Homemade Pastrami
On March 09, 2021 (Updated April 15, 2022)
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This Homemade Pastrami is an awesome way to make pastrami from scratch at home to use and enjoy any way you see fit. This post includes the entire process for making pastrami – from curing the meat all the way to smoking. So grab a brisket flat and let’s get to it!
What is Pastrami?
Pastrami is a cured beef, often made from the flat section of the brisket. Pastrami begins as corned beef, but the similarities end there.
Both corned beef and pastrami come from the same cut of brisket and the same cure recipe, the only difference is in the final preparation method. Corned beef is traditionally boiled. Pastrami is traditionally coated with toasted spices and slow smoke roasted.
Making Homemade Pastrami
Pastrami is made by curing the beef through a brining process to infuse the meat with salt and spices. Curing the meat takes 5-7 days to allow the meat to be thoroughly penetrated.
After brining, coat the beef in a seasoning of black peppercorns, coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and more to add additional flavor. Finally, slow smoked that bad boy to achieve delicious, smoky perfection.
Making your own homemade pastrami is not too difficult, rather it tends to be a bit time consuming. If you have the time and patience to make your own pastrami from scratch, you will be amazed at how amazing this meat turns out. Just think of all those amazing pastrami sandwiches that await when you’re finished!
Pastrami Cure
Quick note before you begin, for this recipe, you will need Prague powder #1 (also called InstaCure or pink curing salt #1) in a ratio of 3.2 teaspoons cure per gallon of liquid for a 1.5 inch thick, 4-5 pound roast to get that deep pink color throughout your entire cut of meat.
The correct amount of cure is crucial to making sure your meat is fully penetrated before cooking. If you have a different size of meat than I’ve used in this recipe, please refer to this awesome chart that gives you exact calculations of meat to liquid to brine. You simply input your weight, liquid amount, and size, and that chart will tell you exactly how much cure to use.
How to Make Pastrami
Now that you’ve got the 411 on the cure, let’s get to the process:
- Cure the meat. Scroll below for full printable instructions on making the brine. Once the brine has cooled, submerge the meat in the brine, place it in the refrigerator, and cure for 5-7 days. Stir the brine mixture at least once each day.
- Season. Toast the coriander seed, mustard seed, and peppercorns in a saute pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Use a mortal and pestle (or spice grinder) to grind the seeds. Add the remaining ingredients and combine well. Liberally coat the pastrami with the seasoning, and wrap it tightly. Place the pastrami back in the fridge and allow it to sit for 1-2 days.
- Smoke. Remove the meat from the plastic wrap and place it directly on the grill grates of a smoker preheated to 250 degrees F. Smoke for 6-8 hours or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 195 degrees F.
- Enjoy. Rest for 1 hour before slicing and serving warm, or wrap the meat in plastic wrap and chill completely in the fridge before slicing thin against the grain for a killer pastrami sandwich.
Tips for Making Homemade Pastrami
Hold up! Take note of these tips before you dive into making this pastrami!
- Enjoy as you please! This pastrami is awesome sliced and served warm after resting. For a traditional deli experience, enjoy this in a sandwich! Allow the pastrami to cool completely, and then steam to heat through before serving. I like it both ways!
- Switch up your meat. The traditional approach is to use brisket, but round or rump roasts also work great for pastrami. I’ve even seen adventurous BBQers make pastrami whole beef ribs. If you’re planning on using a different meat, make sure to adjust your cure ratios and times to accommodate for larger or thicker pieces of meat.
- Toast those spices. In the recipe card, I walk you through toasting your spices for the Pastrami rub. Don’t skip this step as it makes such a huge difference in the final product and the flavor of that pastrami seasoning. And after the long process of curing the meat, what’s a few extra minutes to get the seasoning just right?
Alright my BBQ friends. You’re ready to take the leap into making your own pastrami. If this recipe is sounding a bit too involved, try out my process of How to Make Corned Beef first. Once you have that mastered, pastrami won’t seem so intimidating.
What to Eat with Pastrami
Preparing a scrumptious pastrami sandwich for lunch and need a few sides to round out your meal? While you can’t go wrong with classic potato chips, I have a few other these tasty suggestions below. Oh, and don’t forget a tasty pickle spear!
Homemade Pastrami Recipe
Homemade Pastrami
Ingredients
- 1 5 pound brisket flat, 1.5 inches thick
Corned Beef Brine
- 2 quarts water
- 1 quart apple juice
- 1 ½ cups coarse kosher or sea salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3.2 teaspoons pink curing salt #1 Also known as Prague Powder #1. Ask your butcher or order online.
