House Pastrami

Ingredients

For the Pastrami:

– 3–4 lbs packaged corned beef brisket

– 1 box beef broth

– 2 tbsp yellow mustard

– Killen’s Salt and PepperBlend (or coarse salt and pepper mix)

– Fiesta steak seasoning

For the Sandwich:

– 1 loaf dark rye bread

– 1 package sauerkraut (Boar’s Head preferred), drained and pressed dry

– 6–8 slices good Swiss cheese

Russian Dressing:

– 1 tbsp grated white onion and juice

– 1 cup Duke’s mayo

– 1/4 cup ketchup

– 1 tbsp hot sauce

– 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

– Juice of half a lemon

– Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. De-Brine the Corned Beef (Night Before):

– Remove corned beef from packaging, discard spice packet.

– Submerge in a container of cold water. Refrigerate overnight to draw out excess salt.

2. Prep the Brisket (Next Morning):

– Pat dry and rub lightly with yellow mustard.

– Coat generously with coarse S&P blend. Sprinkle steak seasoning lightly over all sides.

3. Smoke the Brisket:

– Preheat smoker or grill to 300°F (Hickory, apple, or cherry wood recommended).

– Smoke directly on the rack for 2 hours.

4. Steam and Tenderize:

– Transfer brisket to a foil pan with a rack, pour beef broth into the pan base.

– Cover tightly with foil and continue cooking until internal temp reaches 202–204°F (~2 hours).

5. Final Crust:

– Uncover, increase smoker to 375–400°F. Smoke another 15–20 minutes to develop bark.

– Rest 10–30 minutes before slicing against the grain.

6. Make the Russian Dressing:

– Mix all dressing ingredients until smooth. Chill until ready to use.

7. Build the Reuben:

– Butter rye bread on the outside.

– Layer: bread, Russian dressing, drained sauerkraut, sliced pastrami, Swiss cheese, and top bread slice.

8. Toast the Sandwich:

– Griddle or pan-fry until golden brown on both sides and cheese is melted.

Serve hot. A deli-worthy sandwich made at home!