Pastrami on Rye
Peppery, hand-sliced smoked pastrami piled high on seeded rye with deli mustard — the sandwich that defines the New York Jewish deli.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 270 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 520 kcal
Equipment
- •Smoker
- •Large stockpot or steamer
- •Sharp slicing knife
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- fat
- 28
- carbs
- 30
- protein
- 34
- calories
- 520
Instructions
- 1
Mix the salt, curing salt, brown sugar, cracked pepper, coriander, and garlic. Rub the mixture thoroughly over the brisket.
- 2
Place the brisket in a sealed bag in the refrigerator for 5–7 days. Turn the bag daily.
- 3
Rinse off the cure well. Soak the meat in fresh water for 2 hours, changing the water once, to remove excess salt.
- 4
Pat the meat dry with paper towels. Coat it generously with the coarse pepper and ground coriander crust.
- 5
Smoke at 225°F (107°C) for about 5–6 hours. Cook until the internal temperature reaches 150°F (65°C).
- 6
Steam the smoked pastrami over simmering water for 2–3 hours. Cook until fork-tender and 195–203°F (91–95°C) inside.
- 7
Let the pastrami rest for 15 minutes. Hand-slice the meat thinly across the grain.
- 8
Pile warm slices high on rye bread and spread with mustard. Serve immediately.
Chef's tips
Slice thinly across the grain so the meat pulls apart easily. Thick cuts make the sandwich tough to chew and hide the pepper crust.
Storage
Refrigerate whole cooked pastrami wrapped tightly for up to a week; slice only what you need.
Reheating
Re-steam sliced pastrami over simmering water for 5–10 minutes to bring back moisture; never microwave it dry.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the curing time, which leaves the meat under-seasoned and pink only on the surface.
- •Slicing with the grain instead of against it, making the bites chewy and stringy.
- •Serving it cold instead of hot and steamed, which loses the signature juicy texture.
Serving suggestions
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