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Pastrami Rub Recipe

pastrami rub raw

Why travel to New York city for a pastrami sandwich when you can enjoy one just as good from the comfort of your home with our pastrami rub recipe?

In my world, pastrami is one of the most wonderful meats and nobody does it better than Katz’s in Manhattan. Pastrami depends heavily on the spice blend applied to the cured corned beef. So, I have come pretty close to replicating the rub used at Katz’s, a distinctive combination of coriander, black pepper and other spices. It also works wonders on goose or duck breast, on pork belly, on beef short ribs to name a few options. Use this rub on corned beef, then smoke it, to make awesome pastrami as described here.

Our Pastrami Rub Recipe

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Crust on unsliced pastrami

Katz’s Deli Pastrami Rub Recipe

4.39 from 469 votes
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This rub is essential for making good pastrami, but you can also use it for other cuts of meat. The recipe makes enough for about 5 pounds of beef brisket.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 96 1/4-teaspoon on a single slice
Course: Main Course, Rub, Sauces and Condiments
Cuisine: American
Difficulty: Easy

Makes

About 1/2 cup

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoons fresh coarsely ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
  • 1 tablespoon coriander powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon whole yellow (white) mustard seeds
  • ½ teaspoon mustard powder

Method
 

  1. Prep. Begin by crushing the seeds. If you wish, you can use only powdered coriander, ground black pepper, and ground mustard, but I like using some whole seeds. If you are using some whole seeds, pour them into a zipper bag and smash them with the bottom of a sauce pan so they are "cracked" but not completely powdered.
  2. Mix. Blend together all the spices.
  3. Use. Once prepared, either store the rub in a jar or other airtight container or use it to prepare Katz's Delicatessen quality pastrami as seen in this video.

Notes

About the servings. The serving size may seem weird because the program is calculating how much rub is on a slice.
Options. The paprika mostly adds color. If you want to veer from the conventional and amp it up a bit, substitute ancho powder or American chili powder, but be careful, the black pepper and mustard supply an ample kick. You can leave anything out that you want except the black pepper and the coriander.

Approximate Nutrition

Calories: 2kcalCarbohydrates: 1gProtein: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 7mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 5IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 3mgIron: 1mg

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Published On: March 24, 2019
Last Modified On: April 2, 2026

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