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What Is Pastrami?Before trying to cook it, I often wondered exactly what is pastrami and it's only been whilst experimenting with pastrami recipes that I've actually learned about it's origins.Until I started to make it I would buy it at the deli but I always seem to be at my barbecue these days creating a new recipe. I guess that's no bad thing is it? When I used to go quite regularly I easily got bored of some of the regular meats and it didn't take me long to settle on pastrami. I love the pink color, the texture of the meat but most important of all it's that hot peppery crunch that really distinguishes it from the other cooked meats. Pastrami was created by the Slavic Jews who adapted a Romanian pork recipe called Pastrama and used beef instead and it became very popular in Jewish delicatessens. With mass migration many Jews moved into the United States and of course they took pastrami with them and what's there not to like? That's why it's so popular today. Pastrami is beef that has been cured, seasoned and smoked. The cuts of meat used are the inexpensive ones like brisket or shoulder so for us smoking enthusiasts it's got to be right up our street. I've detailed two ways to do it, one is hot smoker and this is certainly the easiest way, the other is by cold smoking. The cold smoking method is a much more long and drawn out process but maybe for the purist, this is the one for you?
The picture above shows you the hot smoked version that I made using an "unrolled" piece of brisket. It worked extremely well although maybe a thicker piece of meat would have helped make for larger slices - a lesson for next time. Hot Smoked Pastrami Recipe
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