Venison Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Venison Pastrami (2024)

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5 from 57 votes

By Hank Shaw

January 21, 2019 | Updated August 26, 2020

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Venison Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Venison Pastrami (2)

Venison pastrami is one of the great things to do with hind leg roasts.

If you’re not familiar with pastrami, or just know it as some random lunch meat, it’s cured, smoked, spiced meat, usually beef, that is often steamed before slicing. We owe our love of pastrami to Eastern European Jews — pastrami sandwiches are always best eaten from Jewish delis — and variants of this meat exists all over that part of the world.

Here in California’s Central Valley, where I live, our local Armenian population enjoys basturma, it’s own version of pastrami. I’ve long made goose pastrami, which was a favorite of Romanian Jewish people back in the 1800s. I like it with Canada goose breasts.

I highly recommend that you use a single-muscle roast, ideally from the hind leg, or even backstrap for this recipe, as this is a lean, smoked meat that you’ll end up slicing thin and serving in a sandwich.

Venison Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Venison Pastrami (3)

If you use larger cuts, you will have silverskin or connective tissue in your roast that will not soften when you eat it. But that’s where the steaming comes in. I rarely do this, but here’s how to steam pastrami if you need to:

  • Preheat your oven to 275°F.
  • Set a big roasting pan in the oven and pour boiling water in it so the water is about 1 inch deep.
  • Put a rack in the pan to keep the pastrami elevated over the water level.
  • Ideally you cover this whole shebang with foil to keep the steam in, but you can also just keep the oven closed. It’ll work.
  • Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of your pastrami and pull it when it reaches 165°F. Let the meat rest 30 minutes, still covered, before slicing.

Salt content varies. I like my pastrami on the salty side, because it’s served cold and the human perception of salt is limited with cold foods. I have taken to using a set amount of salt based on the weight of the meat. I like 2 percent, so 20 grams in a 1000 gram roast. Don’t go lower than 1 percent, or higher than 3 percent.

A word on the curing salt. The 3 grams I call for will actually be enough to cure up to about 3 pounds of venison. A general rule is to use 0.25% Instacure based off the weight of the meat, so a 1000 gram roast would use 2.5 grams of Instacure. Do not use much more than I call for, though. If you used 3 grams in this case, it’d be fine, but don’t accidentally use, say, 6 grams.

Keep an eye on your venison’s internal temperature when you are smoking it. A piece of backstrap can be ready in 90 minutes in a hot smoker, which to my mind isn’t enough time on the smoke. Try to keep your smoker at 200°F or cooler; I like to keep it at 165°F, which lets me smoke the meat for a solid 3 to 4 hours.

What wood? Your choice. I prefer oak, maple or hickory for this, followed by walnut, pecan or cherry.

Once you make your venison pastrami, it will need to be eaten within a week or two, or you’ll need to vacuum seal and freeze it.

5 from 57 votes

Venison Pastrami

This recipe can be scaled up if you need to. Remember the salt and cure ratio is this: 2% of the weight of the meat in kosher salt, plus 0.25% - that's one-quarter of one percent - of the weight of the meat in curing salt No. 1. Can you skip the curing salt? Yes, but it won't look or taste like store-bought pastrami.

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Course: Cured Meat

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 pounds

Author: Hank Shaw

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours

Total Time: 4 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • A venison roast, hind leg or backstrap
  • Kosher salt (see recipe notes)
  • Instacure No. 1 (see recipe notes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1/4 teaspoon caraway seed
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed juniper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon groundblack pepper, plus 3 tablespoon ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup brandy, red wine, vinegar or water
  • 3 tablespoons coarsely ground coriander

Instructions

  • Weigh your venison.

    For every pound of meat, you’ll need 10 grams of kosher salt and about 1.5 grams curing salt. Mix the salt, curing salt, sugar as well as the thyme, celery seed, caraway, juniper and the teaspoon of black pepper and grind them all together in a spice grinder. Pack the venison with this mixture, massaging it into the meat. Vacuum seal or put the meat into a Ziploc bag or closed container and set it in the fridge for 3 to 5 days. A general rule is 2 days per pound of meat. If you’re unsure, leave the meat in one more day than you think you need to. This salt ratio will prevent the meat from getting overly salty.

  • Rinse the cure off the venison and pat it dry. It’s fine if you have a little bit of the curestuck to the meat, but you don’t want too much. Put the venison on a rack in the fridge and let it dry uncovered for up to a day.

  • Dip the meat into the brandy — or really any other liquid you want — and then coat thoroughly in the 3 tablespoons of remaining black pepper and ground coriander seed. I like to grind this myself so the texture is a little coarse, a little fine. Press it into the meat well.

