How to Make Pastrami

4.91 from 20 votes

This is a fantastic step by step recipe on how to make pastrami! Incredible flavor and perfect for sandwiches, rarely are there any leftovers.

Prep Time1

Cook Time8

Total Time1 8

Course: Dinners

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Take the corned beef out of it’s packaging and rinse with cold water. Place in a large stock pot and cover with cold water. Keep refrigerated overnight or 4 hours minimum to remove the excess salt. This is the desalinating process.

If starting with a beef brisket, see my recipe on How to Make Corned Beef first to brine, then go straight to applying the dry rub.

In a small bowl whisk together the dry rub ingredients. Rinse corned beef in water and allow excess to drip off. Apply dry rub mixture evenly over all sides. Place on a platter and refrigerate over night or 8 hours. No need to cover with plastic wrap because when you remove it most of the dry rub sticks to the wrap and is wasted. Air cured is fine overnight, but feel free to go right to the smoker. I have found overnight adds more flavor then straight to the smoker or oven. Use your own discretion.

Let the brisket come to room temperature, about 2 hours. Smoke the brisket for approximately 6 hours at 225°F. We will want an internal temperature of 180°F for that tender meat. (See Note 4).
Feel free to discard whatever fat cap is still there and not rendered down completely. With a sharp knife be sure to slice across the grain into about 1/8″ and serve! Slicing across the grain will ensure a tender, fall apart piece of pastrami.

Let the brisket come to room temperature, about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pour 4 cups cold water into the bottom of a 12x15" roasting pan lined with a wire rack inside the pan.
Place the brisket on the wire rack, fatty side up. Tightly cover the brisket and roasting pan with a double layer aluminum foil. Bake until it reaches an internal temperature of 200°F. This should take about 1 hour per pound or 3 to 4 hours total. Let the meat rest for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
With a sharp knife be sure to slice across the grain into about 1/8″ and serve! Slicing across the grain will ensure a tender, fall apart piece of pastrami.

If not steaming right away allow meat to cool and refrigerate overnight, or at least 8 hours, covered with a loose fitting piece of aluminum foil (We don’t want the dry rub to come off). Otherwise take directly to the steamer. (See below instructions).
If refrigerated, remove from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature, then steam for 2 hours. I use a bamboo steamer with the meat resting on a bit of aluminum foil (See Note 4). In a large pot over medium low heat pour enough water in pot that there is an inch gap between steamer rack and water and steam for 2 hours. Check occasionally to make sure water does not evaporate and refill as needed. We want an internal temperature of 204°F. Just before it hits that I turn off the heat because the meat will continue to cook. (See picture, it rose all the away to 207°F while resting.)
If you don't have a steamer, you could use an Instant Pot. Use the Instant Pot with the strainer made to fit the IP size. Put the smoked, refrigerated pastrami in the steamer basket, added 1 cup water and set it on STEAM and LOW for 2 hours.
Feel free to discard whatever fat cap is still there and not rendered down completely. With a sharp knife be sure to slice across the grain into about 1/8″ and serve! Slicing across the grain will ensure a tender, fall apart piece of pastrami.

Either use a pre-packaged Corned Beef or a beef brisket. If starting with a beef brisket, see my recipe on How to Make Corned Beef first, then go straight to applying the dry rub.
Unless a chili powder is specific, like Ancho Chili Powder, it can be made up of various ingredients. Basic Chili Powder mixes include Ancho, New Mexico, California or any other mild chili pepper, cayenne powder, ground black peppercorns, cumin, coriander and Mexican oregano.
I use either my Traeger Smoker or a Masterbuilt 30″ Digital Electric Smoker, but follow your smoker instructions. For the Masterbuilt, add an inch of water to the water tray, and use cherry wood chips, or maple, apple or grape. While the smoke flavor is going to add to the quality of the pastrami, you do not want to overpower the flavor with a strong woods like hickory or mesquite.
Cover loosely with aluminum foil over night and lay meat on top in steamer. If you don’t have a bamboo steamer a metal one will do fine that you use for steaming vegetables. Another steamer method is propping the plate and beef on top of rolled up prices of aluminum foil to raise it up and pour water in pot up to plate and steam.