Pastrami
Transform your kitchen into a deli with this mouthwatering homemade pastrami recipe — a labor of love that’s well worth the effort! Featuring a perfectly brined and smoky beef brisket, this classic delicacy combines the savory flavors of kosher salt, brown sugar, and aromatic spices like coriander, black pepper, garlic, and paprika. The brisket is cured for up to a week, infused with bold seasoning, and slow-smoked over wood chips for that unmistakable depth of flavor. Ideal for sandwiches, this tender, juicy pastrami is best served on rye bread with a smear of mustard, making it a showstopper for any lunch or dinner spread. Perfect for seasoned cooks looking to conquer the art of smoking meat, this recipe comes with precise steps to guide you through brining, curing, and smoking to perfection. Whether you're hosting or meal-prepping, homemade pastrami will elevate your culinary repertoire to delectable new heights!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 5 lbs Beef brisket
- 0.5 cup Kosher salt
- 0.25 cup Brown sugar
- 2 tbsp Black peppercorns
- 2 tbsp Coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Onion powder
- 1 tbsp Curing salt (Prague Powder #1)
- 1 gallon Water
- 2 cups Wood chips (for smoking)
Instructions
Trim the fat from the beef brisket, leaving about 1/4 inch of fat on the top for flavor.
Prepare the brine: In a large container or stockpot, combine the water, kosher salt, curing salt, and brown sugar. Stir well until dissolved.
Toast the black peppercorns and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until aromatic. Crush them coarsely using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder.
Add the black peppercorns, coriander seeds, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika to the brine. Mix well.
Submerge the brisket in the brine. Make sure it is completely covered by placing a weight on top if necessary. Cover the container and refrigerate for 5-7 days.
After curing, remove the brisket from the brine and rinse thoroughly under cold water to remove excess salt and spices. Pat dry with paper towels.
Coat the brisket generously with a dry rub made from crushed black peppercorns and coriander seeds.
Preheat your smoker to 225°F (107°C). Soak the wood chips in water for 30 minutes, then add them to your smoker.
Place the brisket on the smoker grates, fat side up, and smoke for 6-9 hours, or until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 195°F (90°C). Replenish the wood chips as needed for consistent smoke.
Once cooked, remove the pastrami from the smoker and let it rest, wrapped in aluminum foil, for 30 minutes.
Slice the pastrami thinly against the grain and serve warm. Enjoy it on rye bread with mustard or as part of a sandwich.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
467 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 23.2 g | 30% | |
| Saturated Fat | 8.5 g | 43% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1.1 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 177 mg | 59% | |
| Sodium | 5671 mg | 247% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 7.4 g | 3% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.1 g | 4% | |
| Total Sugars | 5.1 g | ||
| Protein | 56.1 g | 112% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.4 mcg | 2% | |
| Calcium | 75 mg | 6% | |
| Iron | 5.7 mg | 31% | |
| Potassium | 609 mg | 13% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
