# Pastrami **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245 "2009-10-18T20:48:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/1 "2009-10-18T20:48:37Z")
I’m not a huge fan of pastrami. I’ll have the odd Reuben or other pastrami sandwich, but for the most part I can take it or leave it. Except. There’s an Italian market in Culver City where the pastrami sandwich was just about the only thing I’d buy. I don’t know what they did, but it was great. It was in the hot table, floating in juice. Since it’s over 1,200 miles away now, it’s not often I get it. So today I’m in Cash & Carry, and I happened to see a packet (brick) of sliced pastrami. Why not? I got some provolone cheese, too. So now what? I plan to cook it in the slow-cooker, but what do I put in? Water? (No water is needed when I make roast beef.) Seasonings? Or do I just let it cook in its own juices? ---
**Author:** ![Anamorphic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anamorphic/32/3057_2.png) [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/2 "2009-10-18T20:54:15Z")
Never mind that, just because YOU’RE 1200 miles away doesn’t mean we all are! 🙂 Do you remember the name of the place? That sounds great. When I used to live out in the San Gabriel Valley, I used to go to The Hat for pastrami. Damn, they were good… Mmmmmm… ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/3 "2009-10-18T20:55:57Z")
Nit: a Reuben is made with corned beef, not pastrami. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/4 "2009-10-18T21:00:40Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Nit: a Reuben is made with corned beef, not pastrami. You are correct. Cerebral flatulence. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/5 "2009-10-18T21:02:36Z")
I believe a Rachel is often made with pastrami, though. Although there is a Turkey Rachel, which is what I like. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/6 "2009-10-18T21:03:18Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#): > > Never mind that, just because YOU’RE 1200 miles away doesn’t mean we all are! 🙂 Do you remember the name of the place? That sounds great. [Sorrento Italian Market](http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=sorrento+italian+market+culver+city&fb=1&gl=us&hq=sorrento+italian+market&hnear=culver+city&cid=1777768214606461813&dtab=2&pcsi=1777768214606461813,0&ei=CYLbSvulM4visQOF9aixCQ&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBAQqgUwAA). 5518 S Sepulveda Blvd Culver City, CA [Street view](http://maps.google.com/maps?layer=c&cbll=33.992853,-118.395202&cbp=12,88.46,,0,5&ved=0CA4Q2wU&ei=GoLbSricMoqKiwOM9K30Cg&ie=UTF8&ll=33.992853,-118.395202&spn=0,289.160156&t=h&z=4&panoid=GfwUwJ-2kynIoBrMg44CKQ). 🙂 . ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/7 "2009-10-18T21:32:11Z")
Well, the deli I go to seems pretty authentic (waitresses that call you sweetie and have helmet hair and wear rings on at least five fingers) and they will make Reubens with corned beef or pastrami. I suppose a pastrami Reuben is like a vodka martini – not the original, but a common variation. If you want to be a purist about it, keep the cheese away from the pastrami. Bread, meat, mustard – that is all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/8 "2009-10-18T21:34:22Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Bread, meat, mustard – that is all. And provolone! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/9 "2009-10-18T23:10:17Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > Well, the deli I go to seems pretty authentic (waitresses that call you sweetie and have helmet hair and wear rings on at least five fingers) and they will make Reubens with corned beef or pastrami. I suppose a pastrami Reuben is like a vodka martini – not the original, but a common variation. > > If you want to be a purist about it, keep the cheese away from the pastrami. Bread, meat, mustard – that is all. Not just bread - rye bread. And not just any mustard either. Cheese on pastrami is just so wrong. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/10 "2009-10-18T23:16:13Z")
That needs [Philippe’s Mustard](http://philippes.com/store/index.php/food-1/33-philippe-s-hot-mustard.html). ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/11 "2009-10-18T23:35:06Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Not just bread - rye bread. And not just any mustard either. > > Cheese on pastrami is just so wrong. I agree; a Reuben is cheese on corned beef, not pastrami. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/12 "2009-10-19T00:31:58Z")
What I like is pastrami on rye w/ cole slaw and russian dressing. Man, that’s a good sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/13 "2009-10-19T00:34:08Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I agree; a Reuben is cheese on corned beef, not pastrami. You can’t lay down the law on what’s a Reuben and omit the sauerkraut. Most delis will give you a choice of meet, but sauerkraut is a defining characteristic. And the cheese would be Swiss, not provolone. > [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > What I like is pastrami on rye w/ cole slaw and russian dressing. Man, that’s a good sandwich. Now _that’s_ a Rachel. And yeah, she’s a great sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/14 "2009-10-19T01:51:30Z")
Sorry, guys. As I said, the only pastrami I really, really liked was from the Italian market; and it had cheese. Cheese and beef just go together. … So… Any tips on slow-cooking this meat? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/15 "2009-10-19T01:52:57Z")
I’ve never had deli grade, homemade, pastrami. Just the pale facisimle, thin sliced, lunchmeat version. I see those juicy, steambox, smoked Katz’s Deli Pastrami Briskets being hand carved in living technicolor on my TV and weep that I have never had such a thing, and perhaps never will. Bucket List… Katz’s. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/16 "2009-10-19T01:57:29Z")
The I Love New York deli at Pike Place Market has the steam boxes, and they carve the meat right there for you. It’s good, but I like Sorrento’s swimming-in-juice kind better. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/17 "2009-10-19T02:01:49Z")
Isn’t Katz’s really Jewish Barbecue, after all? ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/18 "2009-10-19T02:16:56Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > So… Any tips on slow-cooking this meat? I cure and smoke my own pastrami using a recipe I shamelessly lifted from [Kenny and Zuke’s](http://www.kennyandzukes.com/) in Portland. The last step for me is a good long steam, maybe a couple of hours or more. I put the meat on a rack sitting in the bottom of a broiler pan, then tent the whole arrangement tightly with foil. By the end, the liquid in the pan is more drippings than water, and makes an excellent sauce. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/19 "2009-10-19T02:36:02Z")
I buy those pastrami bricks and when I want a sandwich, I just pull out enough for a sandwich and nuke it for a short time. Instant hot pastrami. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2009, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245/20 "2009-10-19T05:04:11Z")
> [@devilsknew](#): > > I’ve never had deli grade, homemade, pastrami. Just the pale facisimle, thin sliced, lunchmeat version. I see those juicy, steambox, smoked Katz’s Deli Pastrami Briskets being hand carved in living technicolor on my TV and weep that I have never had such a thing, and perhaps never will. Bucket List… Katz’s. [Katz’s will mail pastrami to you.](https://www.katzdeli.com/shopping/index.php?cat=meat) I got a present from there, which came with rye bread, mustard, real pickles, and pastrami. So there is something for your Christmas list. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pastrami/514245.md?page=2)