Pastrami on Rye

Classic New York Jewish Deli Pastrami on Rye

A towering hand-sliced pastrami sandwich on rye with yellow mustard and a kosher dill pickle on the side — the iconic New York Jewish deli staple.

Prep

10 min

Cook

15 min

Total

25 min

Serves

2

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •450 g (1 lb) deli-sliced pastrami, thinly hand-sliced, slightly thicker than deli paper
• •4 slices rye bread, seeded Jewish rye or lighter rye, traditional choice
• •30 g (2 tbsp) yellow mustard, classic American yellow, or null
• •30 g (2 tbsp) unsalted butter, for grilling the bread, optional but deli-traditional
• •2 whole kosher dill pickles, served on the side, full sour

Steps

1. 1 If using cold pastrami, gently warm it: pile the slices in a small steamer basket or colander set over a pot of simmering water, cover, and steam 5–8 minutes until heated through and tender. A traditional deli warms pastrami this way so the fat softens without drying the meat.
2. 2 Butter one side of each rye bread slice. On the unbuttered side of two slices, spread a generous layer of yellow mustard (about 1 tbsp per slice).
3. 3 Heat a heavy skillet or flat griddle over medium heat. Place the bread butter-side down and immediately pile half the warm pastrami high on top of each mustard-coated slice — a proper deli sandwich should be overstuffed and tall, not neatly layered.
4. 4 Top with the second slice of bread, mustard-side down toward the pastrami, butter-side up.
5. 5 Grill 2–3 minutes per side, pressing gently with a spatula, until the rye is toasted, lightly crisp at the edges, and the pastrami is hot all the way through (internal temperature 60°C / 140°F).
6. 6 Remove from heat, let rest 1 minute, then slice each sandwich diagonally with a sharp serrated knife and serve immediately with a whole kosher dill pickle on the side.