Pastrami, Past and Present - January 14, 2009

 

 

The World Kitchen abounds with a plethora of iconic sandwiches. The Philly cheesesteak, the Monte Cristo, the Cubano, and even the lowly peanut butter and jelly have all enjoyed their exalted places in the lunch boxes of foodies around the globe, but few sandwiches inspire so devoted a following as the hot pastrami.

From Langer's to Katz's and far beyond, a hot pastrami (usually on rye) is the classic deli delight. It invokes nostalgic visions of noisy delicatessens teeming with hungry immigrants, yearning to breathe free and chow down. It's the Ellis Island of sandwiches; the Statue of Liberty on a plate.

Brought to the United States with the waves of Jewish immigrants pouring into New York in the later part of the 19^th century, pastrami was originally developed as method for preventing meat from spoilage in the absence of refrigeration. The raw beef is brined and dried, then seasoned with an assortment of spices and smoked. In the U.S., pastrami is usually served hot, generously piled on thin rye bread and slathered with mustard or Russian dressing.

New York is the city most often lauded as the pinnacle for pastrami distinction, though great variations can easily be found across the nation.

Today is a special day for aficionados -- it's National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, a paean to pastrami in all of its forms, which have become numerous. As the prevalence of traditional Jewish delis declines, so does the availability of traditional beef pastrami. But fear not, for these days variations such as turkey, chicken, or pork pastrami are a common and calorically preferable alternative -- probably not such a terrible thing for a nation with a troubled waistline. Still, nothing quite compares to the real fat-laden classic (unless, of course, you're willing to splurge for the newest fat-filled fad, Kobe pastrami).

Today we invite you pull up a seat at the counter, grab a pickle and some slaw, and dive into that most iconic of meaty treats, the pastrami sandwich. Make mine a "pistol on a whiskey down, dressed with a shot." The New Year's diet can always resume tomorrow.

Suggested Sites...

• Mobile-Cuisine: Pastrami Fun Facts - test your pastrami knowledge. 
• Make Delicious Pastrami With a Simple Recipe - chef John Mitzewich;s technique. 
• Katz's Delicatessen - one of New York City's premier destinations for hot pastrami on rye.
• Duck Pastrami - chef Emeril Lagasse shares an unusual recipe for making duck pastrami.
• Carnegie Deli - a former New York institution. If you could get your mouth around it, they hadn't done their job.