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Hot pastrami at home


Joe McConnell

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So I bring home a third of a pound of good deli pastrami. It's not warm. How would you warm it, quickly but gently, to achieve a hot pastrami sandwich in the comfort of your own kitchen?

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So I bring home a third of a pound of good deli pastrami.  It's not warm.  How would you warm it, quickly but gently, to achieve a hot pastrami sandwich in the comfort of your own kitchen?

I always wrap it in aluminum foil, sprinkle a tiny bit of water over it, fold it up tight, and put it in a warm oven for a while. Or, you could steam it gently by putting it on a plate or bowl and placing that in the steamer.

Overheard at the Zabar’s prepared food counter in the 1970’s:

Woman (noticing a large bowl of cut fruit): “How much is the fruit salad?”

Counterman: “Three-ninety-eight a pound.”

Woman (incredulous, and loud): “THREE-NINETY EIGHT A POUND ????”

Counterman: “Who’s going to sit and cut fruit all day, lady… YOU?”

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wrap in a damp paper towel and microwave for 20-30 seconds. check and repeat til warm enough for you.

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I don't want to get into the Smoked meat vs. pastrami debate. Growing up in Montreal the smoked meat always came out of a steam table. At first I thought this was just to warm the meat. I (much later) found out that the real reason was to re-hydrate the meat after the spicing and smoking. Steaming is the answer but depending on the size of the brisket it can take a couple of hours.

Cheers

Baconburner

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I don't want to get into the Smoked meat vs. pastrami debate. Growing up in Montreal the smoked meat always came out of a steam table. At first I thought this was just to warm the meat. I (much later) found out that the real reason was to re-hydrate the meat after the spicing and smoking. Steaming is the answer but depending on the size of the brisket it can take a couple of hours.

Cheers

Baconburner

Pastrami is also steamed.

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Personally I get a whole Boars Head pastrami and drop it into the crockpot with the juice from a jar of dill pickles let it go about 4 hours...

Just like Wilke's deli in NJ used to do it

tracey

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pastrami is actually corned beef which at first it is boiled then to make pastrami they will spice it with black pepper then smoke it.. steaming it is a great idea

The difference between Montreal smoked meat and pastrami is in the way the meat is cured. Smoked meat is dry cured, pastrami is cured in a wet brine. From there they're both given a spice rub, smoked, and then steamed for service. There's no boiling involved in either.

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So I bring home a third of a pound of good deli pastrami.  It's not warm.  How would you warm it, quickly but gently, to achieve a hot pastrami sandwich in the comfort of your own kitchen?

Thanks -- good ideas. And yes, please, let's not kick off a smoked meat vs

pastrami debate -- there's enough doctrinal dispute in the world as it is.

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So I bring home a third of a pound of good deli pastrami.  It's not warm.  How would you warm it, quickly but gently, to achieve a hot pastrami sandwich in the comfort of your own kitchen?

I always wrap it in aluminum foil, sprinkle a tiny bit of water over it, fold it up tight, and put it in a warm oven for a while. Or, you could steam it gently by putting it on a plate or bowl and placing that in the steamer.

I occasionally buy whole pastramis from Katz's deli in New York. When it's whole, I definitely steam it for about an hour and then slice it.

After it's sliced, I agree with markk, warm it up in aluminum foil. I think steaming it after it's sliced might alter the texture a bit and it might fall apart. If I was going to steam it sliced, I'd still wrap it in the aluminum foil.

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