Homemade pastrami

HOMEMADE PASTRAMI
by
David W. Cowles
The Fastest Chef in the West
Even if you have a great deli within walking distance, there are two good reasons why you should make pastrami instead of buying it. First, no store-bought pastrami is as delicious as that which you can make at home. Second, you’ll save money—a whole lot of money. Depending on the deli, pastrami sandwiches cost $10.00 to $15.00. By the pound, good pastrami costs $16.00 to $23.00. At home, you can make great pastrami for a fraction of that amount. Yes, making pastrami is well worth the effort.
Don’t confuse pastrami with corned beef. They’re entirely different, though both are cured and either can be made from the same cuts of beef. Corned beef is cured in a brine solution; pastrami is cured with a dry rub. Corned beef is seasoned with pickling spices; pastrami is flavored with coriander, black pepper, and garlic. Pastrami has a smoked flavor; corned beef does not. And, no, you can’t convert corned beef into pastrami. I’ve read recipes that claim you can, but they’re wrong, wrong, wrong!
Pastrami originated in Turkey as a means of preserving meat (usually camel) in the days long before refrigeration. In nearby Romania, the idea of spicing and drying meat was adapted by Jewish butchers, and the process eventually developed into the tender, peppery, garlicky delicacy we call pastrami.
The name pastrami comes from the Romanian Pastramă, probably from the verb "a păstra" (to preserve, to keep), and was brought to the English language via Yiddish. The English ending "-mi" was perhaps influenced by the word salami.
Patricia Volk (in her book Stuffed) asserts that it was her great-grandfather who introduced pastrami to the New World. Sussman Volk, a miller, left Lithuania and immigrated to the United States in 1887. But, New York City didn’t have a need for millers. To support his wife and seven children Volk became a tinker. He traveled from place to place selling pots and pans, which he carried on his back. At night he slept in the barns of his customers.
Volk wasn’t happy with the lowly job, and he especially didn’t like being away from his family. One morning, while saying his prayers, he was kicked by a horse. That was the final straw. He tore his hair and shouted, “My life lacks dignity!”
Once again, Volk changed careers. He opened a kosher butcher shop on Delancy Street.
Not long afterwards, a Romanian friend stopped by to visit.
“Could you store a trunk for me in your basement?” his friend asked. “I’ve got to go back to Romania for a few years. If you’ll store my trunk, I’ll give you my recipe for making pastrami.”
Sussman took the trunk and the recipe. At first, he sold pastrami by the hunk. Then, by the slice. Then, he put it between two pieces of rye bread. The first New York deli was born!
It didn’t take long for competition to spring up. Katz’s Delicatessen was started in 1888 by a Russian immigrant family on the Lower East Side. The restaurant is frequented by politicians, entertainers, and celebrities of all types. Al Gore took the Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin there to lunch. Barbra Streisand, Kathleen Turner, Bruce Willis, and Dan Aykroyd are just a few of the entertainers who enjoy the deli’s food.
Do you remember the “I’ll have what she’s having” scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally? It was filmed at Katz’s. So was the scene when Johnny Depp met his FBI contact in Donnie Brasco, and the scene where Judge Reinhold goes out to eat in Off Beat. Episodes of Law and Order have also been filmed at Katz’s.
Today, it’s generally conceded that Katz’s Delicatessen has the best pastrami in New York, though there are some who would argue otherwise. Carnegie Deli and Artie’s New York Delicatessen are definitely contenders for the title, along with a few others.
Jeffrey Bank, one of the founders of Artie’s, acquired—almost accidentally—the secret pastrami recipe from the late and lamented pastrami emporium Schmulke Bernstein’s. Artie’s now sells nearly a ton of pastrami every week.
New Yorkers may be partial to Katz’s, but the reputation for having the best pastrami in the United States (and probably the entire world) goes to Langer’s, a Los Angeles institution that’s been around since 1947. Actually, Langer’s is more of a sandwich shop than a full-service deli. It closes every day at 4:00 pm and is not open on Sundays.
Langer’s is located at 7th and Alvarado near downtown, a few blocks from MacArthur Park, in what has become a heavily Latino neighborhood. As of this writing the founder, Al Langer, is 93 years old. He still goes in to the deli several times a week for a few hours to help with the lunch crowd and to greet old customers, but his son, Norm Langer, runs the place. Norm has worked the deli since 1963.
At Langer’s, you order pastrami sandwiches by the number. Number 1 is pastrami, cole slaw, and Russian dressing. Add Swiss cheese and the number changes to 19. Pastrami, chopped liver, and Russian dressing is number 6. A grilled pastrami, sauerkraut, and “nippy” (American) cheese is number 44. And, there are many more. These sandwiches are with the meat piled high on rye bread baked by Bea’s Bakery in Tarzana.
Pastrami can be made from several cuts of beef: the brisket, the beef plate adjacent to the brisket, the bottom round, the eye of the round, and the top round. As the rounds are thick, they require injection of the curing spices in order to cure completely through to the center of the meat. That’s too much work to do at home. Let’s forget about using those cuts of meat. Besides, they’re much too lean for most people. The beef plate has quite a bit more fat than the brisket (which is why my wife JJ loves it) and makes great pastrami, but it’s not readily available from supermarkets and retail meat sources, except on special order. That leaves the brisket, which makes wonderful pastrami. We’ll work with that, but not an entire brisket—just the brisket flat.
I like the briskets available at Sam’s Club or Costco. Packaged in Cryovac, brisket flats are $2.79 per pound as of this writing. Taken from the Cryovac and repackaged in white plastic trays, the very same meat is offered at $3.99 per pound. I won’t give the butcher an extra $9.00 or $10.00 per brisket for an unnecessary repackaging procedure, and hope that you won’t, either.
There are three distinct steps to making pastrami: The curing process, the smoking / cooking process, and the steaming process. They say everything worthwhile is worth waiting for, and pastrami is no exception. It will be four or five days between the time you’ve brought the meat home and the time you’re able to sit down to a pastrami sandwich. That gives you quite a bit of time to work up a big appetite in anticipation—especially when you smell the meat cooking!
The easy method of making pastrami eliminates the need to smoke the meat out-of-doors—instead, you cook it in your kitchen oven. I guarantee that you won’t be able to tell the difference.
PASTRAMI INGREDIENTS:

