I am an American xpat living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. We are unable to get any Pastrami down here that even remotely resembles “The Real McCoy!” However, being a single male and retired, I have lots of time to try my luck cooking/making different things. This recipe has made me somewhat famous among my friends and neighbors… it is delicious! I just wish it lasted longer… it vanishes before your eyes!
Good recipe. I found that one can substitute Tender Quick for the pink curing salt. I also tried adding a 1/4 cup of good balsamic vinegar to the brine – it adds a nice little tang! I smoke mine at 225 degree with plenty of pecan wood until it reaches an internal temp of 205 degrees. At that temp it is very tender but does not fall apart.
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
You can avoid the problem of how much salt is actually in the measuring cup if you measure by weight instead of volume. The amount of salt that fits into the cup depends on the sizes and shapes of the grains. This is why there is a large difference between table salt and kosher salt. The size and shape of the grains depends on the manufacturing process and will vary from one manufacturer to the next. Weighing it will always give you the same effective amount regardless of who makes the salt.
Trying recipe excactly how it’s written and baking/smoking on my Big Green Egg. I’ll will come back and share results!
I made the recipe exactingly, just as indicated, including using Morton’s Coarse Kosher salt. After brining, though no mention was made of it, I rinsed it thoroughly. This, mostly because I was creeped by the Prague powder and its caveats of toxicity–just a little overly nervous. I patted it dry before applying the rub.
It tasted just like every good corned beef I’ve ever had, and nothing like any pastrami I’ve ever had. Confusing, but not problematic. The significant problem was that it was impossibly salty. An hour after dinner I was still drinking water and rinsing my mouth. I could figure out no way to re-purpose it and so will discard. A fun and educational experience, but ultimately disappointing.