Description
This Slow Cooker Pastrami Recipe transforms a simple corned beef brisket into tender, flavorful pastrami using a blend of spices, beer, and hickory liquid smoke. Ideal for making classic deli-style sandwiches like Reubens, this recipe is easy to prepare and slow cooks the meat to perfection with minimal effort.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pastrami
- 4 lbs. corned beef (flat cut preferred)
- Spice packet that comes with the corned beef
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
- 12 oz. beer
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp. hickory liquid smoke
For Serving
- Marble rye bread
- Thousand island dressing
- Swiss cheese
- Sauerkraut
Instructions
- Rinse the Corned Beef: Thoroughly rinse the corned beef under cold water to remove excess salt, which helps reduce the sodium content in the final dish.
- Add to Slow Cooker: Place the rinsed corned beef inside the slow cooker.
- Season the Meat: Sprinkle the spice packet, onion powder, brown sugar, and ground black pepper evenly over the meat. Add the whole peeled garlic cloves for depth of flavor.
- Add Liquids: Pour in the beer, water, and hickory liquid smoke to create a flavorful cooking liquid that infuses the meat while it cooks.
- Slow Cook: Cover and cook on LOW heat for 7 to 8 hours until the pastrami is tender and infused with smoky, spiced flavors.
- Rest and Slice: Remove the pastrami from the slow cooker and let it rest on a cutting board for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice the meat thinly with a sharp knife and serve.
Notes
- Nutritional values do not include bread or toppings; they apply only to the pastrami meat.
- Rinsing the corned beef is essential to reduce excess sodium from the curing process.
- Store any leftover pastrami in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Flat cut corned beef is preferred as it usually provides a larger, more uniform piece; point cut works equally well.
- To adjust sweetness, increase brown sugar quantity to double or triple as desired.
- Garlic quantity can be increased to 8 cloves for more pronounced garlic flavor while keeping cloves whole.
- If avoiding beer, substitute broth or extra water; a splash of whiskey can be added for extra depth.
- Serve on marble rye with thousand island dressing, swiss cheese, and sauerkraut for a classic Reuben sandwich.
- Low-carb option: skip the bread and serve over coleslaw or steamed vegetables.
- Leftover pastrami can also be repurposed into a breakfast hash.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/8 of recipe (about 6 oz cooked pastrami)
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 850 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 11 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 6 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg
