Fresh, homemade pastrami

39 Comments

  1. Thank you for the amounts in grams also are there temps for baked goods ie bread cakes felt recently an angel food cake was “right”at 207

    1. FINK John,

      Yes! Cakes are typically done when they reach an internal temperature of about 200-210°F. At that point the starches and proteins have coagulated and gelled, setting the structure of the cake, and enough liquid has evaporated to create the texture you’re looking for. Great observation!

      Thanks,
      -Kim

  2. Hello.

    I have a question about baking.

    Are you aware of a guide or publication that lists internal temperatures for knowing when baked goods are done? Is it even possible to do this rather than traditional methods of touch (cakes) visual (cookies & pies) or inserting a probe (cakes)?

    Thank You

    1. Clyde,

      Yes, most cakes are done when their internal temperature reaches 200-210°F. We recommend instant-read digital thermometers like the ThermoPop or Thermapen for this application.

      The final doneness temperatures will differ for other baked good such as pies and cheesecakes. Traditional New York cheesecake is done when it reaches 150-160°F, and pumpkin pie is done at an internal temperature of 175°F.

      Check out the Chef Recommended Temperatures Chart in our Learning Center.

      Thanks for your question!
      -Kim

  3. I noticed in the “Cure” section you list Bay Leaves twice in the spice list. Are they twice as important as the other spices?

    1. Da Moore,

      No, they’re definitely not twice as important! It was a simple mistake. Thank you for the catch!

      Thanks,
      -Kim

    1. Dave,

      The pastrami is a bit firm, mainly due to the wet cure that pulls moisture out. You could decrease the length of time that you cure your brisket, the pink color from the nitrite effect of the cure may not penetrate completely to the center of the meat, though. Another option would be to use the point end of a brisket rather than the flat. It has more fat and will have more of the fall-apart texture you’re looking for.

      Thanks!
      -Kim

  4. The recipe for the cure includes the following:

    3/4 cup (8 oz. [227 grams]) kosher salt
    1 cup (5-1/2 oz. [156 grams]) brown sugar
    (Comment: 1 cup = 8 oz, therefore, 3/4 of 1 cup is 6 oz, not 8 oz and 1 cup is 8 oz, not 5-1/2 oz ?)

    1 tbsp. (1/4 oz. [7 grams]) ground ginger
    (Comment: 1 tbsp = 1/2 oz, not 1/4 oz?)

    2 tsp. (2/3 oz. [19 grams]) prague powder (pink curing salt)
    (Comment: 1 tsp = 1/6 oz, so 2 tsp = 2/6 or 1/3 oz, not 2/3 oz?)

    Am I missing something on the conversion of cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons to ounces here?

    1. John,

      The measurements in cups, teaspoons, and tablespoons are volume measurements. All of the ounce measurements listed in parentheses are weight measurements. Volume and weight measurements do not translate straight across because of density differences between the ingredients being measured. The straight-across ounce conversions you cited are fluid ounces (ounces measured by volume), not ounces measured by weight.

      Kosher salts differ in their weights, and the one we used was quite dense—so its volume measurement was only 3/4 cup rather than 1 full cup at a weight of 8 oz. Ground spices are very low-density ingredients, and their volume is much greater than an ounce of water or oil measured by weight.

      Think of the comparison of a pound of feathers vs a pound of bricks. The feathers will surely occupy a greater volume of space than will the bricks that are far more dense.

      Hopefully this makes sense. Thank you for your question!
      -Kim

  5. Thanks. I now kind of feel like a dumba$$, but it you don’t ask, you don’t learn. 🙂

  6. There are two pink curing salts, #1 and #2. This is a great article but I wish you would have mentioned which curing salt to use, most likely #1.

  7. I have used the exact same recipe and temps but used a venison bone in ham, and an Axis ham (no bone), they both turned out wonderful.

    1. Randy,

      That sounds amazing! Thank you so much for sharing. Hopefully this gives other readers a new idea.

      Thanks,
      -Kim

    1. Hi, Dave. The steaming step is part of the traditional cooking method for making pastrami. Of course, it can be left out, but then it isn’t as authentic.

  8. A practical way of steaming pastrami is to use a 3 part Italian-style pasta pot.

    Place the meat inside the colander, with 1 to 2 liters of water simmering under it, and cover the pot. The water underneath will collect the dripping and some of coat of pepper and coriander. Top up often.

    Before taking the next step, correct for excessive salt by adding water and/or removing some of the liquid and then adding water.

    30 minutes before serving, slice a cabbage head in 4 from the top down and place 2 quarters inside (cook for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on whether your cabbage al dente or soft). Makes an interesting alternative for sauerkraut

    You can also drop some small potatoes or carrots in the pot to boil.

    PS: a cheat around smoking your meat is to add some liquid smoke to your brine for 2 to 3 days, before removing the meat from its brine bath.






  9. Of all the Pastrami that I have eaten in my life
    I never knew it was smoked
    not having a smoke box at home ,how long would I
    Steam it ( per pound/ K ) to cook it through
    Nice recipe
    Gary

    1. Gary,
      Pastrami is generally smoked well, then steamed to finish. But, as you say, not everyone has a smoker! I’ve never attempted a straight-steam method on it before, but some sources I trust estimate an hour per pound. Now, I’d probably say an hour PLUS an hour per pound, which I think will be closer to the truth. But there are extenuating circumstances: the thickness of the meat, initial temperature, etc. No matter how long the estimate is, probe it for the proper final temperature! That doesn’t change, no matter the method.

  10. I steamed mine yesterday. My wife and I had some for supper. It was by far the best pastrami I’ve ever had.

    My wife told me that it was the best and I needed to use that recipe again

    Thank You






  11. When I smoke a brisket I normally wrap the brisket in foil or peach paper when the internal temp reaches 150 to 160. Then continue to cook in the smoker to an internal temp of 205 +/-. This effectively steams the brisket in its juices. Would this work with pastrami?

  12. I cook a lot in my traditional stove top pressure cooker (No Instapot, I cook the way my mother did)

    What would you recommend time for steaming in the pressure cooker? I would smoke on the smoker to 150, then steam immediately or put in fridge and steam later.

    1. I would try 30 minutes first. My experience with pressure cooking meats says that ought to do it, but I’ve honestly never tied this in this way.

  13. Best Pastrami recipe out there. No short cuts means a phenomenal end product, been experimenting with recipes for 2 years, keep on coming back to this one. Really appreciate the through step by step approach – first class!






  14. Hi Martin, in comparing this recipe with the Amazing Ribs version, I noticed that your calls for a rinse after the brine, while Meathead’s calls for an 8-hour soak in fresh water to desalinate. Before giving this a try, I was curious if you could comment on this difference in approach and whether there are any steps I should take to mitigate against an overly salty end product.

    I’m a big fan of your recipes and appreciate any feedback!

    1. That’s an interesting question. I have to say that I think a long desalination soak is not a bad idea, but I did not find our pastrami to be overly salty. It was just…delicious!

  15. Hi! I’m finding that the brine does not cover the entire brisket. If doubling the brine, do I double the pink salt/prague powder as well or just the salt/sugar/aromatics? Thanks!

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