How to Make Smoked Pastrami (Starting with Corned Beef)
How to Smoke Corned Beef
Corned beef and pastrami share the same origin. Both begin as beef that has been cured in a salt brine. The difference comes after curing. Once the cured beef is coated in a peppery spice rub and smoked, it becomes pastrami.
That means the brisket you buy labeled “corned beef” is actually the perfect starting point for making homemade pastrami. All it takes is a bold spice crust, low-temperature smoking, and careful temperature tracking to transform it into one of the most flavorful deli meats ever made.
And with modern thermometry tools like RFX Wireless probe, you can track the entire cook from your phone and hit perfect doneness every time.
Turning Corned Beef into Pastrami
The curing step has already been done for you when you buy corned beef. What makes it pastrami is the next stage: seasoning and smoking.
Traditional pastrami is coated with a robust spice mixture dominated by black pepper and coriander. This heavy seasoning forms the iconic dark bark during the smoking process.
A classic pastrami rub often includes:
- Coarse black pepper
- Coriander
- Garlic
- Mustard seed
- Brown sugar
- Paprika
The result is a deeply savory crust that pairs perfectly with the rich, cured brisket underneath.
Smoking Pastrami
Low-and-slow heat is essential for transforming a tough brisket into tender pastrami.
Set your smoker to 250–275°F (121–135°C). Insert RFX Wireless probe into the center of the brisket to monitor internal temperature throughout the cook.
Smoke the pastrami until it reaches about 160°F (71°C) internal.
At this point, the brisket will usually enter the stall, where evaporation slows the temperature climb. Instead of waiting it out, move the pastrami to a covered pan with liquid and finish the cook with a braise or steam.
How Long Does It Take to Smoke Corned Beef?
| Step | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Smoke phase | 225–250°F smoker | 3–4 hours |
| Wrapped/steamed finish | until 195–205°F internal | 2–4 hours |
| Total cook time | 6–8 hours |
The Second Stage: Braising or Steaming
Pastrami is traditionally finished with a steam step to tenderize the meat and break down connective tissue.
Place the smoked pastrami into a pan with hot liquid and cover tightly with foil. Continue cooking until the internal temperature reaches 195–203°F (90–95°C).
Use your RFX probe to track the temperature rise and begin checking tenderness around 195°F.
The brisket is done when a probe slides into the meat with almost no resistance.
Why Temperature Matters for Pastrami
Brisket contains a large amount of connective tissue. That collagen doesn’t begin to fully break down until temperatures climb well above steak doneness.
Cooking pastrami to around 195–203°F allows that collagen to convert to gelatin, creating the signature tender slices you expect from deli-style pastrami.
Wireless thermometry makes this process much easier because you can monitor the cook without constantly opening the smoker.
Slicing and Serving Pastrami
Once the pastrami reaches perfect tenderness, let it rest before slicing.
For classic deli texture:
- Slice thin across the grain
- Serve warm on rye with mustard
- Or pile it high for a homemade pastrami sandwich
The combination of curing, heavy seasoning, smoke, and gentle finishing heat creates a piece of meat that is far richer and more aromatic than traditional corned beef.
Smoked Corned Beef recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 Corned beef, raw Purchased or home-cured
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 275°F (135°C). If you're using the Billows™ BBQ control fan with your RFX GATEWAY, set the fan temp for 275°F (135°C), otherwise, set your high-temp alarm for 300°F (149°C) your low-temp alarm for 250°F (121°C) and monitor your smoker with the included air probe to make sure it stays in the proper range.
- Rinse your corned beef and pat it dry.
- Insert your RFX MEAT probe into the corned beef and place it in the smoker. Set the high-temp alarm for 160°F (71°C).
- When the alarm sounds, place your beef in a pan and add boiling water to come 1/3 of the way up the side of the meat.
- Wrap the pan tightly in foil, insert the probe through the foil into the meat, and reset your high-temp alarm for the meat to 203°F (95°C).
- Cook the corned beef in the pan until the alarm sounds. Verify that the meat has reached 203°F (95°C) throughout by spot-checking with your Thermapen ONE.
- Remove the corned beef from the water pan and, if it needs further tenderizing, wrap it tightly in two layers of foil, then wrap it in a few towels and stash it to rest in a cooler for an hour or two. But if the tenderness feels right, it's time to eat.
- Slice thinly and serve!
Sources: https://food52.com/story/27231-pastrami-vs-corned-beef
I know this is probably an old blog but doesn’t a smoked corned beef by definition become a pastrami?
Almost, but not quite! To become pastrami, it also needs the full coating of pepper, coriander, and other spices.
I’ve been making pastrami from corned beef for a while and I’m trying to get it moister / more tender. Has anyone tried cooking the meat then giving it a pastrami rub and smoking it? What was the result and how long did it need to smoke?
Since I’m sodium intolerant, I’ve started curing my own corned beef in a vinegar mixture with a small amount of curing salt and other spices. But sous vide is my go to these days and cooking all comes down to heat and time= super juicy and tender. After curing, I smoke at 225* until stall or about 160*. Next, vacuum seal and place in sous vide bath at 150* for about 3 days, I converted an ice chest and use a sous vide circulator. Since it’s sealed, it comes out super tender with no moisture loss. At this point, I leave it in the bag and let it rest or place it in the fridge until ready to finish within 2 to 3 days. If finishing right away, I like the temperature of the brisket to drop to about 120* before sprinkling with more seasoning and giving it a couple of flips over the sear station on my pellet grill set to about 375*- of course the surface of the sear station is way hotter than what the pellet controller is sensing. The benefit is that the brisket never gets over 150-160* and it cooks in its own juices for most of the time- never a dry brisket again!
What is a good wood to use for smoking a corned beef?
I like oak or, if you can get it, beech.
Since the RFX probe was inserted for smoking, why not just leave it in place for the braise/steam step?
We do! but we also pot-check for tenderness and temp with Thermapen ONE. If we take it out, it’s so we can wrap the pan in foil, then we re-insert it into the meat through the foil.
About how long do you steam it? Of course I know to go by temp. Just trying to pit a timeline together
It depends on the size, but I’d plan on another 4-6 hours after the smoking.
If you use store bought corned beef you need to get rid of excess salt. Smoking concentrate the salt in the meat on contrast to boiling The meat Boiling is the intended method. I dish my store bought corned beef for a few days with several water changes before turning it into pastrami. Necessary step is you want to avoid overly salty meat.