Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Easy Homemade Pastrami
A coarse pepper and coriander crust gives this pastrami a fragrant, savory edge around the tender beef. Thin slices carry plenty of the spice coating, making the rich meat especially inviting when folded into a sandwich or enjoyed warm after steaming.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 240 min
- Total
- 255 min
- Original yield
- Serves 12
- Ingredients
- 6 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Beef
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: over 60 minutes
A few quick notes
1. Allow the full soak
Soak the corned beef with its spice packet and brown sugar for twenty four hours before drying and coating.
2. Keep the spices coarse
Grind peppercorns and coriander only until coarsely chopped, leaving visible pieces of black pepper in the mixture.
3. Chill before slicing
Let the cooked meat cool in the refrigerator before cutting thin slices so the pastrami is easier to slice neatly.
Get to know the ingredients
Corned beef
Start with raw packaged corned beef, using its spice packet in the water and brown sugar soak.
Peppercorns
Grind the black peppercorns coarsely rather than into powder so their pieces remain distinct in the crust.
Coriander
Grind coriander with the peppercorns, then spread the spices on a plate for rolling the dried beef.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 12. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 9 steps completeMake room for Easy Homemade Pastrami
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Slice when cold
After refrigerator cooling, slice the pastrami thinly with a knife or use a deli slicer for thinner cuts.
A little more help as you go
Dry after soaking
Dry the soaked meat before rolling it through the coarse pepper and coriander mixture on the plate.
Steam if desired
The directions offer steaming the sliced pastrami before adding it to a sandwich if you want it warm.
A few questions you might have
Is this made from raw beef?
It starts with raw packaged corned beef, soaked with its spice packet and brown sugar before cooking.
How fine should I grind the spices?
Keep them very coarse, with individual pieces of pepper still visible after grinding the peppercorns and coriander.
When do I add water during baking?
After three hours, pour in half a cup of water, cover with foil and cook another half hour.
Should I slice the meat while hot?
Cool it in the refrigerator first, then slice thinly or use a deli slicer for even thinner pieces.
Can I warm it before making a sandwich?
The directions offer steaming the pastrami before adding it to the sandwich if you prefer it warm.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: dinnerthendessert.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.