Smoked Brisket Pastrami – Girls Can Grill

If you want true deli-style brisket pastrami, you’re in the right place. This recipe walks you through the whole process.

You’ll cure the brisket in a corned beef brine, coat it with a bold pastrami rub, then smoke it low and slow until it’s tender with that signature peppery crust. It takes a few days of curing, but the payoff is juicy, sliceable pastrami that beats anything from the deli case.

What is Pastrami?

When people refer to pastrami, they are almost always referring to beef that’s been cured and smoked with bold spices that form an extremely flavorful crust.

The most popular cuts include beef brisket and beef navel, but I’ve been making beef chuck roast pastrami for years.

Pastrami doesn’t have to be beef. In fact, “The Taste” published a fascinating article about the history of pastrami that discusses how Turks and Eastern Europeans made pastrami out of goat, mutton and geese.

The main difference between pastrami and corned beef is that pastrami is smoked.

What you’ll need

Equipment

• Smoker or grill set to indirect heat
• Instant read thermometer
• Meat prep bag
• Wire rack and sheet pan
• Butcher paper or foil

Ingredients

• Brisket
• Corned Beef Brine
• Pastrami Rub
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Beef Tallow

See the full recipe card above for servings and a full list of ingredients.

How to smoke homemade beef brisket pastrami

Step 1: Trim the brisket

Trim your brisket to remove excess fat.

Step 2: Cure (Brine the brisket)

Make one gallon of corned beef brine. Cool completely. Place the brisket in a meat prep bag. Pour the cooled brine on top. Refrigerate for 5-7 days.

Step 3: Season

Remove the brisket from the brine and rinse. Pat dry and season with Pastrami Rub. Place on a rack in the fridge and refrigerate for one more day.

Step 4: Smoke

Heat your grill or smoker to 225-275F degrees with an indirect heat zone. Place seasoned brisket on the smoker over indirect heat. Spritz every 30 minutes with apple cider vinegar.

Step 5: Wrap

Once the brisket reaches an internal temperature of 160-170F degrees and develops a nice bark, remove it from the grill. Place it on two sheets of butcher paper.

PRO TIP: A 6-pound brisket will take around 4 hours to reach this point when smoked at 250-275F degrees. If you're smoking at 225F degrees, it will take a little longer. 

Spritz the brisket with more apple cider vinegar. Then, top it with a couple of tablespoons of beef tallow. Wrap the brisket tightly in the paper.

Step 6: Finish Cooking

Return it to the smoker and continue cooking it until it reaches an internal temperature of 205-210F degrees.

Step 7: Rest

Remove the brisket from the smoker and wrap it in a towel. Place it in a cooler without ice. Close the cooler and let it rest for 1 hour before slicing.

How to serve homemade pastrami

If you made brisket pastrami, you want to be sure to slice the flat end of the meat against the grain. You can cut thick or thin slices. Thin slices work best for sandwiches.

The point meat can be pulled apart and shredded. If you made smoked pork shoulder or lamb shoulder pastrami, it’s best to pull or shred the meat, as well.

If you want super thin slices, chill the meat for about an hour. Then, use a meat slicer set to a thin setting to get those shaved pieces like you would find at a deli.

A pastrami sandwich is made on rye bread with slices of pastrami, Russian dressing, Swiss cheese and sauerkraut. It’s also great on its own with a side of cabbage and potatoes. My family enjoys this pastrami recipe with a big bowl of sticky white rice or served cold on a charcuterie board.

No matter what meat you use, delicious pastrami can also be incorporated into a breakfast hash, macaroni and cheese, stir fried rice or topped on a pizza. Let your pastrami creativity take you to new places

Storage

Because pastrami has been cured and cooked, the USDA says it can be stored for up to 40 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Personally, if I’m not going to eat it within a week, I freeze it. You can keep pastrami in the freezer for several months.