1 brisket of beef flat, about 7 or 8 pounds
1 dry cure recipe
1 cooking rub recipe

PASTRAMI DRY CURE INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup Morton Tender Quick
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup black pepper, coarsely ground
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, freshly ground
2 tablespoons granulated garlic

Mix all of the ingredients together.

Note: Morton Tender Quick is available online from Butcher & Packer http://www.butcher-packer.com/ and Allied Kenco http://www.alliedkenco.com/. Some Wal-Mart stores and other groceries carry Tender Quick, either on the shelves where salt is sold or in the canning supplies section. Important: Don’t try to substitute something else. This recipe won’t work without Morton Tender Quick.

Although you can buy coriander seeds already ground, it’s much better to start with the whole seeds and grind them in an electric spice grinder, such as the Krups GX-4100 coffee/spice grinder. By grinding the seeds as you need them, the oils are freshly released. And, you can control the coarseness of the grind.

I suggest that you compare Butcher & Packer’s online prices for coriander seeds, black pepper, and other spices with the prices at your local supermarket. My neighborhood supermarket charges $4.45 to $5.03 per ounce (depending upon the brand) for coriander seeds, packed in little 1-1/4 ounce containers. B & P charges $1.45 for a full pound, bulk packed in a plastic bag (9¢ per ounce). Supermarket prices for coarsely ground black pepper range from $1.28 per ounce to $2.93 per ounce. B & P’s “Butchers Grind” black pepper is just $5.50 per pound (34¢ per ounce). Shipping is additional, but even with the shipping charges added in, you’ll still save a whole lot of money.

