A hanging plaque now immortalizes the spot where Meg Ryan gave her Oscar-worthy performance in Katz's Delicatessen, whose legendary pastrami we're bringing to life at home! Nevermind that she's actually eating a turkey sandwich. This one's a stretch, folks - but a tasty one!

Ingredients

Brining Ingredients:

• 1 whole brisket

• 420 grams kosher salt

• 27 grams pink curing salt

• 4 bay leaves, crushed

• 1 Tbsp coriander seeds

• 1 Tbsp mustard seeds

• 1 Tbsp all-spice berries

• 3 cinnamon sticks

• 2 Tbsp whole peppercorns

• 2 tsp whole cloves

• 5 dried Arbol chilis

• 1 Tbsp juniper berries

• 150 grams dark brown sugar

• 3 cloves garlic, crushed

• 1 ½ gallons distilled water

Seasoning Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp coriander seeds

• 3 Tbsp black peppercorns

• 1 Tbsp white sugar

• 1 Tbsp sweet paprika 

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1 Tbsp onion powder

• 1 tsp mustard powder

Method

Brining Method:

1. Start by cutting the brisket in half, separating the lean half from the fatty point, and then trim away as much excess fat as possible - leaving about half an inch of fat. 

2. In a 12 qt plastic container, combine: 420 grams of kosher salt, 27 grams of pink curing salt, 3-4 crushed bay leaves, 1 tablespoon each of coriander seeds and mustard seeds, 1 tablespoon of all-spice berries, 2-3 sticks of cinnamon broken in half, 2 tablespoons of whole peppercorns, 2 teaspoons of whole cloves, 4-5 dried Arbol chilis, 1 tablespoon of juniper berries, 150 grams of dark brown sugar, and 3 cloves of crushed garlic. 

3. Once all the spices have been added to the container, add in 1 ½ gallons of distilled water and whisking together to combine. 

4. Once everything is dissolved, drop in the brisket with a weight on top to make sure it stays fully submerged. 

5. Place into the fridge for at least 5 days and at most 10 days. Every other day flip the brisket to make sure it gets even brining exposure. 

6. After 10 days, remove the meat from the brine and then cut in half where the fatty point and lean flat are separated and trim off any excess fat. 

7. Before cooking, make sure to thoroughly rinse the meat to desalinate. 

Cooking - Boiling Method (For Fatty Pieces):

1. Separately place the fatty point of the brisket into a large stockpot and cover it with a few inches of water. Bring to a boil and keep it there at a gentle simmer. Cover and let simmer for 3-4 hours. 

2.  After 3-4 hours, remove the brisket from the pot.

3. Into a spice grinder combine 3 tablespoons each of coriander seeds and black peppercorn and grind until just cracked, not fully ground. Dump into a bowl along with 1 tablespoon of white sugar and some optional add-ins like 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder then mix together until fully combined. 

4. Rub the beef thoroughly with the seasoning, making sure to cover every inch of the top and bottom. Make sure the beef is warm, running under warm water for a few seconds if needed, to make sure the spices adhere. 

5. Place into a 225°F smoker loaded with cherry wood and hickory. Once placed into the smoker let the pieces of meat smoke anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on how much smokey flavor is desired.

6. Once the pastrami is removed from the smoker, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.

Cooking - Sous Vide Method (For Lean Pieces):

1. Place the lean meat into a vacuum-sealed bag and then place it into a well-cleaned brining container and fill halfway with water. 

2. Set the sous vide to 180°F, cover with plastic wrap, and let it go for at least 10 hours or until extremely tender, but not falling apart. 

3. After 10 hours, remove the brisket from the container, drain the fat, and remove the brisket from the bag. 

4. Into a spice grinder combine 3 tablespoons each of coriander seeds and black peppercorn and grind until just cracked, not fully ground. Dump into a bowl along with 1 tablespoon of white sugar and some optional add-ins like 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, and 1 teaspoon of mustard powder then mix together until fully combined. 

5. Rub the beef thoroughly with the seasoning, making sure to cover every inch of the top and bottom. Make sure the beef is warm, running under warm water for a few seconds if needed, to make sure the spices adhere. 

6. Place into a 225°F smoker loaded with cherry wood and hickory. Once placed into the smoker let the pieces of meat smoke anywhere from 1 to 4 hours depending on how much smokey flavor is desired. 

7. Once the pastrami is removed from the smoker, let it rest at room temperature for at least 10 minutes before carving and serving.