Your Next Sandwich Project...

TL;DR

Step-by-step guide to making New York-style hot pastrami from store-bought corned beef using a spice rub, backyard smoker, and slow oven roast.

Key Points

• 1.Start with 5 lbs of flat-cut corned beef brisket, not the point. The flat is leaner; the fattier point makes pastrami taste like a heavy hot dog when combined with spices and smoke.
• 2.Toast and grind 30g each of coriander seeds and black peppercorns for the rub. Toasting releases essential oils and adds roughly 20–30% more spice flavor; combine with 30g sugar, 5g garlic powder, and 2g chili flake.
• 3.Dry the rubbed meat uncovered in the fridge for 12–24 hours to develop a pellicle. This sticky protein layer grabs smoke flavor and fuses the spice crust to the meat — skipping it risks an ashtray flavor and spice loss.
• 4.Smoke on a gas grill at 225–250°F for 90 minutes using a Weber smoker box and dry wood chips. Refresh chips every 25–35 minutes; wood type barely matters given the intensity of the spices and brine flavor.
• 5.Wrap in double foil and roast at 300°F for 4.5–5 hours, targeting 205°F internal temperature. The meat must hold at that temperature for hours so collagen melts into gelatin — pull it when it's tender but not shredding apart.
• 6.For best results, refrigerate overnight then reheat to 135°F before slicing quarter-inch thick against the grain. This gives the pastrami structural integrity; slice about 8 oz per sandwich for a proper deli-style meat experience.
• 7.Build the sandwich on Pepperidge Farm Jewish rye with spicy brown mustard, shingled meat, and pressed flat. Spicy brown beats yellow (too sour) or Dijon (too overpowering); the result rivals Katz's Deli in New York or Montreal smoked meat sandwiches.