Homemade pastrami is a weekend project with a deli payoff. Cured beef, a black-pepper-and-coriander crust, smoke, and a steam finish that turns it silky. Set your time below.
How long to smoke pastrami
At 250°F, plan about 75 minutes per pound of smoke to develop the crust and a smoke ring, pulling around 165°F, then steam it to finish (around 200°F internal) so it slices tender. Starting from store-bought corned beef, soak it first to pull out excess salt.
The peppercorn crust
Coarsely crack black peppercorns and coriander seed and press them into the surface. That crust, plus the smoke ring on cured beef, is what makes pastrami pastrami.
The steam finish
Smoke gives flavor; steam gives texture. After the smoke, wrap and steam (or braise) until it hits about 200°F, where the collagen melts and it slices like the deli counter.
FAQ
What temp is pastrami done? Pull the smoke around 165°F, then steam to about 200°F for slice-tender texture.
Can I make pastrami from corned beef? Yes, the easy route: soak store-bought corned beef to de-salt, add the pepper-coriander crust, smoke, and steam.
How long does pastrami take? Several hours of smoke plus a steam finish. The calculator plans it to your weight.
Times & temperatures
| Style | Method | Pit temp | Approx time | Pull / done temp |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic | Slow and Low | 250°F / 121°C | ~75 min/lb + ~2 hr wrap | 203°F / 95°C |
| Classic | Hot and Fast | 325°F / 163°C | ~50 min/lb | 203°F / 95°C |
📊 See the full smoking times & temps chart for every cut →
How much pastrami should you buy?
Set your headcount and we work backward through trim and cook loss to the raw weight to put in the cart.
Fine-tune trim & cook loss
Lost to trim: - · lost to the cook: -
Written by John Kirker, who built the first meat smoking calculator in 2011. Times come from cooks we have actually run and logged; temperature and feel decide the finish, never the clock alone.
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