How Is Pastrami Different Than Corned Beef?

Let me count the ways.

Rueben Sandwich
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You know what corned beef is, right? (If you don't, this handy explainer might help.) Because you're now so well-versed in the art of pickled brisket, let's move on to pastrami, corned beef's slightly more luxurious cousin. Here's what you need to know about the historic sandwich staple.

What is pastrami?

Whereas corned beef is typically made from brisket, pastrami generally comes from the cow's navel area, Serious Eats reports. The navel cut is a fatty one, and it's also likely to stand up well to the long cooking process that's to come. When you eat it, it's less stringy than corned beef tends to be.

That said, pastrami can be made from brisket as well, which means in some cases, the difference between the two comes in the cooking process rather than the brining one.

How is pastrami treated differently than corned beef?

Corned beef is either boiled or steamed after it's been salt-cured. Contrastingly, My Jewish Learning notes, "pastrami is seasoned with a dry spice mix, smoked, and then often steamed again before serving." The seasoning used after the brining is pretty similar to what's used in the salty brine.

How do you eat it?

Most people like to eat it pretty straightforwardly: with mustard on rye. Again, that's different than most corned beef dishes (though come to New York and you'll find monster corned beef sandwiches are plenty popular here, too). That's mostly paired with cabbage and carrots.

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