Pastrami on Rye
A towering stack of hand-cut, peppery pastrami piled high on fresh rye bread with spicy brown mustard. This Katz's Deli-inspired classic is the ultimate NYC deli experience.
Equipment Needed
Instructions
Source your pastrami: The key to this sandwich is quality pastrami. Get a whole piece from a Jewish deli or specialty butcher if possible - pre-sliced deli meat won't capture the same experience.
Set up your steamer: Fill a large pot with 2 inches of water. Bring to a simmer. Place a steamer basket or colander inside, ensuring it doesn't touch the water.
Steam the pastrami: Place the whole pastrami in the steamer. Cover and steam for 2-3 hours until the meat is tender and reaches 200F internal temperature. This is what makes it melt-in-your-mouth tender.
Hand-cut the meat: Using a very sharp knife, slice the pastrami by hand against the grain. Cut thick slices, about 1/4 inch - this isn't deli-slicer thin. The texture of hand-cut is part of the experience.
Prepare the bread: Use fresh, soft rye bread - seedless for classic Katz's style or seeded if you prefer. Do NOT toast the bread. Room temperature soft rye is traditional.
Apply the mustard: Spread a generous amount of spicy brown mustard on both slices of bread. Gulden's or Hebrew National are classics, but any good spicy brown will do.
Pile high: Stack the pastrami generously on one slice of bread - a proper NYC pastrami sandwich should have at least 8 oz of meat per sandwich. Don't be shy!
Complete the sandwich: Place the second slice of bread on top. Press down gently - but not too much, you want the meat to stay fluffy and piled high.
Serve immediately: Cut the sandwich in half. Serve on a simple plate with a full sour pickle on the side. Optional: add coleslaw and a knish.
Eat properly: Pick it up with both hands, take a big bite, and enjoy. Have plenty of napkins ready. Wash it down with a Dr. Brown's Cel-Ray if you want the full deli experience!
💡 Pro Tips & Variations
- No mayo, ever: Traditional NYC pastrami on rye uses only mustard. Mayo is considered sacrilege at a real Jewish deli.
- Quality source: If you can't get to NYC, order from Katz's Deli online, or find a local Jewish deli that steams their own.
- Pastrami vs. corned beef: Pastrami is smoked after curing, corned beef is not. They're different meats despite coming from the same cut.
- Steam at home: If starting with pre-cooked deli pastrami, steam for 30-45 minutes to get it hot and tender.
- The pickle matters: Use full sour or half-sour pickles from a barrel or refrigerated section - never sweet pickles.
- Rye bread: Corn rye or Jewish rye with caraway seeds are both acceptable. Fresh is essential.