PASTRAMI COOKING RUB INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons black pepper, coarsely ground
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, freshly ground
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon powdered hickory smoke flavor (available from Butcher & Packer)

Mix all of the ingredients together.

THE CURING PROCESS

Trim the fat cap on the brisket to no more than 1/8 inch thick, so that the curing agent can penetrate the meat fully. Don’t remove all of the fat, however—some is needed for tenderness and flavor.

WASTE NOT, WANT NOT: Save the removed fat to use when making french fries. Just render it in hot cooking oil. It will greatly improve the flavor of the fries. (Keep the fat in a Ziploc bag in your freezer until you’re ready to use it.)

Using a sharp knife, stab the brisket at 2-inch intervals on both sides, to help the curing agent penetrate the meat.

Apply half of the dry cure mix to one side of the brisket, rubbing it evenly over the surface and the edges. Repeat on the other side. Use all of the dry cure mix.

Place the brisket in a large plastic bag, such as a 2-gallon Ziploc bag or an oven roasting bag. Seal the bag and set it on a rimmed sheet pan. Refrigerate.

Twice a day, turn the bag over.

On the fourth day, it’s time for the smoking / cooking process.

THE SMOKING / COOKING PROCESS

Remove the brisket from the plastic bag and rinse it under cold running water. While rinsing, rub the surface to remove as much of the seasonings as you can from the meat.

Place the meat in a container of cold water. Soak the meat for thirty minutes. Change the water, and soak for an additional thirty minutes. Soaking is necessary to remove excess salt.

Dry the brisket with paper towels. Coat the brisket on both sides with the cooking rub.

Put the meat on a wire rack sitting in a rimmed sheet pan. Pour several cups of water into the sheet pan. If all of the water evaporates during cooking, add some more.

Bake the pastrami at 250° F. Turn the meat every hour or so until the internal temperature of the brisket reaches 165° F—approximately 1 hour per pound of meat. Important: Don’t guess—use a meat thermometer, inserted in the thickest portion of the brisket.

WRAPPING THINGS UP

Remove the brisket from the oven. Wrap it in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest for two hours.

Congratulations! Your pastrami is now fully cooked and ready to eat, hot or cold.

However, at this stage the pastrami is hard and dry. There’s one more step if you want the meat to be juicy and tender: Steam it, to add back some of the moisture that was removed during the smoking / cooking process.

THE STEAMING PROCESS

Cut off a chunk of as much pastrami as you intend to serve and steam it for at least three hours. Some delis steam pastrami for five or six hours before slicing it. Most any type of steamer will do.

Hand-slice pastrami as thin as possible, against the grain.

Pastrami will keep for a week or more in your refrigerator. For longer storage, wrap it in plastic and put it in your freezer.

Pastrami is best when freshly steamed. However, you can refrigerate pastrami that’s been steamed and reconstitute it in a microwave. Slice the meat, put it one layer thick on a large plate, cover it with a wet paper towel, and heat for 1 or 2 minutes. It’s ready to make into a sandwich!

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

There are many ways to use pastrami, such as pastrami and eggs, navy bean soup with pastrami, and so on. But, most people prefer their pastrami in sandwiches.

It’s probably illegal in some parts of the country to serve pastrami on anything other than seeded rye bread. If it’s not a felony, it should be, at least, a misdemeanor. The bread must be fresh and, preferably, warmed. I wrap as many slices as are needed in aluminum foil and heat them for several minutes in a 350° F oven.

It’s mandatory to serve a topnotch deli mustard with pastrami—a mustard that contains a goodly amount of horseradish. My homemade dilly mustard is perfect.

Serving mayonnaise with pastrami may be, in some jurisdictions, a capital crime. However, Russian dressing, even though it usually contains mayonnaise, is acceptable.

I don’t consider it gilding the lily to add a schmear of chicken liver paté to my pastrami sandwich. Not at all. The two meats complement each other perfectly.

Some people like cole slaw on their pastrami sandwiches. I much prefer mine on the side, as cole slaw makes the bread soggy. Other people add Swiss cheese, sliced tomatoes, even sauerkraut to their pastrami sandwiches. De gustibus non est disputandum. (That's Latin for there's no accounting for tastes. Or, so I’ve been told.)

DILLY MUSTARD

“Whaaaat! Make my own mustard? From scratch? You gotta be pulling my leg!”
No, I’m not pulling your leg. Preparing mustard from scratch is both a fun cooking adventure and the source of a unique, very special gift from your kitchen. Homemade mustard, packaged in a fancy mustard jar with your own computer-printed label, is more impressive to most people than homemade jellies and jams or even homemade ketchup. Yet, it’s easier to prepare, for it’s just stirred, not cooked.
Do you want Dijon mustard, ballpark mustard, herb mustard, chili-garlic mustard, horseradish mustard, tarragon mustard, or honey mustard? You name it, you can make it. The best part about making mustard is the creativity!
You’ll save money over the price of store-bought “gourmet” mustards, too. A whole lot of money.
For pastrami, corned beef, and other deli sandwiches, you have to have a good deli mustard ... of course ... and the recipe below is just the ticket.
Here are three reliable online sources for mustard-making supplies. I’ve bought products from all of them, and have been most pleased with my purchases.
The first, Leeners, carries a complete inventory of mustard-making ingredients and supplies, including attractive mustard jars and a book filled with mustard recipes. You can buy everything you need at one place with one order.
http://www.leeners.com/mustard.html
However, you can save money on the jars by buying them from Sunburst Bottle.
http://www.sunburstbottle.com/site/index.html
And, dry mustard and yellow mustard seeds cost less at Butcher & Packer Supply Company (but they don’t carry brown mustard seeds or mustard jars).
http://www.butcher-packer.com/

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups ground yellow dry mustard (mustard flour)
1/2 cup brown mustard seeds
1/2 cup yellow mustard seeds
2 (12 ounce) cans beer
1 cup distilled (white) vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/4 cup freshly grated horseradish root or prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon dill weed
2 teaspoons turmeric
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon juniper berries
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

In an electric spice grinder, grind the mustard seeds, juniper berries, and caraway seeds. They should be ground fine, but not to a complete powder, if you want some texture to your mustard.

Mix all ingredients together. At this point, the mustard may seem to be a little too watery. Not to worry. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

By the next day, the mustard flour will have absorbed most or all of the liquid. If the mustard appears to be too thick, add more wine, vinegar, or water. If it’s too thin, add a little more ground mustard.

Now comes the fun part—the tasting and adjusting, so that the mustard has exactly the flavor you prefer.

When freshly made, the mustard is going to be quite hot. Don’t worry. It will tone down over the next few weeks. But, is it sweet enough? Salty enough? Garlicky enough? Redolent enough of dill? If not, add more sugar, salt, garlic, or dill weed.

Want it yellower? Then add some more turmeric. Is it too yellow? Then take some turmeric out. (Only kidding!)

Package the mustard in sterilized jars. Dilly mustard may be refrigerated for a month or longer. Better yet, keep the jars in your freezer until needed.

CHICKEN LIVER PÂTÉ

If you enjoy delicatessen-style chopped liver, pâté de foie gras, or even liverwurst, you’ll love this delectable, creamy spread. Like most of my recipes, it’s quick and easy to make.
Use chicken liver pâté as a party dip, with crackers or veggies. Make it into a sandwich, with thinly sliced red onions and tomatoes. Or, generously spread it on corned beef, pastrami, and turkey sandwiches.
INGREDIENTS:

1 pound chicken livers
1 medium-size white onion, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons canola oil
2 hard-cooked eggs
2 tablespoons (or more) mayonnaise
seasoned salt and seasoned pepper, to taste

Rinse and drain the chicken livers.

Put the canola oil in a skillet. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent.

