Slow Cooker Pastrami Sandwiches with Sauerkraut and Swiss Cheese Recipe
This Slow Cooker Pastrami recipe transforms a simple corned beef brisket into a tender, flavorful pastrami using a slow cooker. Infused with spices, brown sugar, garlic, beer, and hickory liquid smoke, the beef becomes perfectly seasoned and juicy, ideal for slicing and serving on marble rye with traditional accompaniments like Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 7-8 hours
- Total Time: 7 hours 15 minutes to 8 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 4 lbs. corned beef (flat cut)
- Spice packet that comes with the corned beef
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- 5 garlic cloves (peeled, left whole)
- 12 oz. beer
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp. hickory liquid smoke
To Serve
- Marble rye bread
- Thousand Island dressing
- Swiss cheese
- Sauerkraut
Instructions
- Rinse the corned beef: Rinse the corned beef very well under cold water to remove excess salt, ensuring a less salty final pastrami.
- Add corned beef to slow cooker: Place the rinsed corned beef into the slow cooker, laying it flat to maximize even cooking.
- Season the beef: Sprinkle the spice packet, onion powder, brown sugar, and black pepper evenly over the corned beef. Add the whole peeled garlic cloves on top.
- Add liquids: Pour the beer, water, and hickory liquid smoke into the slow cooker, surrounding the beef to impart flavor and aid slow cooking.
- Slow cook: Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours, allowing the beef to become tender and soak up all the flavors.
- Rest and slice: Carefully remove the corned beef onto a cutting board. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes to retain juices. Slice thinly with a knife.
- Serve: Assemble sandwiches with sliced pastrami on marble rye bread, topped with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing for a classic deli experience.
Notes
- Rinsing the corned beef well is crucial to reduce saltiness in the finished pastrami.
- Cooking time may vary slightly depending on slow cooker model; check for tenderness at 7 hours.
- For extra smoky flavor, hickory liquid smoke can be adjusted to taste or omitted.
- Leftover pastrami can be refrigerated for up to 4 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Slicing pastrami thinly against the grain ensures tenderness when serving.
Keywords: slow cooker pastrami, corned beef pastrami, easy pastrami recipe, homemade pastrami, slow cooked beef, deli sandwich
