Overview

Classic deli pastrami at home: equilibrium cure, clean smoke, and a gentle steam to slice‑tender. This guide walks you through safe curing math, precise temps, and reliable doneness checks.

Ingredients

• Beef navel or brisket flat, 4.5–6 lb (2.0–2.7 kg), trimmed to ~1/4 in (6 mm) fat cap
• Equilibrium dry cure for a 5 lb (2.3 kg) piece (scale if your weight differs):
• Kosher salt 58 g (≈2.5% of meat weight)
• Brown sugar 35 g (≈1.5% of meat weight)
• Prague Powder #1 (6.25% nitrite) 5.8 g (2.5 g per kg meat; do not exceed)
• Cracked coriander seed 12 g
• Cracked black pepper 12 g
• Garlic powder 7 g
• Crushed mustard seed 7 g
• Crushed bay leaf 1 g
• Ground allspice 1 g
• Exterior rub:
• Coarse cracked black pepper 25 g
• Coarse cracked coriander 25 g
• Brown sugar 10 g
• Garlic powder 5 g
• Yellow mustard powder 5 g
• Sweet paprika 5 g

Equipment

• Accurate gram scale
• Large zip or vacuum bag and tray
• Smoker (offset, kettle with SNS, ceramic, or pellet)
• Instant‑read thermometer
• Leave‑in probe thermometer
• Wire rack and sheet pan
• Spice grinder or mortar
• Steaming setup (stock pot with rack and tight lid, or covered roasting pan with rack)
• Butcher paper or foil (for transport/rest)
• Sharp slicing knife
• Food‑safe gloves

Wood

Post oak with a touch of cherry

Time & Temp

Time & Temp
Smoke temp: 235 °F (113 °C)
Target internal: 203 °F (95 °C)
Approx duration: 8 hours

The Plan

Pastrami is a three‑stage project: cure, smoke, then steam. We’ll use an equilibrium dry cure for predictable salt and nitrite levels, a steady 225–250°F (107–121°C) smoke for bark and color, and a covered steam finish to reach slice‑tender without drying the meat.

Choose the Cut

Beef navel (plate) is the deli classic—fatty, rich, and forgiving. A brisket flat works well too, but is leaner and benefits from careful steaming. Aim for a 4.5–6 lb (2.0–2.7 kg) piece, ~2–3 in (5–7.5 cm) thick. Trim hard surface fat to about 1/4 in (6 mm); leave enough cover to protect during the smoke.

Equilibrium Cure: The Math That Makes It Easy

We’ll season by meat weight, not guesswork. For Prague Powder #1 (6.25% nitrite), use 2.5 g per kg meat (0.25%). Salt at 2.5% of meat weight. Sugar at 1.5% of meat weight. Add aromatics to taste. Because it’s an equilibrium cure, the meat won’t over‑salt if you go a day long; still, cure cold and on schedule for food safety.

Cure Step (5–7 Days at 34–38°F / 1–3°C)

Pat the meat dry. Mix the cure thoroughly and apply all over, getting into seams. Bag in a heavy zip bag or vacuum bag; press out air. Lay flat on a rimmed tray in the refrigerator at 34–38°F (1–3°C) for 5–7 days, flipping daily to redistribute brine that forms. Safety: Use Prague Powder #1 only, weighed on a gram scale. Do not substitute “pink” Himalayan salt. Keep meat below 40°F (4°C) at all times and prevent drips/cross‑contamination.

Desalt, Test Fry, and Dry Overnight

Rinse the cured meat under cold water. Desalinate by soaking in cold water 1–3 hours, changing water each hour. Pat dry. Slice off a thin sample, pan‑fry, and taste; if too salty, soak another hour. Set the meat on a wire rack, uncovered in the fridge 8–12 hours to dry and form a tacky pellicle that helps smoke and rub adhere.

Pepper–Coriander Rub and Setup

Just before smoking, coat the surface evenly with the rub—heavy on coarse cracked black pepper and coriander for that deli crust. Plan your cooker for a clean fire at 225–250°F (107–121°C). For offsets and kettles with a heat source below, place fat cap down to shield. For pellet/electric smokers, orientation matters less—focus on even airflow and clean, thin blue smoke.

Smoke: Build Bark and Color

Run the pit at 225–250°F (107–121°C); 235°F (113°C) is a reliable middle. Smoke until the bark is set and the internal reaches 155–165°F (68–74°C)—typically 4–6 hours for a 5–6 lb piece. Signs to move on: mahogany color, rub bonded, no rub smearing when tapped. Spritz is optional; use only water if needed to help the rub set.

Steam to Tender

Transfer to a steamer setup: a rack over gently boiling water with a tight lid, or a wire rack set in a covered roasting pan with 1 in (2.5 cm) water in a 300°F (150°C) oven. Steam until probe‑tender, 200–205°F (93–96°C) internal in the thickest point, about 2–4 hours. Doneness check beats temp: a thin probe should slide in like warm butter. Top off water as needed; don’t let it dry.

Rest, Slice, Serve

Rest wrapped 30–60 minutes. Slice across the grain, 1/8–3/16 in (3–5 mm) for sandwiches. For service later, chill whole, then steam slices to 165°F (74°C) just before plating. Classic pairing: rye, mustard, and a half‑sour pickle.

Food Safety, Make‑Ahead, and Storage

Safe cure depends on accurate Prague Powder #1 measurement; use a gram scale. Keep raw/cured meat at 34–38°F (1–3°C); sanitize tools and trays. Cooked pastrami should pass through 135–70°F (57–21°C) within 2 hours and 70–40°F (21–4°C) within 4 more when cooling. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 3 months. Reheat by steaming to 165°F (74°C). Discard any leftover soak water and cure bags; never reuse rub that contacted raw meat.

Troubleshooting and Variations

Too salty? Extend the desalination soak next time and always do a test fry. Bark softened in steam? Pop it back in a 275°F (135°C) smoker or oven, unwrapped, 10–15 minutes to dry the surface. Center not tender at 200°F? Keep steaming to probe‑tender; thickness and collagen vary. Very thick flats (>3 in / 7.5 cm) benefit from injecting 10% of meat weight with a portion of the cure dissolved in hot water then fully chilled, to speed and even curing. Wood swaps: post oak is neutral and steady; cherry boosts color; hickory is stronger—use lightly.

Notes

• Scaling: Keep Cure #1 at 2.5 g per kg meat regardless of size; salt 2.5% and sugar 1.5% of meat weight.
• Typical timeline: Day 1 cure; Days 2–6 cure flip daily; Day 7 desalinate, dry overnight; Day 8 smoke and steam.
• If using a pellet smoker, run a lower 225°F (107°C) setpoint for longer to build smoke before steaming.
• For lean brisket flats, favor the steam finish toward the higher end of 200–205°F (93–96°C) and the longer time for tenderness.
• Altitude note: water boils lower at elevation; rely on probe‑tender rather than internal temp alone during steaming.
• Fry test: Always cook and taste a thin slice after desalination to lock in salt level before you commit to the rub.
• Slicing: If serving later, chill whole, slice cold for clean cuts, then re‑steam slices briefly to 165°F (74°C).
• Wood alternatives: Hickory for a stronger profile; apple/cherry for sweeter smoke and color; avoid resinous softwoods.
• Bark care: Don’t wrap during the smoke—save moisture for the steam phase; wrap only for transport/rest.
• Discard all cure liquids and sanitize surfaces; keep raw and ready‑to‑eat areas separate throughout.