Why Katz's Delicatessen Pastrami Takes Nearly A Month To Make - Tasting Table

"Pastrami has been a quintessential NYC dish since the late 19th century when it was brought stateside by Eastern European immigrants. At the same time in the immigrant-populated neighborhood of the Lower East Side in Manhattan, Katz's Delicatessen opened - well, it opened as Iceland Brothers in 1888, became Iceland & Katz when Willy Katz joined in 1903, and was finally named Katz's Deli by 1910, when Willy and his cousin Benny bought the Iceland brothers out."

"The meat takes nearly a month to make, which starts when the beef brisket is cured in a proprietary brine including pink salt for 3 weeks. The deli opts for a fattier cut of meat for flavor and to survive the long soak. It is then rubbed by hand with spices including coriander, garlic, and pepper, before being smoked for three days, and boiled for three hours."

Pastrami arrived in New York City in the late 19th century with Eastern European immigrants. Katz's Delicatessen opened on Manhattan's Lower East Side in 1888, became Iceland & Katz in 1903, and assumed the name Katz's Deli by 1910 under Willy and Benny Katz. The deli cures beef brisket in a proprietary brine with pink salt for three weeks, uses a fattier cut for flavor and durability, hand-rubs it with spices, smokes it for three days, and boils it for three hours. A final steaming adds tenderness before slicing and serving on spicy rye. Katz's sells about 15,000 pounds of pastrami weekly and charges nearly $30 per sandwich, reflecting the labor-intensive process and enduring popularity.

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