  • Smoke the venison at about 165°F to 200°F until the interior hits 145°F, which takes me about 3 hours. Let the pastrami cool and eat as lunch meat, or on crackers or whatever.

Nutrition

Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @huntgathercook or tag #hankshaw!

Categorized as:
American Recipes, Featured, Recipe, Venison, Wild Game

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About Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet’s largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Venison Pastrami Recipe - How to Make Venison Pastrami (2024)

FAQs

How to make venison deli meat? ›

Remove meat from brine after 24-36 hours. If desired, add any surface coating seasoning (Ranch Seasoning, Black Pepper, herbs, spices). Cook in Smoker for about 2 hours at 150ºF, then increase to 170ºF for 2 hours, then 190º-225ºF until internal temperature of 145ºF is reached.

How do they make pastrami? ›

Pastrami is made from beef brisket that has been cured, coated in spices, cold smoked and then steamed. Pastrami's thick coat of spices typically includes crushed black pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, garlic and other spices that might be included in a pickling spice mixture.

How long does venison pastrami last? ›

Note: Pastrami doesn't freeze well, but it keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

What is the best cut of meat for pastrami? ›

The traditional approach is to use brisket, but round or rump roasts also work great for pastrami. I've even seen adventurous BBQers make pastrami whole beef ribs.

What do you soak deer meat in before cooking? ›

A typical ratio is about 1 tablespoon of salt per quart of water. Submerge the venison in the saltwater brine and refrigerate it for a few hours or overnight. Rinse the meat thoroughly with cold water before cooking to remove excess salt. Milk Soak:Soaking venison in milk is another method that can help reduce ga.

Does venison need to be soaked before cooking? ›

While some hunters swear by certain soaking methods to take the “gamey” flavor away or bleed the meat after processing, others don't find it all that helpful. If you would like to try soaking your meat, instructions for a buttermilk soak can be found at The Backyard Pioneer.

Why do Jews eat pastrami? ›

The pastrami that's a staple of Jewish delis was originated by Romanian Jews who adapted their favorite spiced recipe (from geese!) to cheap available cow bellies. That's the same part of the animal that bacon comes from, and relatively high fat. . . though obviously a different animal!

What makes pastrami different? ›

The main difference between corned beef and pastrami is the way they're cut and processed. Plus, after cutting and curing, corned beef is boiled, whereas pastrami is smoked and steamed. Whether you have a taste for Corned Beef or Pastrami, you will find an expansive list of items on the Brent's Deli menu.

Is pastrami still good when it turns brown? ›

Beef that has turned brown during extended storage may be spoiled, have an off-odor, and be tacky to the touch and should not be used.

How long does pastrami take to cure? ›

Place the container in the fridge. I recommend curing at least 6 days but you can go as much as 10-12 days if you want or need to.

Can you make pastrami without pink curing salt? ›

The nitrates in pastrami come from pink curing salt, which contains a little over 6% sodium nitrite, and the rest is regular table salt. If you're looking to avoid nitrates or refined sugar, or if you simply enjoy curing meat at home, this nitrate-free pastrami recipe is for you!

Should pastrami be thick or thin? ›

The result is a hopelessly rich cut of meat with a complex and distinctive flavor, in which smoky notes compete with the sweetness of the spices and the saltiness of the brine. Pastrami in its ideal form is fatty, pink, and thickly hand-sliced.

Why is pastrami so expensive? ›

According to one Quora poster, pastrami is expensive because it is processed in several ways. First, it's brined like corned beef, then it is dried and seasoned, then smoked, and finally steamed.

Should pastrami be sliced thin or thick? ›

Pastrami should be sliced thinly against the grain for the best texture and tenderness. This helps to ensure that each bite is easy to chew and provides a satisfying experience when enjoying pastrami in sandwiches or other recipes.

Is it cheaper to make your own deli meat? ›

Making your own lunch meat can actually save you money compared to buying pre-packaged lunch meat. Especially if you purchase meat in bulk or when it's on sale. Plus, when you make your own lunch meat, you have complete control over the ingredients you use, which can also be more cost-effective.

How to smoke venison for lunch meat? ›

For best results I highly recommend smoking between 150-180 degrees F for two to three hours if possible. Then raising the temperature to 200 degrees F until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 140 degrees F. That's it, that the secret to having juicy venison pastrami.

What can deer meat be processed into? ›

Deer processors know how to process your deer into anything from ground venison to sausage links and they have secret seasoning recipes that will give your meat great flavor. They're literally where the buck stops.

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