Brined & cooked recipeCuresmith Ratio

New York Style Pastrami Recipe

Name: New York Style Pastrami Recipe
Total time: 15 d
Yield: 2.5 kg batch
Cuisine: Charcuterie
Ingredients: 2.5 kg Beef brisket; 3.21 kg Water; 128.6 g Salt; 42.9 g Caster sugar; 20 g Pickling spice (for the brine)

New York style pastrami is one of the great achievements of cured and smoked meat. This New York style pastrami recipe is all about doing the process properly, taking the time to cure the beef well, season it generously, smoke it slowly, and finish it so that the meat becomes tender, rich, and full of that unmistakable deli character. It is not a shortcut recipe, and that is exactly why it is so rewarding.

Introduction

What makes a good New York style pastrami recipe so satisfying is the combination of stages that build flavour step by step. First comes the cure, which seasons the beef deeply and gives it structure. Then comes the spice crust, with its bold peppery, coriander-led profile. After that comes the smoke, which adds depth and warmth. And finally, the finishing stage brings the texture to where it needs to be, soft, sliceable, and deeply succulent. Each part matters, and when they come together properly, the result is something special.

This is one of my absolute favourites to make. There is something deeply satisfying about investing the time to make pastrami correctly and then using it the way it deserves to be used, sliced generously and stacked high into huge deli-style sandwiches. That is part of the magic of pastrami. It is not just about preserving or smoking meat. It is about building towards that final moment when all the effort pays off in flavour, texture, and sheer indulgence.

This New York style pastrami recipe stays true to that spirit. It is practical enough for the serious home curesmith, but it respects the process that gives pastrami its identity. The end result is bold, smoky, spiced, and beautifully tender, the kind of meat that reminds you why some classics became classics in the first place.

Where it comes from

Beef cut chart with the Brisket highlighted — Beef · BrisketNew York pastrami is made from beef brisket, brined and rubbed before it is hot-smoked, so the same cut that gives corned beef its body carries the smoke and spice here.

New York City

Before you begin

Purpose and scope

The recipes published on The Curesmith are intended for educational and informational purposes only. Meat curing, fermentation and smoking involve processes that, if carried out incorrectly, can result in products that are unsafe to eat. By using any recipe on this website you acknowledge that you do so entirely at your own risk, and you agree that The Curesmith and its authors cannot be held liable for any outcome arising from its use.

Limitation of liability

The Curesmith and its authors accept no responsibility or liability for any illness, injury, loss or damage arising from the use of these recipes, including but not limited to illness caused by improperly cured, handled or cooked meat products, errors in measurement or technique, equipment failure, or deviation from the stated method or quantities.

Nitrite and cure safety

Meat curing involves the use of nitrite salts, which must be measured accurately and used strictly according to the quantities specified. Nitrite in excessive quantities is toxic. Please ensure you understand the following before proceeding:

Always use a calibrated digital scale accurate to at least one gram. For smaller batches, a scale accurate to 0.1g is strongly recommended.
Never exceed the stated cure amounts. Never substitute cure types without recalculating.
Store all curing salts clearly labelled, separately from regular salt, and out of reach of children.
Different cure products have different nitrite concentrations. Always check your manufacturer's label and adjust quantities accordingly.

Food hygiene and cross-contamination

Raw and cured meat products must be stored, handled and prepared in a clean environment using food-safe equipment. Hands, surfaces, tools and containers must be thoroughly cleaned and where appropriate sanitised before use. Cross-contamination between raw meat and ready-to-eat products must be avoided at all times.

Temperature control

Temperature control is critical throughout all curing and smoking processes. Inadequate temperature management can allow the growth of dangerous pathogens including Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella and E. coli. A reliable refrigerator thermometer and a calibrated probe thermometer are essential pieces of equipment for anyone producing cured or smoked meat at home.

Uncooked cured products

Whole muscle products that are eaten without cooking, such as air-dried bresaola, coppa or prosciutto, must reach their target weight loss before consumption. Products that have not been cured and dried to the correct specification may not be safe to eat uncooked. Pancetta and guanciale cured to less than 38% weight loss must not be consumed uncooked.

Bacon and other uncooked cured products

Bacon and other uncooked cured products must be cooked thoroughly before eating. Cold smoking adds flavour and colour but does not cook the product. A cold-smoked bacon or sausage remains a raw product and must reach a safe internal temperature before it is safe to consume. For pork and beef this is 72°C / 162°F. For poultry this is 74°C / 165°F.

When in doubt, seek professional guidance

If you are unsure about any aspect of the curing, smoking or fermentation process, we strongly encourage you to seek formal training or guidance from a qualified food safety professional before proceeding. The information on this website is not a substitute for proper food safety education and training.

Commercial production

These recipes are produced for home and small-scale producers. They are not intended for commercial food production. Commercial meat processing is subject to regulatory requirements that vary by country and jurisdiction. If you intend to produce cured or smoked products for sale, you must ensure full compliance with all applicable food safety regulations in your region.

