I've tried pastrami a few times and it has turned out terribly each time... dry and tough. If I start with a store-bought corned beef and then apply the rub, are you all wrapping at the stall? Foil or paper? I made a few jars of tallow last week. Should I add tallow if/when I do wrap? Or will that mess up the intended finished product?
Appreciate any advice! I just want to get it right one of these days. :P
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I’ve never done tallow, so I can’t speak to that. The only pastrami fail I’ve had was with a store-bought one. I cure my own chuck, beef cheeks, etc. it’s a project, but so worth it.
Brisket flats used for that are probably the worst flats on the planet. I'd find a good Angus Chuck Roast and work a pulled beef pastrami on that thing.
^^^^^This. If you're going to use store bought corned brisket, I would really use the point. But I'm a point guy all the way around anyways. I've done the pre-corned ones a few times, the home corned ones are ALWAYS better. 100%. I'm not sure what it is - probably Jerod Broussard is right - these might be Select grade beef they're corning, I don't know that I've noticed a grade on them. And their process is much less personal than mine... they're a compromise for sure. I avoid, if possible.
I bought a whole corned beef via mail order from Zingerman's in Michigan and made the pastrami equal to the best deli following the above recipe. At the stall I wrapped in butcher paper, but I've also steamed it to completion on the stove and both were equivalent. Never used tallow.
Thanks everyone. I hadn't really considered that the corned beef I started with could be an issue. There are a number of good delis around me in Cleveland. Perhaps I'll look into buying a corned beef from one of them, if I don't just try it all myself start to finish as some of you suggest.
If you are a bit unsure about starting from scratch try finding a good butcher and go and discuss your needs. They will show you basics of a brisket (point / flat) help select a suitable size and even trim it to your needs if asked. There are also websites that have the curing salts ready prepared together with instructions and there is something very satisfying about starting right from the beginning. 👍
Thanks everyone. I hadn't really considered that the corned beef I started with could be an issue. There are a number of good delis around me in Cleveland. Perhaps I'll look into buying a corned beef from one of them, if I don't just try it all myself start to finish as some of you suggest.
I can't imagine what a store is going to charge you for a whole corned beef... prices are through the roof right now, but I'd imagine $10/lb would be a bargain.
Honestly, the corning/curing is much more impactful (I think) on it than the rest of the process. I would highly, highly suggest skipping the pre-corned beef and do it yourself. You can even dry cure it and not have to worry about the salinity, soaking, dealing with a big bag or bucket of nasty brine when you're done, etc. I don't want a big ass bucket of brine in my fridge or in my way.
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The recipe that SheilaAnn posted is what I had used. And this was the first time I ever tried it, used a chuck roast from my stash of a 1/3 cow I'd went in together with a couple of friends. Bought a big ol' container of curing salt off Amazon. I did add tallow, only because I have a bunch and need an excuse to do something with it!
It turned out really good. Brought some into work for people, and they gave me compliments.
I have never used a "ready-made" corned beef from the store, although I was tempted a couple times. Like realdocBBQ mentioned, I just didn't want to pay the price and take a chance. Now that I have a lot of curing salt, and a few more chuck roasts sitting around, I'll be doing it again here soon.
Even for noob like me, I think it turned out great! The bigger challenge was finding some good rye bread for the sammich!
This pic I was trying to post earlier and it wouldn't let me - do it from scratch, that's my advice. You will learn and you will love it. If not the first time, eventually, for sure.
I am going to be the fly in the ointment here. I have always used prepared corned beef and every time it has been excellent. I have used points and flats. I have wrapped the last 2 with foil, but before that I didn't wrap at all. I keep saying I am going to do one from scratch, but I haven't gotten around to it. And I always use the recipe/method that SheilaAnn posted. From yesterday:
Don't get me wrong, I have had some good results with pre-corned ones from the store, for sure! Mostly points more than flats, yes, but you CAN get good results. And brand might have something to do with it. Just that doing your own cure, you have a LOT more control and I think you can get a better result. While klflowers might really have enjoyed the pastrami he's done this way, if it is the ONLY way he has done it, I would bet he would be even MORE blown away doing one from scratch!
klflowers I would highly recommend it. While I've had some good results with the premade ones... the home cured ones have definitely been a level beyond.
I make pastrami every fall for our Oktoberfest gathering. Normally that’s about 30 pounds worth. I use Walmart corned beef! Yep it’s just fine. If you’re ever lucky enough to find points instead of flats grab them, otherwise the flats are fine. Use Meatheads rub, it works great. After you apply the rub leave the beef in the fridge on wire racks over baking sheets for 24 hours. That cool dry air makes the rub adhere wonderfully. I smoke mine at 300 F until the stall then double wrap in foil. Then I bring it in to the ovens at 225 F until I get an internal of near 209 to 210 F. This isn’t a nice brisket, it’s cheap corned beef, it needs the extra time and heat. The rest afterwards is important. I just turn the oven off and let it slowly come down in there. As soon as it cools enough mine will go back in the fridge for another 24 hours, still wrapped in the foil. If you’ve gotten it really tender it will slice much better cool than warm. Several years ago I noticed that the leftover meat we had stored sliced in the fridge was even better than the day we served it. My idea is that exposing the sliced sides of the meat to juices and rub gave it a chance to penetrate there also. It was noticeable enough that I will slice the meat then bag it up for a couple of days rest in the fridge before we serve it . Since we are serving a group I warm it in a crockpot to serve it. I’ve never had a complaint and the group grows every year.
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Like klflowers I’ve only been using store bought corned beef and with the Katz method linked above, it’s turned out great cooking at 275*. I do wrap in foil when the corned beef hits 170 give or take, and then I let it go until probe tender - as much as that can be given it’s corned. Bu I took the last corned beef a few weeks ago up to 200* internal, total cook time was 4.5 hours if I’m looking at the FireBoard correctly. Then a really long rest in the cooler and finally plastic wrapped and into the fridge overnight for sandwich’s the next day. I didn’t use tallow for this - have never thought about that for pastrami. And…as an edit - this isn’t a flat. I forgot what cut it is, but it was good. Some type of round if I remember???
I’ve done both ways, Corning the beef and then pastrami as well as this. I think they are both great ways, this just works for me to pull out a frozen corned beef when I want pastrami and have it in 3-4 days after desalinating and then letting the rub adhere for a few days uncovered.
You will get it down and love the result…I know it!
here’s pre-foil wrap
and then after wrap and cooked to 200* - bark softened just a bit, but was still oustanding!
Last edited by barelfly; September 11, 2026, 10:54 AM.
What exactly are you doing, when are you wrapping, when are you pulling, etc.? Dry can be caused by overcooking, undercooking or just a poor product to start with.
Generally speaking corned beef flats will be drier than if you used a point and so perhaps its just the product itself is poor instead of doing anything wrong but its hard to know what went wrong without having the full details. If I'm using packaged corned beef, I'll only do it with a point which unfortunately I can only really find around St. Patty's day. And I've done it any number of ways, smoking until done, smoking and then wrapping, smoking and then steaming, etc. So you can get good results in a variety of ways
That being said, if the end product is dry, adding tallow on the wrap will not change anything.
You can start with a store bought corned beef, but soak it in a big tub of water for 24 hours, changing the water once in that time, to draw out the salt. Then, if you have a sous vide, use the Close to Katz rub, and this technique for time and temps.
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