Homemade Pastrami

Name: Homemade Pastrami
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 5 d 7 h
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: 3 quarts ice-cold water; 10 1/2 ounces kosher salt; 1 3/4 teaspoon pink curing salt; 1 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar; 1/4 cup honey; 2 tablespoons pickling spice; 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds; 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds; 4 cloves garlic; 3 quarts ice-cold water; One (3- to 4-pound) beef brisket; 4 cups cold water; 1/4 cup ground coriander; 2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons smoked paprika

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4.9

162 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
4 hrs
Total Time
5 d 7 hrs
Servings
10 servings
Calories
189 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Israeli

Homemade Pastrami

Iris Warren

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For this homemade pastrami, beef brisket is brined (or corned) in a pickling mix for 5 days. The now-corned beef is rubbed with black pepper, coriander, and smoked paprika, and baked in the oven. If you must smoke it, see the variation.

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Ingredients

Servings

For the brine

3 quarts ice-cold water for the brine
10 1/2 ounces kosher salt about 2 cups Diamond Crystal brand OR 1 heaping cup Morton's brand
1 3/4 teaspoon pink curing salt (a mixture of 6.25% sodium nitrite, salt, and a touch of red dye, also known as Prague Mix #1 or Instacure #1 or Curing Salt #1)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons pickling spice
1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic minced
3 quarts ice-cold water for the brine
One (3- to 4-pound) beef brisket
4 cups cold water for humidifying the oven

For the spice rub

1/4 cup ground coriander
2 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons smoked paprika

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Instructions

Make the brine

Fill a large stock pot with 3 quarts (12 cups) of water. Add the kosher and pink curing salts (it's essential to weigh the kosher salt for accuracy rather than go by a volume measure, trust me), granulated and brown sugars, honey, pickling spice, coriander and mustard seeds, and garlic.
Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring often to dissolve the salt and sugar in the fully. Immediately remove the pot from the heat once the brine boils.
Add 3 quarts (12 cups) of ice and water to a 2-gallon (or larger) food-safe container that fits in your fridge. Pour in the brine. It should be instantly cool.
Trim excess fat from the brisket, leaving a 1/4-inch thick layer, which is important for flavor and keeping the meat juicy. Dunk the brisket in the cooled brine.
Refrigerate the brisket for 5 days, stirring the brine and flipping the meat each morning. If any part of the brisket is touching the container (or another brisket) make sure to rotate it to expose all of the meat to the brine.

Make the spice rub

Mix together the coriander, pepper, and paprika in a small bowl. (Or mix together my recipe for the spice rub above.)

Roast the pastrami

Remove the brisket from the brine and pat it dry. Rub 1/4 cup of the spice rub evenly on the non-fatty side, then flip the brisket and rub the remaining spice mixture onto the fatty side.
Let the brisket come to room temperature, about 2 hours.
Crank the oven to 300°F (149°C). Pour 4 cups of water into the bottom of a 12-by-15-inch roasting pan. Set a wire rack inside the pan.
Place the brisket on the rack, fatty side up. Tightly wrap the brisket and roasting pan with a double layer of aluminum foil.
Bake until the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 200°F (93°C). 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.☞ TESTER TIP: If you want to make sandwiches, chill the pastrami in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
Without trimming the fat, carve the pastrami against the grain into slices as thin as possible without the meat falling apart. Keep the meat tightly wrapped in plastic in the fridge for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 6 months.

Notes

Time-saving tip--Save time and have your butcher trim the fat cap on the brisket to 1/4-inch (6 mm).
Submerging the brisket--If you find it difficult to keep the brisket submerged in the brine, place something heavy (a plate of a few canned goods are great for this!) in a sealed plastic bag and set it on top of the brisket to weigh it down.
Make it fit--If your brisket is too big to fit into the brining container in one piece, cut it in half.
Slicing pastrami--The meat will be easiest to slice after it has cooled. If you don't need to serve it right away, pop it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before slicing thin.
Storage--Pastrami can be stored, tightly wrapped in plastic or aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 6 months.
Dietary--This homemade pastrami recipe is suitable for gluten-free and dairy-free diets.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1portion Calories 189kcal (9%) Carbohydrates 3g (1%) Protein 24g (48%) Fat 9g (14%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Monounsaturated Fat 4g Cholesterol 70mg (23%) Sodium 96mg (4%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 0.2g (0%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 189 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1portion
Calories	189kcal	9%
Carbohydrates	3g	1%
Protein	24g	48%
Fat	9g	14%
Saturated Fat	3g	15%
Monounsaturated Fat	4g	20%
Cholesterol	70mg	23%
Sodium	96mg	4%
Fiber	2g	8%
Sugar	0.2g	0%