A sandwich stacked this high looks like it needs a deli slicer and a steam table. It doesn't. Buy a cooked pastrami, steam it whole at home until a fork slides in, then chill it overnight and slice it thick. At the lot the slices go into a covered foil pan with a splash of water, and 15 to 20 minutes on the grill brings them back hot and soft. Stack them on seeded rye with Swiss and deli mustard, pickle spear on the side. The work happens the night before. The grill just makes steam.
At the lot: Slices ride cold in the cooler, steam in a covered foil pan on the grill to 165°F, and go onto rye at the tent. Cook ahead: Reheat the slices at home to 165°F, pack the pan in an insulated carrier, and serve while it still reads 140°F or above. Homegating: Steam the slices in a covered skillet on the stove and build at the counter.
165°F
Steam the slices till hot through
¼ INCH
Slice it cold at home
1 PAN
Covered, with a splash of water
8
Serves
Ingredients
Pastrami
- 1 fully cooked pastrami, about 3 lb (whole piece, deli counter or packaged "ready to eat")
- 1 cup water, plus ½ cup for the lot
Sandwiches
- 16 slices seeded rye bread
- 8 slices Swiss cheese
- ½ cup deli mustard (spicy brown)
To serve
- 8 dill pickle spears
Steps
At home
- The day before, heat the oven to 300°F. Set the pastrami in a foil pan, add 1 cup water, and cover the pan tight with foil.
- Steam it in the oven until a fork slides in easily and the center reads 165°F, 1½ to 2 hours.
- Uncover it and let the steam come off for 15 minutes, then wrap it and get it into the fridge within 2 hours of coming out of the oven. Chill it overnight.
- On game morning, slice it cold against the grain, about ¼ inch thick. Pack the slices in a foil pan, cover it, and keep it in the cooler at 40°F or below.
At the lot
- Heat the grill to medium. Add ½ cup water to the pan of slices, cover it tight with foil, and set it on the grate.
- Steam until the slices are soft and the center of the pile reads 165°F, 15 to 20 minutes. Lift a corner of the foil with tongs; the steam is hot.
- Lay the Swiss over the pastrami, cover again, and give it 2 minutes to melt.
- Spread mustard on the rye. Pile on the pastrami and Swiss, close the sandwiches and cut them in half. Pickle spear on the side.
- Keep the pan covered on the cool side of the grill so it holds at 140°F or above. Built sandwiches sit out no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F.
Cook ahead
- For a lot with no grill: on game morning, reheat the covered pan of slices in a 300°F oven until they read 165°F, about 30 minutes. Wrap the pan in a towel, set it in an insulated carrier, and serve while it still reads 140°F or above.
Pack for the lot
Is store-bought pastrami already cooked?
Most deli and packaged pastrami is. Look for "fully cooked" or "ready to eat" on the label. A corned beef brisket from the meat case is raw and has to be cooked first.
How do you reheat pastrami without drying it out?
Steam it. Put the slices in a pan with a splash of water, cover it tight with foil, and heat it on the grill or in a 300°F oven until it reads 165°F.
What's the difference between pastrami and corned beef?
Both start as brined beef, usually brisket (New York delis often use the navel for pastrami). Corned beef is simmered. Pastrami is coated in black pepper and coriander, smoked, then steamed before slicing.
Can you make pastrami from corned beef?
Yes. Rinse a raw corned beef flat, about 4 lb, and soak it in cold water for 2 hours to pull some of the salt. Pat it dry and coat it in 2 tbsp coarse black pepper and 2 tbsp crushed coriander. Smoke it at 250°F to 275°F until a probe slides in with almost no resistance, about 200°F, 5 to 7 hours. Then chill it and pick up at step 4.
What goes on pastrami on rye?
At a New York deli, mustard and nothing else. Swiss is the common add, and a pickle spear goes on the side.
More hot sandwiches: Chicago Italian beef and Cuban sandwiches. No grill? See how to keep food hot at a tailgate. Cold-weather tips are in our cold-weather tailgating guide.
