What is a Pastrami Sandwich?

A pastrami sandwich, also called “pastrami on rye”, is a sandwich made with slices of rye bread, pastrami meat, mustard, and sauerkraut. Pastrami is a type of deli meat made from different cuts of beef. It is brined, dried, seasoned with various spices, then smoked and boiled/steamed. The flavor tastes similar to roast beef and sausage. Pastrami is not to be confused with corned beef, which is only boiled and used to make a reuben sandwich.

The classic pastrami sandwich originates back to New York City. It was made famous by a butcher named Sussman Volk. Volk was friends with a Romanian immigrant who stored meat in the icebox at Volk’s butcher shop. In exchange for the help, the Romanian immigrant gave Volk the recipe for pastrami, eventually leading to Volk creating the famous pastrami sandwich.

Ingredients For The Best Pastrami Sandwich

The best pastrami sandwich starts with the ingredients. For the best flavors, pick good, quality ingredients.

Bread: The classic pastrami sandwich is made with rye bread. However, other types of sandwich bread are good alternatives.
Pastrami: The pastrami is the foundation of a good tasting sandwich. To get the tastiest pastrami, ask the butcher at your grocery store or local deli for a good recommendation.
Cheese: Not all pastrami sandwiches have cheese, but those that do use Swiss cheese. In a pinch, provolone cheese works well, too. Feel free to use any other white mild cheese you love for a slightly different taste.
Mustard: For a slightly spicy kick, use dijon mustard for the sauce. We love this Grey Poupon dijon mustard. Regular spicy mustard is a good alternative, but avoid using simple yellow mustard as the taste is too different.
Sauerkraut: We love the tangy, sour taste of sauerkraut in this sandwich. Make your own homemade sauerkraut or overnight sauerkraut. Or, use coleslaw instead.