This is an easy homemade Pastrami for all the poor sods like myself who don’t live around the corner from a New York Jewish deli. Tender, juicy and with the signature pastrami spice crust, this is astonishingly straight forward to make – and is outrageously good!
Use it to make giant pastrami sandwiches on rye, or Reuben sandwiches!
Homemade Pastrami recipe
If Katz’s Deli isn’t my first stop when I land in New York, it’s my second or third stop – and probably only because I had a prior dinner commitment.
Yes, I’m that obsessed with pastrami sandwiches.
Let’s be clear about one thing here – this is not a pastrami sandwich as many people know them here in Australia. The pastrami piled high in these sandwiches are light years away from the cold, slippery cuts we get over the counter at delis.
The pastrami you get at Jewish delis in the States is tender, juicy, fall apart and loaded with that wonderful earthy spice flavours of the pastrami crust with the obligatory black pepper kick.
It’s outrageously good. OUTRAGEOUSLY!!
I have searched high and low, but the sad fact is that there is simply nowhere in Sydney that has pastrami that is anywhere near Katz’s. So I decided to take matters into my own hands and make my own pastrami.
Real pastrami is smoked for days. Days, my friends. I’ve read that the Katz’s smoker is the size of an apartment. Pastrami is serious business!
Mine is a somewhat more achievable home version – made in the slow cooker or pressure cooker.
How do I make pastrami? (The easy way!)
Start with store bought corned beef*
Make our own homemade pastrami spice mix which is made with everyday spices and loads of cracked pepper
Coat beef in Spice mix, wrap in foil
Slow cook or pressure cook until tender.
Cool for ease of slicing before baking briefly just to seal the crust, then slice thinly, and pile high on rye bread.
* Corned Beef is beef that’s been brined, either brisket or silverside beef cuts. An economical cut sold in the fresh meat section of supermarkets. It’s called Salt Beef or Pickled Salt Beef in the UK.
Here are the spices you need for pastrami. You can buy coarsely ground cracked pepper but it’s better to grind your own if you can.
Is it as good as Katz’s?
No. And no homemade version ever will be.
But it is so darn good. So SO good. A billion times better than the stuff you buy over the counter at everyday delis. This pastrami that money can’t buy – certainly here in Australia at least, except at speciality stalls at some weekend markets.
So when you need a pastrami or Reuben sandwich fix, this will go a long way to curb your craving – until your next trip back to NYC! – Nagi x
PS If you’d like to try your hand at a real pastrami made in a smoker, I recommend this one from my friend Kevin at Kevin is Cooking.
How to make a Pastrami sandwich
Lightly toasted dark rye bread slathered with butter then mustard then piled high with lots of thinly sliced homemade pastrami. Melted cheese is optional (mandatory in my books!).
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WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
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Homemade Pastrami Without a Smoker
Ingredients
- 4 lbs / 2kg good corned beef, with a thick fat cap (Note 1)
Spice Mix:
- 4 tbsp fresh coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp liquid smoke (optional)
Instructions
- Mix Spice Mix and spread out on a tray. Pat beef dry then roll in Spice Mix, coating well all over. Sprinkle with liquid smoke it using (I rarely use this).
- Place beef fat cap side down and wrap in a large sheet of foil. Repeat again with another sheet of foil and flip the beef so the fat cap is on the top.
- Place rack in slow cooker (Note 2), place beef on rack. Slow cook for 10 hours on low or electric pressure cook for 1 hour 40 minutes (see notes for oven).
- Remove beef, cool then refrigerate for 6 hours +. Reserve juices in slow cooker.
- Unwrap beef. Place rack on tray, place beef on rack. Bake 30 minutes at 180C/350F until spice crust is set.
- Remove from oven, slice thinly – pastrami will be tender. Place some pastrami in a dish, spoon over a bit of reserved juices. Cover and microwave to warm (I like to add a slice of Swiss cheese).
- New York Deli style Pastrami Sandwich: Pile high on toasted rye bread slathered with plenty of mustard of choice. Serve with pickles on the side! Plus plain potato crisps (for the full deli experience!)
- Rebuen sandwiches – see this recipe.
Recipe Notes:
Electric Pressure Cooker –you don’t need to add liquid because corned beef is plump with extra liquid it has absorbed from the brining process so it drops liquid as it heats up, and it’s that liquid that creates the steam that creates the pressure cooking environment. If for some reason it doesn’t come to temperature (ie that whistling noise never occurs, pop in 1/2 cup of water – but I’ve never had to do this). You end up with the same amount of liquid at the bottom of the pot whether you slow cook or pressure cook.
Stove top pressure cooker: add 1/2 cup of water.
Oven – I haven’t tried this myself, but this is what I would do: wrap with foil one extra time, add 1/2 cup water in pan, put wrapped beef on rack in pan, cover pan tightly with foil. Recipe I reference (see below) says 110C/225F for 6 hours which sounds about right compared for the slow cooking time I use. 4. General notes: The slow cooking part tenderising the meat and allows the spice flavours to infuse. The cooling in the fridge makes it easier to slice thinly – if you try to slice hot corned beef, it crumbles. The baking seals the crust – it doesn’t heat through, you want the centre cold for easier slicing. 5. SERVINGS: The corned beef will shrink by about 30%, so 2kg/4lb yields about 1.4kg/2.8lb cooked meat. Allow 300 g / 10 oz per serving for large pastrami sandwiches, as pictured. 6. Recipe loosely guided by this Allrecipes.com pastrami recipe. 7. Store leftovers for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. Reheat slices per recipe. Originally published May 2014, recipe updated June 2018 with a more streamlined, better recipe.