The recipe

StyleBrined, rubbed, hot-smoked beef

MethodEQ brine

CureNo nitrite

Brine time15 days

Ingredients

Beef brisketgAdjust to
scale the recipe

Piece thickness: enter the thickness at the thickest point; it sets the brine time.

mm thickness

Meat & water
Beef brisket	Reference	2500 g
Water	1.29x meat	3215 g
Water is calculated at 1.29x the meat weight. Use a non-reactive container that holds the meat with all the liquid covering it.
Cure & salt
Salt	2.25% of total	130 g
No nitrite used. The product will be grey-brown rather than pink, which is safe and traditional.
Sugar
Caster sugar	0.75% of total	45 g
Aromatics
Garlic, peeled	whole	3 cloves
Juniper berries, lightly crushed	whole	6 berries
Pickling spice (for the brine)	ground	20 g
Make the pickling spice as a side blend and grind it. The rub for after brining is a separate spice mix.

Nitrite safety check

No nitrite used

No nitrite is being used. The product will be grey-brown rather than pink, which is safe and traditional. Keep it cold throughout and cook it thoroughly.

Brine timeline

Brine methodEquilibrium (EQ) brine

Brine time15 days minimum

Brine temperature2-4 C / 36-39 F

TurningDaily

Method

Combine the brine ingredients. Combine the salt, sugar and cure (if using) with about half the water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until everything dissolves. Add the garlic, the lightly crushed juniper berries and the pickling spice. Remove from the heat. Pour in the remaining water (cold) to chill the brine more quickly. Refrigerate until completely cold.

Bag or submerge the brisket. Place the brisket in a vacuum-seal bag with the cold brine and remove as much air as possible before sealing. If you do not have a vacuum sealer, a jumbo zip-lock pressed flat to expel air, or a non-reactive container with a weighted plate to keep the meat under, both work just as well.

Refrigerate for {days} days minimum. Keep at 2-4 C / 36-39 F throughout. Turn the bag (or flip the brisket) once a day so the brine distributes evenly through the meat. EQ brining is forgiving: leaving the brisket in for a day or two longer than the minimum will not over-salt it.

Remove and rinse. Take the brisket out of the brine and rinse briefly under cold running water. Pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. The surface needs to be dry for the rub to adhere properly.

Apply the rub. Combine the spice rub ingredients (see the side recipe below). Pat the brisket completely dry once more. Coat the brisket evenly with the rub, pressing it firmly onto all surfaces (top, bottom and sides) so it adheres. Place the brisket on a wire rack set over a tray and refrigerate uncovered for 12-24 hours. This lets the rub adhere and the surface form a slight tacky pellicle that the smoke will cling to.

Hot-smoke until about 65 C / 150 F internal. Set up your smoker at 110 C / 225 F. Use a flavoursome smoking wood. Hickory is most traditional for pastrami, oak gives a clean smoke, and cherry, apple or beech all work well too. Place the brisket on the rack and smoke until the internal temperature at the thickest point reaches about 65 C / 150 F. This typically takes 4-6 hours depending on brisket size and smoker type. Use a probe thermometer; do not rely on time alone.

Steam to finish. Transfer the brisket to a deep pan with about 2 cm / 3/4 in of water in the bottom (or a stovetop steamer). Cover tightly with foil or a lid. Steam at about 95 C / 200 F until the internal temperature reaches 93 C / 200 F and a probe slides through the brisket with no resistance. This typically takes 3-4 hours. The steam stage is what makes pastrami pastrami: it tenderises the meat and makes it sliceable.

Rest, slice and serve. Remove from the steamer and wrap loosely in foil. Rest for 30-60 minutes before slicing. Slice across the grain in thin slices. Serve warm on rye bread with mustard, or cool, wrap and refrigerate for up to a week and serve cold or gently re-steamed.

Smoking guidanceHot-smoke at 110 C / 225 F until the centre reaches about 65 C / 150 F, then steam at about 95 C / 200 F to a 93 C / 200 F finish. Hickory is the most traditional wood for pastrami; oak gives a clean smoke, and cherry, apple or beech all work well. Run the smoker outdoors only: hot smokers give off carbon monoxide.

Key tipsEQ is the forgiving method: the salt level in the brine is precisely what you want in the finished meat, so it cannot become over-salted however long it sits. The minimum brine time is simply what the brine needs to reach the centre of the brisket; a day or two longer is fine. Gradient brining is time-sensitive: it keeps pushing salt into the meat for as long as the brisket sits in the brine, so do not exceed the stated days or it will over-salt. Keep everything at 2-4 C (36 to 39 F) and the brisket fully submerged throughout. Pastrami-specific: trust the probe, not the clock. The smoke and steam timings (4-6 hours and 3-4 hours) are only guidelines; the numbers that matter are the internal temperatures, about 65 C / 150 F at the end of the smoke and 93 C / 200 F at the end of the steam, with a probe sliding through the meat with no resistance. A probe thermometer is essential equipment for this recipe.

ImportantPastrami is not ready to eat after brining or smoking alone. It is a raw product until it is cooked through: it must finish at 93 C / 200 F internal at the end of the steam stage, with a probe sliding through the meat with no resistance, before it is safe to eat.

Recipe by The Curesmith — thecuresmith.com

Health & Safety Disclaimer