Prep time: 20 mins | Cook time: 11 hrs | Total time: 11 hrs 20 mins | Servings: 6 – 8
I have never made Pastrami in my life, but it is one of my guilty pleasures so, I just have to try it! This easy recipe for a Homemade Pastrami requires no smoker but still results in astonishingly tender, juicy Pastrami with the signature pastrami spice crust! A must-try, pretty straightforward, and super good!
Ingredients
4 pounds/2kg good corned beef, with a thick fat cap
SPICE MIX:
4 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper
2 tablespoons coriander powder
1 1/2 teaspoons mustard powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 tablespoons liquid smoke (optional)
How to make Homemade Pastrami Without a Smoker
Step 1: After mixing the Spice Mix, spread it out on a tray. Roll the beef after patting them dry in the Spice Mix, coating the beef well. If using, sprinkle with the liquid smoke.
Step 2: In a large sheet of foil, place the beef fat cap side down. Do this with another sheet of foil. Then, flip so the fat cap of the beef is on top.
Step 3: In a slow cooker, place the rack and the beef on it. Set to cook for 10 hours on low or electric pressure cook for 1 hour and 40 minutes. When done, take the beef out, reserving the juices in the slow cooker. Let it cool, then put in the fridge for at least 6 hours. Unwrap the beef, put the rack on the tray. Now, place the beef on the rack and into the oven. Bake at 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes until the spice crust set.
Step 4: Take the beef out of the oven when done and thinly slice. Spoon a little amount of the reserved juices over the pastrami. Tent and warm in the microwave. Add a slice of cheese if desired.
Step 5: For a New York Deli-style Pastrami Sandwich, pile the pastrami high on toasted rye bread and slather with a generous amount of mustard. Serve with pickles and some potato crisps on the side. Enjoy!
Notes:
Since this is an easy Pastrami recipe, I used store-bought corned beef that has been brined. It is sold in vac packed in an economical cut. For this recipe, I used Salt Beef or Pickled Beef. Keep in mind to not use beef SPAM sold in cans!
For even cooking, I suggest using scrunched-up balls of foil to elevate the pastrami off the base.
Slow cooking helps to tenderize the beef and it let the spice flavours infuse. And so the beef can be easily sliced, I cool it in the fridge.
For any leftovers, store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.
COOKING METHODS:
To make this in an Electric Pressure Cooker, you do not need to add liquid to the corned beef as it already absorbed the extra liquid from bringing. The plumped liquid to the corned beef makes the steam that creates the pressure cooking environment as it heats up. You can add half a cup of water if for some reason it doesn’t come to temperature.
If making this in a Stovetop pressure cooker, make sure to add half a cup of water.
3. If using the oven, start by wrapping the beef with an extra foil, then add half a cup of water to the pan. On the rack in the pan, place the wrapped beef. Using foil tightly cover the pan and bake the beef for 6 hours at 110 degrees C or 225 degrees F.