Just a Great Pastrami Sandwich!

I’m hoping you try out this recipe because it makes Just a Great Pastrami Sandwich! If you live in a town just like mine, there are no delis that sell a New York-style pastrami. In March, everyone makes corned beef because of St. Paddy’s Day. Those packages of corned beef can be found at every grocery store; I turn them into Pastrami! Using these uncooked pre-cured packages shortens the process of making pastrami as you prepare either the point or the flat of the brisket to make this great version. (The “point” is the fattier part of the brisket, and the “flat” is the leaner portion. Pastrami devotees swear by the point; more fat means more flavor, right?) You will never buy the grocery store pre-sliced and packaged pastrami again!

What’s the Process

We are using our backyard smoker to make our pastrami. Whether you use a charcoal/wood smoker or a pellet smoker. Any smoker will do the job. A good amount of my pastrami spices will turn that was-to-be corned beef into a going-to-be pastrami!

One important tip I can offer you to consider as you smoke your meat is to understand the stall. What is the Stall? Somewhere around 165° to 175° internal temp, you may think your pastrami is not cooking and is not moving away from that temp. That point in the cooking process is what BBQ people call “the stall”. There is a process going on in cooking a brisket (or parts of a brisket) where moisture evaporation is cooling off the meat, and it therefore appears not to be cooking. Either continue to let it cook, and it will eventually move out of the stall, or cover your pan with foil to hurry the process of getting out of the stall. You must keep track of the internal temperature of the pastrami so you can adjust your cooking process as needed. Get yourself an instant-read thermometer or temperature probe so you can track your temperature.

How Much Time Should I Plan On Before I Can Serve My Pastrami?

I know you want to get into that juicy Pastrami as soon as you take it out of the smoker. DON’T!!! If you slice your pastrami right when you take it out of the smoker you will lose all the internal juices/flavor out of the meat and leave them on your cutting board! Your internal temperature when you finish cooking will be right around 203°. That heat will just push all those good juices out leaving you with dry pastrami. Wrap that baby in foil or a towel and place it in a cooler if you have one for at least 2-3 hours. A 5-pound point or flat may not need all that time, but why rush it? If you want a very tender Pastrami, then let it rest.

Any Other Thoughts?

Make sure to slice against the grain like you would with any other steak or roast. Slicing with the grain may mean a bite that tastes like shoe leather. You worked hard to make that pastrami so cut it against the grain to showcase its tenderness.

Edited: June 11, 2025

I decided to try my hand at brining my pastrami. Thanks to the Serious Eats website for the recipe! It was a wet as opposed to a dry brine. I will be brining my pastrami for 7 days. Will let you know how it turns out in 7 days!

Hope you enjoy this recipe. Whether you slice your pastrami thin or thick (that’s the way I like it); Show your skills and make pastrami as good as any New York Deli! Please leave your comments below and let me know what you think. As always, thanks for Spending Time In My Kitchen!

Smoker NY Style Pastrami

Recipe by David Frank – Spending Time In My Kitchen

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

6

hours 

Resting Time

2

hours 

Ingredients

• 1 Corned beef flat or point (3-5 Lbs)

• 1 Tbl Yellow mustard

• Pastrami Seasoning

• 3 Tbl Coarsely ground pepper

• 1 Tbl Coriander powder

• 1/2 Tbl Coriander seeds

• 1 1/2 Tbl Smoked paprika

• 3/4 tsp Yellow mustard seeds

• 1/4 tsp Black mustard seeds

• 1 tsp Mustard powder

• 1 1/2 tsp Garlic powder

• 1 1/2 tsp Onion powder

• 1 Tbl Turbinado sugar

• Optional: Slices of Swiss or favorite cheese

• Option: Wet Brine Your Pastrami!

• 3 1/2 lbs Brisket flat (What I used for this brine) See note below

• Store-bought pickling spice, or the ingredients below.

• Pickling Spice

• 1 3/4 Cup Diamond crystal kosher salt

• Water, enough to fill a container that you are using to marinate the meat

• 1 tsp Pink curing salt (Prague Powder #1)

• 2 Tbl Dark brown sugar, packed

• 2 Tbl Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 Tbl Ground coriander

• 1 Tbl Granulated garlic

• 1 tsp Allspice

• 1 tsp Bay leaves

Directions

• Pastrami Rub Spices
• Toast your mustard seeds and coriander seeds for a few minutes until they become fragrant. Pull them off the heat and add them to a mortar and pestle. Lightly crush the seeds and add them to a bowl with the rest of the pastrami rub spices. Set aside.
• Pastrami Preparation and Cooking Process
• Take your “corned beef” out of the package; rinse and dry it off with a paper towel. If you are salt-sensitive go ahead and let the “corned beef” soak in plain water for an hour.
• Set up your smoker for 250°.
• After you have dried off the meat, brush on the top of the meat a thin layer of mustard and add a layer of the Pastrami Seasoning. Let your pastrami rest for 30 minutes. Place your pastrami in a foil pan and place it in your smoker.
• Now, go get a beer and let your smoker do the work. Use your temperature probe to keep track of how your pastrami is cooking. If your pastrami stalls (See discussion above), add a little water to your pan, cover the pan with foil, and let it cook. Optionally, you can wrap your pastrami in Pink Butcher Paper.
• You should pull your pastrami (same as when smoking a brisket) from the smoker when it’s probe tender, meaning a thermometer probe slides in with little resistance like soft butter, which usually happens between 195°F and 205°F. Tenderness is more important than a specific temperature, so always check for feel after it hits the temperature range and before resting. 
• If your pastrami is in a foil tray, remove it and wrap it with foil or a towel. Then place it in a cooler or brisket bag to rest.
• Let your pastrami rest for a minimum of 2 hours.
• Make your sandwich
• Unwrap your pastrami and set it on your cutting board. Make thin or thick slices depending on your preferences.
• All you need is to slather a little mustard on some rye bread. Maybe add some Swiss cheese to your sandwich and add some pickles on the side and you are set to go! (I always say to each his or her own…but don’t use mayo; that’s just sacrilegious!)

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• Enjoy!

Notes

• Only slice as much of the pastrami as you are going to eat. If you have a lot of leftovers, try steaming the pastrami right from the fridge just like they do at the New York Delis!
• 1 tsp of Prague powder #1 to 5 pounds of meat; 1/4 cup of Diamond Kosher Salt to 1 quart of water
• If you use a homemade brine instead of a prepackaged Corned beef that you find on St. Paddy’s Day, you will need to brine your unbrined pastrami for 10 days.

Did you make this recipe?

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