- 3 Tablespoons pickling spice
- 1 quart ice
Pastrami Seasoning
- 2 Tablespoons black peppercorns
- 2 Tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 Tablespoon whole mustard seeds
- 2 Tablespoons coarse kosher or sea salt
- 2 Tablespoons smoked paprika
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Make the corned beef brine. In a large stock pot, combine all of the ingredients for the brine except the ice. Bring to a boil and stir until all of the salt and sugar has dissolved in the brine. Remove from the heat and stir in the ice until the brine has cooled to room temperature.Cure the corned beef. Place the brisket in a large food-safe plastic container and pour over the cooled brine. Keep the brisket in the cure in the refrigerator for 5-7 days, turning and stirring the brine mixture at least once per day.
- Make the pastrami seasoning. In a small saute pan over medium heat, combine the coriander seed, mustard seed, and peppercorns. Toast the spices for 2-3 minutes or until just fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder and pulse until well combined. Stir in the remaining rub ingredients.
- Season the pastrami. Coat the cured brisket in the pastrami rub and wrap tightly. For best results, let the roast sit in the pastrami rub in your refrigerator for 1-2 days (on a rimmed baking sheet to catch any moisture).
- Smoke the pastrami. Preheat your smoker to 250 degrees F. Unwrap the pastrami and place it directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and smoke until the internal temperature of the brisket reads 195 degrees F. This typically takes anywhere from 6-8 hours.
- Slice and serve. If you want to enjoy your pastrami immediately, let the brisket rest for 1 hour before slicing against the grain and enjoying warm. Otherwise, wrap the smoked pastrami in plastic wrap and chill completely before slicing thin, against the grain. Your pastrami slices can then be steamed lightly to warm through before piling high on your favorite rye bread with sauerkraut and thousand island dressing.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
QUESTION how long will this last in the fridge. I’am curing it now and going to use it for lunch meat. If I don’t slice the whole thing at once will it last longer? Thank you love everything you do.
I make between 7-14 lbs at a time when smoking meats for lunch meat, slice all when finished, package by the pound, and freeze what won’t be used within a week (pull out a package near the end of the previous to let it thaw in fridge).
What about sous vide in place of the smoker? (I dont have one )
I’m making this recipe now and plan to smoke for 2-3 hours, then sous vide at 62°C for 30 hrs. I might broil the fat cap after the souvide, if it looks too wet.
I have never made this recipe, but wonder about desalination after the brine. Would this be helpful? I made some pastrami short ribs a while back and they were so salty, I really don’t want a similar experience. Thanks!!!!
QUESTION…what about starting with a store-bought already cured corned beef…apply pastrami rub for a couple days, then smoke. Think it would be too salty???I know the pre-brined corned beef doesn’t use as much sugar, but thought this could be an interesting shortcut!!!
I do this every so often and it works just fine!
I make pastrami from store bought corned beef all the time. Corned beef is meant to be boiled which removes a lot of salt as it cooks. To prevent the pastrami fom being inedibly salty soak the corned beef in water for a couple of days to draw out some of the salt
I do this. Store bought point. I soak it in water for 24 hours to pull out salt. Pat dry, season it, wrap and let sit 24 hours, then smoke it. Turns out perfect every time
I made this exactly per the recipe (except with a 7 lb brisket flat; no adjustments made to the cure or seasoning quantities) and cured for 7 days. Great flavor, but too salty in my opinion. Not sure if I should reduce the amount of salt in the cure, or the rub, or both.
First, make sure you’re using kosher salt. That will make a difference. Then, if you do any reduction, I’d do it in the rub.
Do you spritz it like brisket?
I am pulling this after 10 days of brining, then going to rub and let it sit overnight before it’s smoked. Color looks good so far – hopefully it tastes as good 🙂 The only thing I am changing is that I am going to skip the salt in the rub.
Absolutely delicious pastrami. So tender and juicy. Followed the recipe to a tee. I brined for 6 days. I suggest doing the 7 Days. I had a very tiny (1” wide x 1/8” tall) spot in the middle that was still brown. Smoked the full 8 hours with cherry wood to get to 195. Now I have a loaf of fresh Jewish Rye and coleslaw from a famous Manhattan deli and I’m in heaven.
If I purchase acorned beef and pick up on step two, will it be just as good, or only come close?
Hi, I like to know do you add wood chips for this recipe making your own pastrami. If so what kind of wood chips are best. Thanks, Doug
I’ve used Apple chips and also the jack Daniels Hickory both work good.