For the casual consumers, pastrami and corned beef might look like and taste the same thing. They’re go-to ingredients for sandwiches and a constant in many new york style deli menus. While they may seem indistinguishable, they are actually two different things.
So, where does the difference lie? Though the dissimilarities are quite subtle, knowing what sets these two apart from each other can be handy at times. In this article, we’re discussing six points of variance between the two well-loved, juicy cured meats.
Different cuts. Corned beef and pastrami are meat coming from cows. However, they are different cuts of beef. The former is made from brisket or the breast or lower chest of beef. The latter, on the other hand, is made from deckle. Deckle can refer to the lean shoulder cut or the meat taken from the cow’s navel. Nowadays, pastrami can also be made from brisket.
Different origins. These two cuts of beef are both New York style deli staples. However, their origins can be traced to countries outside the United States. Corned beef came from Ireland, while pastrami is said to have originated from either Turkey or Romania. In Turkey, the pastrami is a descendant of the so-called pastirma (a beef cut). In Romania, it’s a descendant of the pork or mutton cut called pastrama.
Different cholesterol and sodium levels. According to nutritional experts, corned beef has lower cholesterol compared to pastrami — 47 vs. 68 mg per serving. Meanwhile, pastrami has lower sodium content — 885 vs. 935 mg. In terms of other nutritional values (e.g., protein, calories, and fat), these two essentially share the same content.
Different spices. Before pastrami and corned beef are cooked, they’re cured first using a saltwater solution. This solution also contains sugar, black pepper, sodium nitrate, cloves, coriander, juniper berries, dill, and bay leaves. After getting brined, corned beef is not coated by any spice mix. Pastrami, however, is coated by a mixture of black pepper, fennel and mustard seeds, and coriander. In other cases, the spice coating for pastrami also includes fresh garlic.
Different cooking methods. Traditionally, New York style deli businesses cook pastrami by smoking it over hardwood. To help keep the meat moist and tasty, cooks also put a pan of water nearby to produce some steam. After the meat is cooked, pastrami will be stored and steamed again before serving to customers. On the other hand, corned beef is cooked through boiling.
Different usage. Because corned beef originated from Ireland, it’s traditionally prepared and eaten on a Reuben (sometimes, with cabbage and potatoes) during St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrated every March 17, the commemoration pays tribute to St. Patrick, who is the patron saint of the European country. Corned beef can also be enjoyed in a hash (either ground up or sliced thinly) and paired with onions and potatoes. On the other hand, the pastrami is usually seen on a sandwich. In its simplest version, the pastrami is served on top of rye bread, sometimes with mustard toppings.
If you are looking for a new york style deli, you can never go wrong with Chutzpah Deli. Check out our menu today or contact us for more information!
