All You Need to Know about Pastrami

If you are a fan of giant sandwiches, you are likely a fan of pastrami. Pastrami is a delicacy long associated with jewish delis. The production process is quite complicated and people almost never make it at home and instead go to a jewish deli to enjoy it. And foodies love the complexity of flavors.

Who Invented Pastrami?

There is a popular rumor that pastrami was first created in New York City by Sussman Volk in the late 19^th century. Sussman Volk was a Lithuanian immigrant who received the recipe for Pastrami from an old Romanian friend.

The pastrami he made using his friend’s recipe became so popular that Volk opened a deli shop where he served customers this delicious pastrami on top of rye bread. This is why pastrami became even more famous during the 1920s and 1930s and became a staple of the Big Apple’s theater district. There are many other origin stories about deli pastrami which is why you can never tell who was the first to invent it or begin selling it commercially.

What Is Pastrami?

For someone who has never tried pastrami before, it is a cured and smoked cut of beef that comes from the belly of the animal. The cured meat originates from Romania and is traditionally made from beef brisket, lamb, or turkey.

Pastrami is seasoned and cured to perfection with coriander, black pepper, cloves, paprika, garlic, mustard seeds, and all-spice, giving it a subtle spicy yet juicy flavor. There is a complex process of making pastrami, and it is best left to the experts who know how to achieve it properly.

Pastrami is thought to be quintessential meat at a Jewish deli. It can be paired with rye bread, pickles, sauces, and any other type of garnish you like. In the 1950s, many Jewish weddings and bar mitzvahs served guests pastrami with soda water and pickles. However, pastrami remains to be extremely popular since you will be able to find New York-style pastrami at all Jewish food festivals in the USA.

There are similarities between corned beef and pastrami since both were created as a way to preserve meat before refrigeration was invented. However, it became a way to connect Romanian cuisine with American Jewish cuisine, which Americans still love to this day.

What Does Pastrami Taste Like?

When you first bite into a pastrami sandwich or enjoy pastrami on its own, the first thing you will notice about its taste is the smokiness. Pastrami is a cured meat with a complex flavor profile as it contains a variety of spices and aromatics. Depending on the person making it, the taste of the pastrami can change drastically.

How Do You Make Pastrami?

The recipe of pastrami changed over time to enhance preservation and improve its taste. New York deli pastrami is made by brining the beef brisket in a mixture of sugar, spices, and salt for a few days up to a week. Once the chef is satisfied with the result of the brining process, they remove it from the mixture and apply a dry spice rub on its surface. The types of spices used for curing the meat differ depending on the chef’s preference; however, you will notice the use of black pepper, coriander, and mustard seeds is common in almost all pastrami recipes. Once it is completely covered in a dry spice rub, the meat is smoked for several hours to even a day to add some smokiness to the meat and improve its flavor.

How Do You Cook Pastrami?

Since pastrami is already smoked, it just needs to be heated to be enjoyed. You don’t have to add spices or more salt to it but just slice it thinly to make a delicious sandwich or burger. To enjoy pastrami with vegetables or mashed potatoes, you can take thicker slices of pastrami for a bolder and smokier taste.

The most popular way to enjoy pastrami is to broil or sauté it. To sauté pastrami, heat a large pan with oil or butter. Place some thinly sliced onions in the pan and allow them to soften for almost 5 minutes. When the onions have turned translucent, add the pastrami to the pan. Mix the onions with the pastrami and cook them together for five more minutes. Place the onions and pastrami in the middle of the pan; once you are done, cover them with your favorite type of cheese. Bring the heat to a simmer or turn it off entirely to let the cheese melt. After a few minutes, remove the mix of cheese, pastrami, and onions from the pan and serve it on rye bread or a bread roll of your choice. You can add your condiments of choice to the sandwich or enjoy it as it is.

Is Pastrami a Healthy Meat?

Pastrami is one of the best meats for your health as compared to bologna and salami since it does not contain much fat or calories. However, pastrami can not be good for cardiovascular health since it has too much sodium due to the brining process. Pastrami also contains saturated fats, which are not good for your heart. Aside from that, pastrami is a great low-calorie, protein-packed, and delicious type of meat that can help you cut back on your calorie intake and help you lose weight.

Frequently Asked Questions

What animal does pastrami come from?

Pastrami is most commonly made of beef, and you will find the most famous delis in New York City serving you delicious pastrami sandwiches made from beef brisket. Nevertheless, pastrami can also be made with turkey and lamb meat with the same curing and smoking process, but these options are very rare at least in the United States.

What goes on a pastrami sandwich?

A Pastrami sandwich is commonly prepared in rye bread and topped with mustard, pickles, and coleslaw. You can enjoy a pastrami sandwich with other condiments, but trying it with mayonnaise, ketchup, or relish will ruin your entire experience.

Is pastrami a healthy meat for you?

Pastrami is a healthy meat for people who are looking for a low-calorie option to decrease their level of calorie intake. Although it does not contain many fats, the fats that pastrami contains are called saturated fats. Saturated fats can impact your cardiovascular health. Aside from that, pastrami also has high sodium content due to the brining process. This means that eating pastrami regularly is not recommended.

What’s the difference between pastrami and roast beef?

The main difference between roast beef and pastrami is that roast beef is roasted in an oven or over charcoal, while pastrami is made after a laborious process of curing, seasoning, and smoking a beef brisket. Another important difference between pastrami and roast beef is that roast beef can be made from any beef cut, whereas pastrami is usually made from the navel cut of the animal.

How Traditional Pastrami Is Made In New York City | Regional Eats

Pastrami on rye has been a New York staple since the 1900s. They can be bought at old-school Jewish delis like Pastrami Queen. The cured meat was brought back in the late 19th and early 20th centuries when a wave of Eastern European immigrants came to the East Coast.

Although delis like Pastrami Queen are nowadays a rarity, pastrami on rye is still a massive part of New York’s soul. The pastrami meat is essentially pickled, which was initially meant to preserve the meat. Pastrami can be cured or brined for 5 days to a whole week and is meant to be juicy and tender. Insider’s Medha Imam takes a closer look at how pastrami is prepped nowadays for NYC delis.

Pastrami Has Become Part of Popular Culture

Pastrami fans are incredibly passionate about its flavors which explains why Hot Pastrami and Hot Pastrami with Mashed Potatoes were two hit songs in the USA in the 1960s. The documentary Deli Man also featured the pastrami sandwich as a star of the production, and the TV show New York Pastrami Wars lets you know how New Yorkers take their pastrami sandwiches very seriously.

Pastrami Summary

Pastrami is one of the most popular deli meats in the USA. Although it originated in Romania, it has become such an important part of American Jewish cuisine that pastrami can be found in any New York Jewish deli or Jewish food festival.

You can prepare and serve pastrami in different ways depending on your preference and the occasion. Pastrami can be enjoyed at dinnertime with roasted vegetables or mashed potatoes, or served on rye bread along with delicious condiments. If you are interested in learning more about pastrami, click on any of the links below.

Complete Guide to Pastrami