What Is Pastrami and How Can I Use It?

If pastrami has turned up in a recipe or caught your eye at the store, here's what you need to use it with confidence and how to choose it, cook it, store it, what to substitute, and 6 recipes to try it in.

Recipes using pastrami

There are 6 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Pastrami Sandwich

Added sliced Provolone, which I melted over the top under the broiler and made the sandwiches in pita pockets. Delicious!

Padysaurus Pizza Pockets

Homemade pizza pockets stuffed with pepperoni, pastrami, ham, mozzarella, and pizza sauce. A yeast-dough hand pie that bakes golden and travels great in lunchboxes or freezer bags.

Turkish-Style Pizza

Turkish-style pizza with a whole wheat crust, Monterey Jack, diced tomatoes, sweet Vidalia onion, and jalapeño. Optional pastrami adds smoky-peppery depth. Baked on a pizza stone for a crisp, golden oval flatbread finished with torn flat-leaf parsley.

Reuben Roller Sandwich

Reuben roller sandwich made with soft Armenian cracker bread spread with cream cheese, corned beef, pastrami, Swiss, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island, rolled jelly-roll style and sliced into pinwheels.

Italian Chicken Rolls

Stuffed Italian chicken rolls with mozzarella and pastrami, pounded thin, rolled up, and baked with a crispy Parmesan bread crumb coating. Freezer-friendly and ready in about an hour.

Emeril's Favorite Pastrami Sandwich

Emeril's pastrami sandwich: pastrami simmered in beer and whole-grain mustard, piled on grilled rye with charred onion rings. Ready in 20 minutes, one serious sandwich.

All 6 recipes