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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Veggie Burger – Meatless made amazing. Puts those doughy bricks at the shops to shame!
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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.
LIFE OF DOZER
Nobody wants Dozer on their team for a game of Jenga…
Looks great Nagi – I’ll give it a next time I have a longing for a pastrami on Rye, which I do about twice a year.
Do you have a recipe for a proper pickle though? I’ve failed miserably, convinced it’s because I’m not using Alum.
Hi Jason! You mean the pickles on the side or you mean pickling the beef to make corned beef? 🙂 N x
The pickles on the side – in the UK it is nigh on impossible to buy a pickle that is anything approaching what is in a new York deli. 😀
I don’t have a slow cooker or pressure cooker – got rid of lots of appliances when I got a thermomix.. can I do this in oven?? I adore what we called salt beef in london ! Used to get it from Italian Jewish deli – loaded with dill pickle on rye.. omg. Heaven
Hi Carol! I haven’t tried that myself but in another recipe, it says 225 degrees F (110 degrees C) for 6 hours which sounds about right compared for the slow cooking time I use. 🙂 N x
I’ve been meaning to do this. Thanks for the reminder! I love your method. Easy and certainly delicious. Pastrami is the best, isn’t it?
Aaaaaannnddd enough of a spice kick even for you!
Haha, it’s just perfect!
No slow cooker or pressure cooker I’m afraid. But the finished pastrami sounds amazing!
Can the corned beef be cooked totally in the oven? If so, what temperature would you recommend and for how long? Would love to try it!
Yes you sure can Chris! Please see recipe notes! 🙂 N x
Have you made this in the pressure cooker? How does it compare to the slow cooker? I’d be willing to try this either way.
I always enjoy seeing Dozer at the end of your recipes. I can’t wait to have a dog around the house again.
My theory is that slow cooking gives the spices more time to infuse into the meat but in all honesty, I cannot tell the difference. So I pressure cook most of the time 🙂 I’m glad you enjoy seeing Dozer pics! I love sharing them – my favourite part of every post! 😂 N x
What a simple recipe you made look so amazing. I want a super big bite of the sandwich NOW!
Thank you Peter! N x
At the top where is says Prep, cook and total time it seems to be way off for a slow cooker method. Is this time for the pressure cooking method? Sounds so good!
Yes it was out of date! I have fixed it now 🙂 N x
Thanks Nagi. Have a wonderful day 🙂
How do I make corned beef? We can’t get it in the uk.
Hi Maggie! Sorry about that, I’ve added an explanation in there for the UK. It’s called Pickled Salt Beef or Salt beef over there 🙂 N x
Hi, they have it in the kosher section of Tesco’s or Costco. Morrisons have it too – it’s labelled Gilbert’s Salt Beef. 👍
Yes! Thank you Jason, I added a note to explain this 🙂 N x
Hey Dozer..how was the jenga 😂
Thanks for for pastrami recipe ..we have a Katz’s in Toronto Canada..yup you are so right Nagi the pastrami is awesome at their deli. .will try this and send you a pic cheers xo
Katz’s has spread!!! WHOOOOOTTTT!!!
I’ve made this a couple of times now, it’s really tasty!! Always served with something creamy, potato salad, coleslaw etc. The spice rub is YUM! Thank you!!
WOW! I’m so glad you loved this Jax! N x
Made this pastrami over the weekend and it was a hit! My son and husband loved it. Our local pastrami sandwich place charges $10.99 for a sandwich and I paid less than $6 for 4 pounds of corn beef brisket!! Makes a ton of sandwiches and so much leaner and tastier! Thanks Nagi!
$6 for 4 pounds of corned beef??? WWWHAAAAT???!!! 😳😳😳
Hi Nagi!
The storing of 5 days, is that AFTER the 24-48hours soaking, AND the over night to several days after its rolled in the spices (before baked)?
Cheers!
Hi. I was so happy to see a great pastrami recipe. I’ve been cooking for over 40 years and I have to say this recipe is confusing me. No. 6 of your instructions say cook for one hour, number seven says slice and eat. I’m sure I’m reading this incorrectly. I’m going to use the oven method so I’d appreciate if you could give me more straightforward instructions. Thank you
Hi Michael! I’m so sorry about that 🙂 I will re-look at the recipe this weekend, if you can believe it, I actually bought a corned silverside today to make this on the weekend! N xx
When this is made in a slow cooker should any liquid be added to the slow cooker and if so, what and how much?
Nope! It’s basically slow roasted and juices from the pastrami will leech 🙂
thanks for posting this – a friend of mine mentioned he made corned beef in his pressure cooker and I never looked back. we make pastrami at least once or twice a month. i just want to throw in the fact that not all liquid smoke is equal. Wright’s brand is the original, and to my knowledge, the only brand that is just H20 + Soot. All other brands include Vinegar, Molasses and Caramel Color – mainly to mask the off-flavors and appearances that can develop when liquid smoke sits on the shelf too long. I buy Wright’s hickory flavor by the gallon at – get this – $10 per gallon – at the restaurant supply store. I would do the mesquite also, but for some strange reason Wright’s only packages mesquite in retail size bottles, not gallons. And of course, the prices are retail prices. Whatever brand you choose, read the ingredients. Try to avoid introducing any flavor apart from the smoke flavor itself. If you see vinegar and molasses on the label, move on.
Wright’s is fabulous. I found some at an IGA supermarket in Perth, Western Australia. I’ve never seen it anywhere else in Australia. So glad I bought it. A couple of drops is all it takes to nice food into devine food. 😍
Thanks for the tip Joshua! I keep meaning to repost this with new photos. I LOVE this recipe!
Where do you buy liquid smoke I Australia?
I get mine from Thomas Dux. 🙂 Did. I haven’t bought it in over a year I’d say!
Excited to try this! I picked up a corned beef brisket on sale after St. Paddy’s Day, but it’s a bit smaller than you recommend, weighing it at just over 2lbs. I plan to pressure cook in my instant pot. Do you have a suggestion for a cook time adjustment? I am thinking that if it is roughly half the size it needs less time, but am not certain. Any help you can offer is much appreciated!
Hi there! Not quite half – reduce the cook time by about 25%. 🙂
THANK YOU!! it turned out so well! It actually cooked 3 hours early in my crockpot and then of course the 1 hour in the oven to crisp the topping! Delicious and yes, never will i buy pastrami from a deli again; the salt and preservatives alone but the taste is a no brainer! This is dead on some good eats and on rye bread… man delish! Thanks for making me a believer of freshly made pastrami!
Oh WOW! You tried this! It has been yonks and yonks since I made this, I have to republish it with new photos and a video! N xx