Homemade pastrami can be an impressive dish to cook and serve, but starting from scratch can take more than a day. Many argue that the results are worth the effort, even if it takes a lot of time. If you're still interested in making your own pastrami, keep reading to learn how.
Ingredients
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Pastrami and Seasoning Spread
- 5 lb (2250 g) brisket
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) black pepper
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) cilantro
Marinade
- 1 gallon (4 L) cold water
- 1 cup (250 ml) salt
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) liquid smoke
- 5 cloves of garlic, chopped or crushed.
- 3 to 4 Tbsp (45 to 60 ml) pickling spice
Pickling Spices
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) black pepper
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) mustard seeds
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) coriander
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) red chili flakes
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) allspice berries
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) mashed mace
- 2 cinnamon sticks, ground
- 2 to 4 bay leaves, crushed
- 2 Tbsp (30 ml) whole cloves
- 1 Tbsp (15 ml) mashed ginger
Step
Part 1 of 4: Make Pickling Spices
Step 1. Heat black pepper, mustard seeds, and coriander
Cook all three spices in a small dry skillet over medium heat.
- Keep stirring with a heat-resistant spatula. The more often you stir, the less likely it is to burn.
- Place the pan cover near you. If the seeds start to pop from the heat, quickly cover the pan with a lid and remove it from the stove.
Step 2. Grind the spices
Transfer the black pepper, mustard seeds, and coriander to a mortar and grind it into a powder with a pestle.
- If you don't have a mortar and pestle available, you can also grind the spices with a coffee bean grinder or the surface of a knife.
- If you use a coffee bean grinder, make sure you clean the machine well before using it again for coffee.
- If using a knife, crush the seeds and black pepper into a powder by crushing them on a cutting board with the surface of the knife, using the base of your hand to press the surface of the knife against the seeds.
Step 3. Mix the ground seeds with other spices
Place ground black pepper, mustard seeds, and coriander with red chili flakes, allspice berries, mace, crushed cinnamon sticks, crushed bay leaf, cloves, and ground ginger in a small bowl.
Make sure all the spices are mixed well
Step 4. Set aside 3 to 4 tbsp (45 to 60 ml) of seasoning on top
Set aside for the pastrami marinade. Place the remaining pickling spices in a sealed plastic container and store until needed for another recipe.
These spices can be stored at room temperature
Part 2 of 4: Marinate the Brisket in Seasoning
Step 1. Mix the marinade ingredients
Pour the water, salt, liquid smoke, garlic, and pickling spices into a large saucepan.
- Make sure the pan you are using can fit in the refrigerator. You will need to save it later.
- Put the pan on the stove.
- Stir the ingredients briefly with a large mixing spoon to mix well.
Step 2. Bring to a boil over high heat
Turn on the stove to high heat and cook the marinade ingredients until they come to a boil. At that time, the marinade must be removed from the stove and cooled to room temperature.
Most of the seasoning in the pickling spice mix will have dissolved, and so will the salt. In essence, boiling the ingredients combines all the flavors more effectively
Step 3. Add the meat and let the meat submerge
Put the meat in the marinade, cover, and leave in the refrigerator overnight.
- Just cover it loosely with a stove cover or with a piece of plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
- The brisket should be soaked in the marinade for at least 8 hours, if possible. However, for a stronger and more tender pastrami, you can leave the meat in the marinade for up to 3 days.
Part 3 of 4: Spread the Seasoning
Step 1. Ground black pepper and coriander
Mix the two in a mortar and grind them into a powder using a pestle.
- If you don't have a mortar and pestle available, you can also grind the spices with a coffee bean grinder or the side of a knife.
- If you use a coffee bean grinder, make sure you clean the machine well before using it again for coffee.
- If using a knife, crush the seeds and black pepper into a powder by crushing them on a cutting board with the surface of the knife blade, using the base of your hand to press the surface of the knife against the seeds.
Step 2. Dry the meat
Remove the beef brisken from the marinade solution and pat dry by patting it with a thick paper towel.
Cutlets should be dry enough for the seasonings to stick effectively. It may be a little damp, but not too wet
Step 3. Sprinkle the spices on the meat
Sprinkle plenty of pepper and coriander all over the sides of the meat, using all of the powder, if desired.
Most trading surfaces should be powder-treated. However, if you prefer the taste to be less harsh, you can reduce the amount of spice powder and use it according to your taste
Part 4 of 4: Cook Pastrami
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 110 degrees Celsius
Meanwhile, prepare a baking sheet by coating it with thick aluminum foil.
Thick aluminum foil is recommended because of the weight of the meat. For better results, choose a foil with a non-stick coating on one side
Step 2. Wrap the meat in foil
Place the meat in the aluminum center on a baking sheet and wrap the meat in foil, covering as much as possible.
- Place the fatty side of the meat face up when you place it on the baking sheet.
- It is actually recommended to wrap the pastrami in several layers of aluminum foil. After wrapping it in the first layer, place the pastarami folded down on top of the second sheet of aluminum foil and wrap it all up again. Take the third foil, the last one, and lay the meat with the foil fold facing down then wrap again.
Step 3. Bake for 6 hours
Cook the pastrami in the preheated oven until done and the inside of the meat is no longer pink.
Instead of opening the meat, a more accurate and better way to check for doneness is to insert a meat thermometer into the center of the meat. The temperature in the meat should be at least 60 degrees Celsius
Step 4. Cool to room temperature
Remove the wrapped pastrami from the oven and leave it outside at room temperature for about 3 hours.
Step 5. Place in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 hours
Place the wrapped pastrami in a large freezer plastic bag and place in the refrigerator to cool evenly.
While the pastrami is still wrapped in foil, the foil doesn't wrap airtightly as effectively as a plastic bag. Therefore, using a plastic bag is highly recommended
Step 6. Heat the broiler
Turn on the grill and heat for 5 to 10 minutes.
- The oven rack should be placed at a height of 15.25 to 20.25 from the top heat source.
- Most grills only have an “on” and “off” setting, but if any one has a “high” and “low” setting, set the grill to “high.”
Step 7. Place the pastrami on the baking sheet
Open pastrami and place on a perforated baking sheet with a raised rack.
If you don't have a perforated baking sheet, you can use an oven tray by lining it with aluminum foil. Note that and using a perforated baking sheet is ideal as it allows air to circulate, and as a result the meat turns brown evenly
Step 8. Bake until brown
This will take about 3 to 4 minutes. Since the meat is already cooked, you just need to make sure there is enough time for the meat to brown.
Watch carefully to make sure the pastrami doesn't burn or smoke. When the fat melts from the meat, there is a small risk of the fat burning in the grill flame, especially if you are using a baking sheet instead of a perforated baking sheet with racks. However, because the pastrami is only grilled briefly, the risk is still quite small
Step 9. Slice thinly
Use a butcher's knife and fork to slice the cooked pastrami, each slice should be about 3.25 mm thick.
Slices can be made with a regular butcher's knife, but you can borrow a slicer for a professional, as the process will be even faster
Step 10. Heat the slices and serve as desired
To warm the pastrami slices, place them in a large skillet over low heat with a few drops of water. Cook until the fat looks transparent. This will only take about 5 minutes.
