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–+ servings
Assembled smoked pastrami sandwich on a brioche bun with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing on a wood round

Smoked Pastrami Sandwich (From Store-Bought Corned Beef)

Smoked pastrami made from store-bought corned beef, rubbed with a peppery coriander-heavy spice blend, smoked at 275°F, and braised to 203°F for deli-quality pastrami sandwiches.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours 30 minutes
Soak Time 1 hour
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Jewish Deli
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pastrami
  • 1 store-bought corned beef brisket
  • Yellow mustard binder
  • Beef broth for braising
Pastrami Rub
  • 2 tbsp coarse black pepper
  • 2 tbsp ground coriander
  • 1 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp mustard powder
Sandwich
  • Brioche burger buns
  • Sliced Swiss cheese
  • Sauerkraut
  • Thousand Island dressing

Equipment

  • Smoker (pellet, vertical, or charcoal)
  • Foil pan with wire rack
  • Aluminum Foil
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Meat slicer or sharp carving knife

Method
 

  1. Rinse corned beef under cold water. Soak in cold water for 1 hour to remove excess salt. Pat completely dry.
  2. Coat with a thin layer of yellow mustard. Mix the pastrami rub and apply generously on all sides.
  3. Smoke at 275°F until bark is set and internal temp hits approximately 170°F (about 2-3 hours).
  4. Place on a raised wire rack in a foil pan. Pour beef broth underneath (not on the meat). Cover tightly with foil. Cook at 375°F until 203°F internal and probe-tender.
  5. Rest 20-30 minutes. Slice thin against the grain. Toast brioche buns, layer pastrami, add Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing.

Notes

Soak first: Skipping the soak leaves your pastrami too salty. One hour minimum, up to 24 hours for milder results.
Raised rack: The wire rack keeps the bark intact while the broth steams the meat from below.
Slice thin: A meat slicer gives deli-quality results. Hand slicing works with a sharp carving knife.

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