Add the chicken livers and generously sprinkle with seasoned salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until all of the pink is gone from the livers.

Transfer the chicken livers and onions to a food processor. Add the hard-cooked eggs and mayonnaise and smoosh until smooth. If needed, add a little more mayonnaise to make a smooth spread.

Refrigerate for several hours before serving, to bring out the flavor.

Chicken Liver Pâté freezes well. Keep a supply on hand in Ziploc Extra Small (1 cup) storage containers. When company drops by unexpectedly, you can have this wonderful appetizer ready to serve as fast as your microwave can thaw it!

CHEF’S NOTES:

(1) This pâté is smooshed more than chopped liver, to give it a very smooth texture. To make a more traditional chopped chicken liver: Instead of using a food processor, mash the cooked livers with a fork. And, hand-grate the hard-cooked eggs.

(2) To make the recipe even more authentic, don’t use mayonnaise. Instead, use chicken schmaltz (rendered chicken fat). You can also use schmaltz instead of the canola oil. Of course, the mayonnaise is healthier.

(3) Many people prefer their chopped liver made with beef liver. If this is your preference, sauté a pound of beef liver together with the onions. When the liver is cooked, grate it on a hand grater or run it through a food chopper. Don’t use a food processor, as it will smoosh the liver too much.

(4) You may substitute kosher salt and ground pepper for the seasoned salt and seasoned pepper.


DELI SOUR CORN RYE
It takes a lot of work to make this bread and requires a number of ingredients you may not stock in your pantry. It’s certainly not a recipe you should try, unless you just can’t buy an acceptable loaf of deli sour corn rye bread where you live and need it to go with a wonderful brisket or corned beef or pastrami you’re making for dinner.
Having said all that, if you do bite the bullet and make a loaf of deli sour corn rye, I’m pretty sure that once you taste the bread you’ll know that it was worth the effort.
SOUR STARTER:

1 small white onion
1 small potato, peeled
2-1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon molasses
2-1/2 cups stone-ground rye flour
1 package dry yeast

BREAD:

Sour starter (see above)
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons wheat gluten
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 package dry yeast
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
2 tablespoons cooking oil

EXTRAS:

All-purpose flour (for breadboard, when kneading dough)
cooking oil (to coat bowl and baking sheet)
corn meal (to sprinkle on baking sheet)
1 egg (to glaze loaf)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds (to sprinkle on glazed loaf)

The day before you want to bake the bread:

Peel the onion and place it in a food processor. Peel the potato and boil it in the water until it’s soft.

Remove the potato from the water (but don’t discard the liquid) and place it in the food processor together with the onion.

Add the corn meal to the water and boil for two minutes, stirring constantly. Put the corn meal mush in the food processor and smoosh everything together.

Add the molasses, rye flour, and yeast and blend until smooth. The mixture should have the texture of very thick cooked oatmeal. If it’s too thick, add a little more water.

Place the sour starter in a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and place the bowl in a warm place overnight.

The next morning:

Mix together all of the bread ingredients, adding the sour starter last.

Knead the dough on a floured breadboard, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is stiff but still slightly sticky. Form the dough into a ball.

Place the dough in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of cooking oil. Turn the dough to coat it with oil on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place until the dough has doubled in volume (about two hours). If you have a proofing oven, this is the time to use it.

Punch the dough down. Knead it a little more and shape it into a loaf or round.

Place the loaf on a baking sheet coated with a spoonful of cooking oil and sprinkled lightly with corn meal. Cover with plastic wrap and again allow the dough to rise in a warm place until double in volume.

Preheat your oven to 375° F. Bake the bread 40 minutes.

Remove the bread from the oven and brush it with a mixture of egg and an equal amount of water. Sprinkle the loaf with the remaining caraway seeds.

Return the loaf to the oven for about five minutes, or until the top is glazed and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Wow, that's pretty darned comprehensive! Thanks!

Check out this thread for other LTHer experiences making pastrami.