Make smoked pastrami from corned beef brisket with Chef John's recipe for spicy, intensely aromatic pastrami that is easy to make without a smoker.
Preparation Time
40 mins
Cooking Time
6 hr 10 mins
Total Time
6 hr 50 mins
Calories
4709 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Bake in the preheated oven for 6 hours.
Step 2
Preheat the oven to 225 degrees F (110 degrees C).
Step 3
Preheat the oven's broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Step 4
Mix vegetable oil and garlic in a small bowl; set aside for 1 hour.
Step 5
Combine black pepper, paprika, coriander, dry mustard, white pepper, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl; set aside.
Step 6
Cover a baking sheet with a large sheet of heavy-duty aluminum foil; coat with prepared garlic oil. Lay beef brisket on the oiled foil sheet and brush with remaining garlic oil. Cover brisket completely with pepper mixture, reserving 1 to 2 tablespoons.
Step 7
Wrap brisket, fat-side up, in the sheet of foil. Place wrapped corned beef on another sheet of aluminum foil with the seam- and fat-sides down. Place double-wrapped brisket, seam-side down, on a third sheet of aluminum foil; wrap again.
Step 8
Remove pastrami from the oven and let cool to room temperature, about 3 hours. Do not remove the foil.
Step 9
Place foil-wrapped pastrami in a freezer bag or other plastic bag; refrigerate for 8 to 10 hours.
Step 10
Remove pastrami from the refrigerator, unwrap, and place on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with 1 to 2 tablespoons remaining pepper mixture.
Step 11
Place pastrami under the broiler and cook until surface browns, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pastrami from the oven and cut into thin slices, about 1/8-inch thick.
Step 12
Heat a large skillet over low heat; warm pastrami slices in the skillet with a few drops of water until fat turns translucent, about 5 minutes.
