Pellet Smoker Cooking: An EZ and short way to Good Pastrami

This recipe for a smoked pastrami on a pellet grill is about the quickest way to get a deli style pastrami I know of. I used Hub’s, a fellow pelletheads recipe, for the dry rub and a guide for smoking. He shortens the time by using a pre-corned brisket flat.

I bought a corned beef flat at Walmart, a little over 3 lbs. I soaked it in water a total of 12 hours, changing the water halfway. Saturday afternoon I installed a manual fan switch on my Traeger. I got up at midnight and took the corned beef from the water, rinsed good and dried. I applied the dry rub, wrapped tight in saran wrap and in the fridge.

I got up a little after 7 am and got the smoker ready. I had bought an Amazin tube smoker, 12 inch, and wanted to try it. I loaded it with half bourbon barrel and half Traeger oak pellets. I got it lit then turned the smoker on; I had smoke from the smoker so closed the lid and went in to get the brisket ready.

I put the brisket on the smoker fat cap down and after a couple hours on smoke I inserted a temp probe for monitoring the IT of my pastrami.

I did it on smoke mode for 3 hours, averaging about 180 deg. The pastrami was at 110 deg IT and I still had un-burnt pellets in the tube smoker so I would get about 4 hours of smoke from it. I then went to 225 deg. 4 ½ hours total, the IT was at 150 deg. I double wrapped in foil and back on with fat cap up and went to 250 deg. I did a toothpick test at 165 deg. IT and took it on to 170 deg. IT. A total cook time of 5 hours 15 minutes.

I placed it in a corning ware dish w/lid and in a preheated 180 deg. oven. I turned the oven off and let it rest for 45 minutes. I then unwrapped and let it cool some then in a bag and in the fridge. I placed it in the freezer about 20 min. before slicing.

I decided to just hand slice for this small pastrami. I can slice pretty thin but using my slicer would have been better, I was getting tired & didn’t want the mess.

For supper I had some good rye bread and a choice of Swiss or provolone cheese for sandwiches. I placed 4 portions of pastrami in my Lodge carbon skillet and browned some in a little olive oil, flipped over and added the cheese, after a couple minutes all went under the broiler to melt the cheese. We cleaned up some left over’s along with the sandwiches. Everyone thought the pastrami was great; I had mine with mustard and Swiss cheese.

Eating the sandwich I could not say I got more smoke than usual. It must have been from sitting in the smoke all day! Later that night I had a couple slices cold and it had some good smoke taste; more than usual. The tube smoker worked good. Hub’s spice rub was just right for me. For a quick pastrami, Hub’s recipe and my foil method works good.

Printable Pastrami Recipe

Note: A lot of pellet smoker owners like more smoke flavor so there have been a lot of after market methods to add smoke like a Smoke Daddy or Amazin Smoker. For the most part I am happy with my Traeger but for some meats like ribs, or pastrami I like a little more smoke taste. After seeing the latest Amazin Tube Smoker used by pelletheads on the forum I bought a 12 inch one, they also have an 18 inch. I like it and would recommend it if you are looking for more smoke flavor. I look forward to doing some cold smoked cheese and salmon when the weather gets cold.

Link to see tube smoker

Corned Beef Brisket