How to Make Pastrami

Homemade pastrami can be an impressive dish to prepare and serve, but when made from scratch, it can take over a day to make. Many would argue that it is well worth the effort, though, even if it is time-consuming. If you are still interested in making your own pastrami, keep reading to learn how it's done.

Ingredients

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Pastrami and Rub

5 lb (2250 g) beef brisket
1/4 cup (60 ml) black peppercorns
1/4 cup (60 ml) coriander seeds

Brine

1 gallon (4 L) cold water
1 cup (250 ml) salt
1 Tbsp (15 ml) liquid smoke
5 cloves garlic, minced or smashed.
3 to 4 Tbsp (45 to 60 ml) pickling spice

Pickling Spice

2 Tbsp (30 ml) black peppercorns
2 Tbsp (30 ml) mustard seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) coriander seeds
2 Tbsp (30 ml) red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp (30 ml) allspice berries
1 Tbsp (15 ml) ground mace
2 cinnamon sticks, crushed
2 to 4 bay leaves, crushed
2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole cloves
1 Tbsp (15 ml) ground ginger

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Make the Pickling Spice

1
Heat the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds. Combine the three spices in a small, dry pan and heat over medium heat.^{[1]
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- Stir continuously with a heat-resistant spatula. The more frequently you stir the seeds, the less likely you are to burn them.
- Keep the lid nearby. If the seeds begin to pop as they heat up, quickly cover the pan with the lid and remove from the heat.
2
Grind the seeds. Transfer the peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds to a mortar and crush into a powder using a pestle.
- If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you could also grind the spices with a coffee grinder or the side of a knife.
- If using a coffee grinder, make sure to clean the machine well before using it for coffee.
- If using a knife, crush the seeds and peppercorns into powder by smashing them on a cutting board with the side of your knife, using the heel of your hand to apply pressure to flat side of the blade from the other side.
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3
Combine the ground seeds with the other spices. Toss the ground peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds together with the red pepper flakes, allspice berries, mace, crushed cinnamon sticks, crushed bay leaves, cloves, and ground ginger in a small bowl.
- Make sure that the spices all appear evenly distributed throughout the entire mixture.
4
Remove 3 to 4 Tbsp (45 to 60 ml). Set aside for the pastrami brine. Place the rest of the pickling spice in a resealable plastic container and store until needed for another recipe.
- The spices can be stored at room temperature.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Brine the Beef Brisket

1
Combine the brine ingredients. Pour the water, salt, liquid smoke, garlic, and pickling spice into a large stockpot.
- Make sure that the stockpot you use can fit inside of your refrigerator. You will need to store it there in a later step.
- Place the stockpot on the stove.
- Give the ingredients a quick stir with a large mixing spoon to combine well.
2
Boil over high heat. Turn the burner onto high heat and cook the brine ingredients until they just begin to boil. At that point, the brine should be removed from the heat and cooled to room temperature.^{[2]
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- Most of the spices in the pickling mix should have had the chance to dissolve, and the same goes for the salt. Essentially, boiling the ingredients together blends the flavors more effectively.
3
Add the beef brisket and let soak. Place the brisket in the brine, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- Cover loosely with the stockpot's lid or with a sheet of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- The brisket should chill in the brine for at least 8 hours, if possible. For a stronger flavor and more tender pastrami, though, you could let it sit in the brine up to 3 days.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Apply the Rub

1
Grind the peppercorns and coriander seeds. Combine the two spices in a mortar and grind them down into a powder using a pestle.
- If you do not have a mortar and pestle, you could also grind the spices with a coffee grinder or the side of a knife.
- If using a coffee grinder, make sure to clean the machine well before using it for coffee.
- If using a knife, crush the coriander seeds and peppercorns into powder by smashing them on a cutting board with the side of your knife, using the heel of your hand to apply pressure to flat side of the blade from the other side.
2
Dry the brisket. Remove the beef brisket from the brine mixture and pat dry with clean paper towels.
- The cut of meat needs to be fairly dry in order to get the dry rub to stick effectively. There can be a little dampness, but it should not be “dripping wet.”
3
Cover the beef with the rub. Apply the pepper and coriander rub over all sides of the brisket generously, using up to the full amount, if desired.
- Most of the surface should be covered. If, however, you prefer a less potent flavor, you can cut down on the amount of rub you use and apply it only according to your own tastes.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Cook the Pastrami

1
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with heavy-duty aluminum foil.^{[3]
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- Heavy-duty aluminum foil is recommended due to the weight of the meat. For even better results, choose a foil with a nonstick coating on one side.
2
Wrap the beef brisket in foil. Place the brisket in the center of the aluminum foil on your baking sheet and wrap up the sides of the foil, covering as much as possible.
- Keep the fatty side of the beef facing up when you place it on the baking sheet.
- It is actually recommended that you wrap the pastrami in several layers of aluminum foil. After wrapping it with the first sheet, place the pastrami seam side down on a second sheet of aluminum foil and wrap the entire cut again. Take a third, final sheet, and place the beef on it seam side down before wrapping again.
3
Bake for 6 hours. Cook the pastrami in your preheated oven until done and no longer pink inside.
- Instead of cutting the beef open, a better, more accurate way to check for doneness would be to insert a meat thermometer into the center of the beef. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees Fahrenheit (60 degrees Celsius).^{[4]
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4
Cool to room temperature. Remove the wrapped pastrami from the oven and let it sit out at room temperature for roughly 3 hours.
5
Refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours. Place the wrapped pastrami in a large plastic freezer bag and transfer it to the refrigerator to chill thoroughly.
- Even though the pastrami is still wrapped in foil, the foil will not create an airtight seal as effective as a plastic bag will. For that reason, the plastic bag is highly recommended.
6
Preheat the broiler. Switch your broiler on and let it heat up for 5 to 10 minutes.
- The oven rack should be about 6 to 8 inches (15.25 to 20.3 cm) from the upper heat source.
- Most broilers only have “on” and “off” settings, but if your settings are further divided into “high” and “low,” set the broiler to “high.”
7
Place the pastrami on a broiler pan. Unwrap the pastrami and place it onto a broiler pan with a raised rack.
- If you do not have a broiler pan, you can line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and use that, instead. Note, however, that a broiler pan is ideal because it allows more air to circulate, browning all sides evenly as a result.
8
Broil until browned. This should take about 3 to 4 minutes. Since the meat is cooked, you only need to worry about giving it enough time to brown.
- Watch carefully to make sure that the pastrami does not begin to burn or smoke. As fat renders off the meat, there is a mild risk of it catching fire in the broiler, especially if you are using a baking sheet instead of a broiler pan with a rack. Since the pastrami is broiled for such a short time, though, the risk remains quite small.
9
Slice thinly. Use a carving knife and fork set to shave off slices of the cooked pastrami, making each slice about 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) thick.
- The slices can be made with a regular carving knife, but if you can borrow a professional grade slicer, the process will take even quicker.
10
Heat slices and serve as desired. To warm the slices further, place them in a large skillet set over low heat with a few drops of water. Cook until the fat turns translucent. This should only take about 5 minutes.
- This can be served as a main dish, but for a more classic way to eat this deli meat, consider making hot pastrami sandwiches with it.
11
Finished.