Homemade Pastrami

In the bowl of your food processor, add all of the dry spices. (If you don’t have access to the mignonette pepper, substitute 3 tablespoons pepper and 2 tablespoons coriander with equally yummy results.) Pulse the spices until relatively finely ground, or to desired consistency.

Rinse the brine off the brisket and trim most of the fat off. Pat dry and rub all of the spice mix into all sides of the meat.

Pull a nice long strip of foil, about 3 feet or so, and rub the oil onto the non-shiny side. Place the seasoned corned beef in the center of the foil and wrap tightly. Pull another long strip of foil and wrap it up again to keep as much steam and juice inside as possible. My co-worker’s recipe recommended wrapping it 3-4 more times, but I stopped with 2 layers.

Place foil-wrapped meat in a 9×13 pan and roast at 225ºF for 5 hours. Remove from oven and let rest until room temperature. At this point, you may refrigerate wrapped roast overnight for cold cuts the next day or open it up, slice thinly and chow down! It has all of the peppery deliciousness of a deli pastrami for a lot less money. I like mine on rye bread with Swiss and a little mustard.