Recipes Main Dishes Beef Corned Beef Recipes Homemade Pastrami 4.8 (69) 63 Reviews 28 Photos Great pastrami is not the easiest thing to find west of the Catskills, so a few years ago, I embarked on a mission to find a way to make homemade pastrami using corned beef. My goal was to devise a reasonable substitute that could be done in less than a day at home, without a smoker or any other special equipment. Impossible? No! By John Mitzewich John Mitzewich John Mitzewich — aka Chef John — has produced more than 1,500 cooking videos for Allrecipes. He's the actor, director, and screenwriter whose hands and voice confidently walk you through techniques. Allrecipes' editorial guidelines Updated on March 4, 2024 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 28 28 28 28 Prep Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 6 hrs 10 mins Additional Time: 12 hrs Total Time: 18 hrs 50 mins Servings: 10 Yield: 1 (4-pound) pastrami Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Homemade pastrami might sound intimidating, but trust us: It's actually much easier than it seems! This pastrami recipe produces flavorful, melt-in-your mouth, deli-worthy slices every time. What Is Pastrami? Pastrami is a type of deli meat made from beef brisket. It originated in Romania as a way to preserve meat before the invention of the refrigerator. It's commonly associated with Romanian and Jewish American cuisines. How to Make Pastrami You'll find a detailed ingredient list and step-by-step instructions in the recipe below, but let's go over the basics: What Is Pastrami Made Of? These are the ingredients you'll need to make pastrami at home: Corned beef brisket: This pastrami recipe starts with four pounds of corned beef brisket. If your brisket weighs more or less than that, you'll need to adjust the recipe.Vegetable oil and garlic: Before you season the meat, you'll coat the brisket with homemade garlic oil. This ensures a flavorful and moist finished product.Spices: This pastrami is seasoned with ground black pepper, smoked paprika, ground coriander, dry mustard, ground white pepper, and cayenne pepper. How to Make Homemade Pastrami Here's a brief overview of what you can expect when you make this pastrami recipe: Prepare the brisket: Make the garlic oil. Make the spice blend. Coat the brisket in oil, then season. Reserve a couple tablespoons of the blend.Cook and let rest: Wrap the brisket in multiple layers of foil. Bake it in the preheated oven for six hours, then let it cool to room temperature in the foil. Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.Broil and slice: Unwrap the pastrami and season it with the reserved spice blend. Broil it until the surface browns, then cut into slices. Warm the slices in a skillet until the fat is translucent. What to Do With Pastrami Chef John suggests serving the pastrami slices on rye bread with mustard and a pickle. Here are few other mouthwatering ideas for using your homemade pastrami: Pastrami Reuben Sandwich Pickle Rollups Reuben Pinwheels How to Store Pastrami Store the pastrami slices tightly wrapped in foil or in a shallow, airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. You can freeze pastrami for up to six months. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "It's not easy to find good New York-style pastrami anywhere outside of the city, let alone find a recipe to make it," says Peggy Spry Mislock. "This is the closest thing I've found." "What a wonderful recipe and totally worth it," raves LYNNINMA. "I shaved mine (I borrowed a slicer from my cousin, the caterer) and made sandwiches with provolone in pita pockets." "The secret is slicing it very thin," according to MissRita67. "We had it with Swiss cheese, pickles, and a good deli mustard. A wonderful treat to make!" Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 10 servings ½ cup vegetable oil 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup coarsely ground fresh black pepper 2 tablespoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons ground coriander 1 teaspoon dry mustard ½ teaspoon ground white pepper ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 pounds corned beef brisket Directions Mix vegetable oil and garlic in a small bowl; set aside for 1 hour. Combine black pepper, paprika, coriander, dry mustard, white pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl; set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C). Cover a baking sheet with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil; coat with prepared garlic oil. Lay beef brisket on the oiled foil sheet and brush with remaining garlic oil. Cover brisket completely with pepper mixture, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Wrap brisket, fat-side up, in the sheet of foil. Place wrapped corned beef on another sheet of aluminum foil with the seam- and fat-sides down. Place double-wrapped brisket, seam-side down, on a third sheet of aluminum foil; wrap again. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Bake in the preheated oven for 6 hours. Remove pastrami from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Do not remove the foil. Place foil-wrapped pastrami in a freezer bag or other plastic bag; refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours. Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Remove pastrami from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with 1 to 2 tablespoons remaining pepper mixture. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Place pastrami under the broiler and cook until surface browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and cut into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Heat a large skillet over low heat; warm pastrami slices in the skillet with a few drops of water until fat turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Chef's Note Serve warm pastrami slices on rye bread with mustard and a pickle. I Made It Print 133 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 4709 Calories 384g Fat 33g Carbs 273g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 10 Calories 4709 % Daily Value * Total Fat 384g 492% Saturated Fat 103g 517% Cholesterol 980mg 327% Sodium 22099mg 961% Total Carbohydrate 33g 12% Dietary Fiber 15g 52% Total Sugars 2g Protein 273g 546% Vitamin C 507mg 564% Calcium 312mg 24% Iron 42mg 233% Potassium 6063mg 129% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.