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This was fantastic! We have a smoker, but I think your recipe turned out more tender! I’m absolutely making this again.
I am glad you enjoyed it, Melissa! N x
Great recipe. Enjoy your site. If you desire fantastic NY pastrami the Carnegie Deli I think can ship internationally. Honestly I think theirs is better than Katz.
Thanks for the recommendation! N x
I would like to make this in the instant pot. I don’t see where there are specific instructions for using one. Does it cook for a shorter time and is it still double-wrapped in foil? Thanks for anyone who can point me in the right direction. I’m probably just missing it though I have really tried to search. 🙂
She does give electric pressure cooker instructions in step 3 (and mentions it in notes). Electric pressure cooker is the same as an Instant Pot.
Hi Nagi, your website is the only place I have ever posted public comments.
This was amazing. My husband and I had Reuben sandwiches for three consecutive meals.
There is one portion left (regrettably, we shared some with relatives) and it is a real test of my love to save it for him because it keeps calling out to me.
Well, I didn’t have enough coriander and was lazy and used ground white pepper, so it didn’t taste exactly like pastrami, but it sure was tasty! I’ll do it again, and properly. My family is happily munching away big sandwiches with Swiss cheese, coleslaw, and Russian dressing, and arguing about leftovers!
Hey Nagi,
i dont own a slow cooker or pressure cooker, can you replicate this in an oven?
Yes, you can!
5 hours uncovered @ 230 to 250 f
4 hours tightly wrapped in 3 layers of baking grade aluminium foil.
Let it rest till cool.
Refrigerate for 4 hours, then slice and store in the pan jus.
Hi Marbleless, the cracked pepper is a key flavour in this one, I hope you can try it again with the ingredients listed 🙂 N x
I have a question. I made this in a slow cooker but want to try it in the pressure cooker. Im confused because you said it doesn’t need liquid. But then how does the pressure cooker work without liquid? It’s wrapped in foil in the pressure cooker?
Oh. My. Gosh!!! Thank you Nagi for bringing this into my life! It tasted so mouth-wateringly good!
I could only buy a 1kg piece of silverside. How long should I cook that in the snow cooker? Assuming not the full 10hours. Thanks!! Can’t wait to try it
I’d love to know how to adjust the cooking time in a slow cooker for a 1kg piece of silverside (it’s all I could order during lockdown!) thanks!!
I made this in the slow cooker, primarily to eat as cold meat for lunch sandwiches … my partner declared it an absolute winner and loves the spicy, peppery flavour. Easy, delicious, I would argue better and very econimical compared to buying cold meat at the deli. One thing I did do to make it super easy was to blend the peppercorns and mustard seeds I had in the small bowl attachment for my stick mixer which made making the crust super easy too. I will definately be making this again, Thanks Nagi.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Selby, that’s fantastic to hear!!! And it’s so much more economical to make your own, it freezes perfectly too! N x
Made it pressure Cooker then 10 mins in air fry , now waiting for it to be cold and firm to slice and enjoy .
I want to post picture but can’t seem to be able to.
Perfect Sharon!!! You’re going to love it! N x
Too much peppercorn for me. Ground corns, arm still tired using the peppermill. Used the 4 tablespoons, next time I’ll use 1.
Apart from the crust, delightful and as moist as yours.
Thanks
Heey Nagi 🙂
This look soooo fantastic. But i have a problem…In Germany you dont get fresh corned beef in the supermarket 🙁
Do you have a tip for me how i make my own corned beef??
Best wishes
Karina 🙂
https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018642-homemade-corned-beef
Drooling! If I cook in the pressure cooker (IP), should I still wrap in foil?If so, can I wrap in parchment underneath the foil? I’m not into aluminum foil touching my food, especially for long cooking times.
I must tell you that the pastrami from corn beef was excellent. Great Recipe.
I love dog.
Isn’t it great Barbara!!! I’m so glad you enjoyed it! N x
Definitely worth making the effort. Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Nagi,
Have tried your cheese, vegetable, chicken mince fritters.
A fantastic success and recipe, looking forward to trying the chicken wellingtons next week.
Keep the recipes coming
Regards Mike
Hello,
In Israel we do not use the term “korned beef”. Please let me know what other cut of beef I can use.
Thank you.
חזה – Brust, Chazeh.
Ynet says for pot roast, oven roast, soup, goulash and pickled meat (corned beef?).
The JP says it’s the favorite cut for salt/corned beef, known as brisket or front poitrine.
Hi,
In israel we do not have a cut of beef called ” corned beef”. Can you tell me what other cut of beef I can use?
Hi Rachel, you really need corned beef for this recipe sorry – it can’t be raw, it needs to be cured for this one to work. N x
Hi Nagi,
Cooked my 4th pastrami and again it was great.
I do a 1.2 kg piece of corned silverside in a 3.5 litre slow cooker for about 7 hrs which is a good size for me and my wife. As I don’t have rack to fit in, I use a small oval pie dish to sit the meat on.
This has the added benefit of collecting most of the juices.
The result is delicious, again thanks for the recipe.
Out of curiosity how do you pronounce your name? Is it with a hard g or a soft g?
Regards Mike