Pastrami Recipe

Warm pastrami

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Pile the thinly sliced pastrami into a loose mound (keep slices slightly overlapping). Place the pile in the dry skillet and warm for about 2–3 minutes on one side until steam rises and edges start to curl. Flip or press down lightly and warm another 1–2 minutes until heated through. Alternatively, warm slices briefly in a 300°F (150°C) oven on a tray for 6–8 minutes.

After warming, transfer the pastrami to a plate and keep covered with foil to stay warm while you prepare the cheese and bread.

Season cheese

In a small bowl, combine the dried Italian herb blend (2 tsp) and garlic powder (1 tsp). Mix into the olive oil (1 tbsp) to make a loose herb oil.

Lay out the provolone and mozzarella slices on parchment or a plate. Lightly brush one side of each cheese slice with the herb oil mixture. If using, sprinkle the grated Parmesan lightly over the brushed sides. The herb-oiled side will face up when assembled so the herbs lightly flavor the melted cheese.

Melt cheese (optional step for a hot sandwich)

To melt the cheese on the bread, use one of these methods: 1) Oven: Arrange bread halves open-face on a baking sheet, place cheese (herb-oiled side up) on the bottom halves, and broil or bake at 425°F (220°C) for 3–5 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. 2) Skillet: After warming pastrami, push it to one side, place bread bottom with cheese in the skillet, cover with a lid and heat 2–3 minutes until cheese softens and starts to melt. Watch carefully to avoid burning.

Prepare bread: Spread softened butter evenly on the cut faces of each roll or bread half. Toast the bread in a skillet over medium heat or under a broiler until golden and slightly crisp, about 1–2 minutes per side (watch closely).

If you used the oven/skillet method to pre-melt cheese, place the melted cheese-topped bottom halves on a work surface. If not, lay the herb-oiled cheese slices directly on the warm toasted bottom halves now so they will soften from the pastrami heat.

Stack pastrami: Pile generous portions of the warmed pastrami on top of the cheese on each sandwich — about 4 oz (roughly 1/4 lb) per sandwich to use the full pound across 4 sandwiches. Press down lightly so the cheese softens and adheres to the meat.

Season and finish: Lightly crack fresh black pepper over the stacked pastrami. Spread mustard on the top halves of the bread if desired, then close sandwiches. If you prefer extra melted finish, return closed sandwiches to the skillet, press with a spatula or weight, and heat 1–2 minutes per side until cheese is fully melted.

Serve immediately with pickles or sliced pickled peppers on the side.