New York's Pastrami

So I've been to London recently and I bumped into this New York Pastrami sandwich at EAT. Although I wasn't that much hungry I knew I have to try it!! What is pastrami anyway? It's the sliced beef which as the raw meat is brined, partly dried, seasoned with various herbs and spices, then smoked and finally steamed. The name and the dish derive from Romania and apparently got very popular in New York as the koscher butcher Sussman Volk prepared pastrami according to the recipe he got from his Romanian friend in exchange for storing the friend's luggage while the friend returned to Romania. The meat was served on sandwich in his butcher shop in 1887. The place soon became a restaurant to sell pastrami sandwiches.

Here's my sandwich I had in London. I know, I know... it is probably the poor imitation of real pastrami as it has mayonaise in it but it was still very tasty. I can only imagine that eating the real pastrami sandwich is pure heaven. Especially for someone like me who luuuvs beef.


Now, in NYC the first place to have a pastrami sandwich is legendary Kat's Delicatessen which has been opened in 1888! OMG, the sandwiches here look amazing! And I love the simplicity of the dish - big portion of pastrami, bread and cucumber on the side.
Look what I found on Katz's website: "Our corned beef and pastrami is cured using a slower method, which best flavors the meat, without injecting chemicals, water, or other additives to speed the process. Our finished product can take up to a full 30 days to cure, while commercially prepared corned beef is often pressure-injected (or "pumped") to cure in 36 hours. Yep, you read that right. 30 days vs. 36 hours. Now, which sounds like the better meat to you?"
The place is packed day and night. People come here to eat not only pastrami but also hot dogs. And have you seen that film "When Harry Met Sally"? There's this scene with Meg Ryan filmed at Katz's. Oh no, I'm hungry!!

KATZ’S DELICATESSEN
205 EAST HOUSTON STREET
NEW YORK CITY 10002
(212) 254-2246