Homemade Pastrami Rub
This simple pastrami rub uses a blend of cracked peppercorns and spice seeds with common spices that your probably already have in your pantry. A fantastic homemade pastrami rub recipe for smoking your own pastrami brisket!
Making your own homemade pastrami involves two main components – the pastrami brine and the pastrami rub. Getting the spice flavors and ratios correct in both of these is crucial for the perfect smoked pastrami.
And after successfully making our own homemade pastrami on the grill with this pastrami seasoning, it’s safe to say that this recipe is a winner!
Our homemade pastrami rub is perfectly balanced with a blend of whole, cracked, and ground spices, giving your brisket or beef roast a delicious flavor reminiscent of the iconic New York delis.
Here’s how to make it:
Ingredients for Homemade Pastrami Rub
The key to a great homemade pastrami seasoning is the combination of textures from both whole cracked and ground spices. Here are the ingredients you need for a fantastic pastrami rub:
- Whole spice seeds – Coriander seeds and mustard seeds.
- Cracked peppercorns – You can use whole black peppercorns and crack them yourself, or use cracked peppercorns like I did.
- Ground spices – The ground spices are probably already in your spice cabinet: paprika, ground coriander, ground mustard, granulated garlic, onion powder, and coarse black pepper. I prefer to use coarse black pepper in my homemade spice rubs (like this Texas-style rub) for larger cuts of smoked meats.
- Brown sugar
What about the Salt?
This pastrami rub recipe does NOT include salt, because the brine used for beef pastrami contains curing salt and kosher salt. After brining the beef brisket for 7-10 days before smoking for pastrami, the meat should not require any additional salt in the rub. *If you’re using this pastrami seasoning for other non-cured meats, then you may add kosher salt to taste.
Making Your Own Pastrami Seasoning
Making your own homemade seasonings is incredibly easy, which is why I typically recommend creating your own blend of rubs for different meats. You just need to measure out spices and mix them in a bowl or plastic spice jar.
The same goes for this easy rub for smoked pastrami. Just follow these steps:
- Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and cracked peppercorns to a zip top bag. Zip the bag closed, making sure to squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Use the bottom of a heavy skillet or a meat mallet to crack and crush the seeds and peppercorns. I prefer to leave the spices a bit chunky for more texture.
- Mix all rub ingredients together with the cracked spices in a medium bowl until well blended.
- Store the pastrami rub in an airtight container until ready to use.
*You’ll notice that I didn’t toast the whole spices, which is an additional step that most people recommend. Since I was immediately seasoning my beef brisket and smoking it on the grill for 10+ hours, I didn’t feel the need to toast the mustard seeds and coriander seeds. But that’s up to you.
How to Use the Homemade Pastrami Rub
This homemade pastrami seasoning is the perfect blend of flavors for making smoked pastrami on the grill. For traditional beef pastrami, simply coat a brined beef brisket or roast with a liberal amount of the seasoning, and then smoke on the grill or smoker.
Of course, this is an over-simplification, because smoking your own pastrami at home is a 1-2 week process. But if you want to try your hand at making your own smoked pastrami (that would rival any NYC deli), then be sure to check out this post: Smoked Brisket Pastrami.
FAQ’s
- How long will the pastrami rub keep? When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, homemade pastrami rub can last for several months. However, for the best flavor, it’s recommended to use it within a few weeks.
- Can I use ground spices instead of whole seeds? While using whole seeds and cracking them yourself adds flavor and texture, you can certainly use ground spices if that’s what you have on hand. Just be mindful that ground spices may have a more intense flavor, so you may want to adjust the quantities accordingly.
- How much rub does your recipe make? Our homemade pastrami rub recipe makes enough to liberally season a 9-12 pound beef brisket.
Pastrami Rub
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons cracked black peppercorns
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons ground coriander
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper
- 2 tablespoons whole coriander seeds
- 2 tablespoons onion powder
- 2 tablespoons granulated garlic
- 1½ teaspoon whole mustard seeds
- 1½ teaspoon ground mustard
Instructions
- Add coriander seeds, mustard seeds, and cracked peppercorns to a zip top bag. Zip the bag closed, making sure to squeeze out as much air as possible.
- Use the bottom of a heavy skillet or a meat mallet to crack and crush the seeds and peppercorns. I prefer to leave the spices a bit chunky for more texture.
- Mix all rub ingredients together with the cracked spices in a medium bowl until well blended.
- Store the pastrami rub in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- This recipe makes enough pastrami rub for a 9-12 lb. brisket, liberally seasoned.
- When stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, homemade pastrami rub can last for several months. However, for the best flavor, it’s recommended to use it within a few weeks.
