Pastrami On Rye (ft. Manny’s Deli)

There are few things more satisfying than a perfectly crafted Pastrami on Rye. For many, this beloved deli staple is the ultimate comfort food. But what if I told you that you could make this iconic dish in your own kitchen? We're taking a deep dive into the world of authentic Jewish deli-style Pastrami on Rye. From selecting the perfect cut of beef to mastering the art of curing and cooking, we're covering it all. First stop, Manny’s Deli in Chicago, IL...🤘🏼 Adam

Curing Spices

red pepper flakes, coriander seeds, star anise, black peppercorn, black mustard seeds, fennel, bay leaves, cinnamon

Serve it up

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Pastrami on Rye

Cook time: 1 HourInactive time: 171 HourTotal time: 172 Hour

Manny's Deli inspired. Serve with a dill pickle spear, a monster-sized latke and a Dr. Browns pop. You can find the latke recipe on my Patreon page.

Ingredients

Curing

• 5% Kosher Salt (weight of water)
• 3% Brown Sugar (weight of water)
• .5% Pink Curing Salt (weight of meat)
• 2 Tbsp Black Peppercorn
• 2 Tbsp Coriander Seed
• 1 Tbsp Mustard Seed
• 1 Tbsp Fennel Seed
• 1 Tbsp Chili Flakes
• 1 tsp Clove
• 1 Cinnamon Sticks
• 3 Bay Leaves

Pastrami Rub

• ½ cup Black Peppercorn, coarsely ground
• ¼ cup Coriander Seed, coarsely ground
• 1 Tbsp Mustard Seed, coarsely ground
• 2 tsp Juniper Berries, coarsely ground
• 2 Star Anise
• 1 Tbsp Chili Flakes
• 1 Tbsp Granulated Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar *because we aren’t smoking that long.
• NO SALT, the cure already did that.

Sandwich Assembly

• 2 Slices Jewish Rye
• 9 ounces Pastrami, sliced
• Horseradish Mustard
• Pickle
• Adam’s Latke
• Dr. Browns Pop

Instructions

Curing

1. Add all of the cure ingredients to a large container and whisk until completely dissolved. Lower the trimmed brisket inside, optionally inject it a couple of times with the brine to speed up the curing process. Cover and allow to cure in the fridge for 7 days.

Pastrami Rub

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Remove the naval from the wet cure and rinse thoroughly before patting dry. Season the naval on all sides with the dry rub as evenly as possible.
3. Set a large wire rack in a large sheet tray and fill the bottom with enough water just to coat the bottom and set the seasoned naval on top. Slow-roast the naval on the middle rack of the oven for 2-3 hours, until the meat is fork tender, the fat is slightly rendered and the meat is dark and crusty. The internal temperature should read around 205F.
4. Remove the meat from the oven and allow it to rest for 20 minutes. Either slice immediately or for thinner pieces do the following: transfer the pastrami to the freezer for 1-2 hours, until it’s firmed up slightly, which will make it easier to slice. Use a mandolin to slice thin pieces off of the naval across the grain. Steam the thin slices until warmed through and serve as needed.

Sandwich Assembly

1. On a slice of Jewish Rye Bread, pile the meat sky high with just a little over a half pound of meat (9 ounces to be exact). Squirt the horseradish mustard all over the top and close the sandwich up. That’s it. No cheese, no spreading condiments on the bread, just pastrami packed on and mustard blasted on top. Serve with a dill pickle spear, a monster-sized latke and a Dr. Browns pop.

Adam's Notes

Curing Formula

• 4159g - 21g pint salt 
• Water - 3908g
• 5% - 195g
• 3% - 117g

Jewish Rye Bread

• Adding seeds to the bread is a Midwest thing. I think it makes the bread more aromatic and visually appealing.

Pastrami Notes

• O.G. Pastrami sold at Jewish Delis were traditionally made of beef Naval, or beef belly because it was cheaper.
• The naval is cut from the carcass rib plate. It is flavorful and lean with succulent marbling and fat.
• Jewish pastrami is not actually smoked, rather it is cured, then steamed or slow-roasted until tender and sliced.
• Pastrami is not easy to slice thin without a deli slicer because it tends to shred and tear. 
• Step 1: Brine - Step 2: Dry and Rub - Step 3: Slow-Roast - Step 4: Chill - Step 5: slice and steam.

My Copycat Manny’s Deli Latkes - Available exclusively on Patreon.

The Perfect Potato Latke

Inside of Potato Latke

Jewish Rye Bread

Yield: 1 loaf

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Jewish Rye Bread

Cook time: 1 HourInactive time: 4 HourTotal time: 5 Hour

Ingredients

• 340g Water, warm
• 280g Bread Flour
• 165g Rye Flour
• 28g Milk Powder
• 36g Caraway Seeds, plus more for topping
• 5g Instant Yeast
• 25g Neutral Oil
• 4g Kosher Salt

Instructions

1. To the bowl of a stand mixer add the water, bread flour, rye flour, milk powder, caraway seeds, instant yeast and oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms. Allow the dough to rest for 20 minutes.
2. Knead the dough on medium speed for 6-7 minutes, until it has no dry spots. The dough will be wet and tacky, this is normal. With oiled hands, shape the dough into a ball on a clean work surface and add it back to the bowl, covered. Perform a set of “stretch and folds” (see video), three separate times every 20 minutes for the next hour. Allow the dough to proof one hour for a total of 2 hours.
3. Remove the dough from the bowl, punch out the air, and shape the dough into a circular loaf (aka a “boule”). Sprinkle some corn meal on a piece of parchment paper, set the loaf on top, cover, then allow to proof for 30-45 minutes, or until noticeably puffed.
4. Preheat the oven to 450F and set a large dutch oven with its lid on the center rack. Allow the oven and dutch oven at least 45 minutes to charge with heat before baking.
5. Spritz the loaf with water, then sprinkle on some more caraway seeds. Carefully remove the hot dutch oven from the oven, grab the parchment paper by its sides and gently lower the bread into the pot, cover, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for 3-5 minutes more, until the loaf reaches an internal temperature of 195-200F.
6. Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.

Stretch & Fold

Prepare the Boule

The Final Product