Pastrami vs Corned Beef: What’s the Difference?

When you think of pastrami or corned beef, you likely envision colossal deli sandwiches, savory brunch dishes and heirloom family meals. Both of these juicy, flavorful cured meats are beloved around the world. They may look similar, but there are some subtle differences between pastrami and corned beef that make each one ideal for certain menu items.

Pastrami vs Corned Beef

Let’s start with the basics: pastrami and corned beef are different cuts of meat. In other words, they come from different parts of the cow. But both pastrami and corned beef are cured with spices and salts, giving them a hearty texture and rich flavor.

Here are some of the major differences between the two:

What Is Pastrami?

Pastrami traditionally comes from the navel, closer to the cow’s belly. It’s typically a bit fatty, which adds loads of flavor. When being prepared at the deli, pastrami is seasoned with spices (most often black pepper and coriander), then smoked in order to create its iconic texture and flavor.

Pastrami is typically sliced thick and piled high on sandwiches, like those at New York staple Katz’s Deli.

You’ve got to try these pastrami recipes.

1 / 7

Pastrami Roll-Ups

For a book club event, I created pastrami roll-ups with cream cheese and a pickle. Those tasty roll-ups quickly pulled a disappearing act. —Merritt Heinrich, Oswego, Illinois

Get Recipe

Yankee Red Flannel Hash

Hash is a classic diner dish. With potatoes and pastrami, this one's easy to make at home. The beets give it fabulous color and flavor. —Nancy Mock, Colchester, Vermont

Get Recipe

Mushroom Pastrami Hoagies

My husband is a firefighter, so I make easy meals I can deliver to him. He likes pastrami, but ham or roast beef also work for hoagies. —Deanna Eads, Kingman, AZ

Get Recipe

Hearty Italian Salad

Meat lovers won't be able to resist my antipasto-inspired salad that eats like a meal. Just add bread and dipping oil. —Melissa Jelinek, Apple Valley, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Deli Burgers

Take one all-American patty and load it up New York-style with horseradish cream sauce, pastrami and mustard on rye bread.

Get Recipe

Reuben Salad in a Jar

Amy Smith from Avon, Connecticut, shared her layered Reuben salad with us, and we couldn’t resist making it extra portable. Get ready to be asked for the recipe. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Get Recipe

Ultimate Pastrami Sandwiches

This peerless pastrami sandwich was adapted from a menu favorite at Primanti Bros. Restaurant in Pittsburgh. We took the basic ingredients—grilled cold cuts, cheese, fried potatoes and tomatoes—and created a tasty replica, including our version of their secret coleslaw topping. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Get Recipe

 

What Is Corned Beef?

Corned beef is a type of brisket, meaning it comes from the area between the cow’s front legs, or close to its chest. Unlike pastrami, which is smoked, corned beef is boiled or steamed.

Corned beef is most commonly thinly sliced and served between marbled rye bread and topped with Thousand Island Dressing and sauerkraut to make a Reuben sandwich.

It’s also an overwhelmingly popular St. Paddy’s Day fare, served alongside cabbage and carrots. Find out how Grandma brines corned beef at home to make THE perfect corned beef and cabbage.

Here’s what to do with your corned beef.

1 / 25

Corned Beef Hash Rustic Pie

This suppertime pie has all the yummies: homemade crust, seasoned potatoes, and lots and lots of corned beef and cheese. How could you not fall in love with it? I know we have. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

Get Recipe

Reuben Pudgy Pie

Our favorite pudgy pie is the Reuben: Corned beef, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese! We always use buttered bread. —Kim Goetz Andover, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Corned Beef Pizza Swirls

You don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to enjoy this easy Reuben appetizer. Deli meat and cheese make it doable year-round. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia

Get Recipe

Spicy Corned Beef Tacos

Using leftovers in new and exciting ways is my personal cooking challenge. These fun tacos take my favorite Reuben ingredients and turn them into something totally different—and completely delicious. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

Get Recipe

Reuben Spread

You'll need only five ingredients to stir up this hearty dip that tastes like a Reuben sandwich. It's requested at all the gatherings we attend. —Pam Rohr, Troy, Ohio

Get Recipe

Makeover Hash and Eggs

Who knew there was such a thing as healthy corned beef hash?! Loaded with red potatoes and deli corned beef, our lightened-up version of corned beef hash delivers fresh flavors and a dose of fiber. It's so spot on, you'll swear you're in a diner. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen

Get Recipe

Reuben and Rye Strata

This make-ahead dish is wonderful for brunch, lunch, supper or as a potluck meal that is so easy to prepare. If you prefer it, substitute turkey pastrami for the corned beef. —Mary Louise Lever, Rome, Georgia

Get Recipe

 

Reuben Bread Pudding

Our Aunt Renee always brought this casserole to family picnics, and it became so popular that she started making two or three to bring. —Johnna Johnson, Scottsdale, Arizona

Get Recipe

Reuben Waffle Potato Appetizers

I love Reubens, so I turned this classic sammie into a fun appetizer with corned beef and sauerkraut on waffle fries. —Gloria Bradley, Naperville, Illinois

Get Recipe

Meal in a Muffin Pan

This meal-in-a-pan breakfast is ideal for busy weekday mornings. I just add fresh fruit and beverages. —Michelle Plumb, Montrose, Colorado

Get Recipe

Slow-Cooker Reuben Spread

My daughter shared this recipe with me for a hearty spread that tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. Serve it from a slow cooker set to warm so that it stays tasty and warm. —Rosalie Fuchs, Paynesville, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Reuben Pizza

Fridays are pizza nights at our house. We do a lot of experimenting, so we don't have the same, old thing every week. With only five ingredients, this pizza is a snap to whip up, and it tastes just like a Reuben sandwich. —Nicole German, Hutchinson, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Reuben Brunch Bake

I created this when I wanted something different for a graduation brunch for two of our sons. When I realized I had most of the ingredients on hand for the Reuben dip I usually make, I decided to use them in a brunch casserole instead! Everyone asked for the recipe. —Janelle Reed, Merriam, Kansas

Get Recipe

Diner Corned Beef Hash

I created my hash to taste like a dish from a Northern Arizona restaurant we always loved. We round it out with eggs and toast made from homemade bread. —Denise Chelpka, Phoenix, Arizona

Get Recipe

Toasted Reubens

New Yorkers say my Reubens taste like those served in the famous delis there. For a little less kick, you can leave out the horseradish. —Patricia Kile, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Get Recipe

Paddy's Reuben Dip

This slow-cooked spread tastes just like the popular Reuben sandwich. Even when I double the recipe, I end up with an empty dish. —Mary Jane Kimmes, Hastings, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Hearty Split Pea Soup

For a different spin on traditional pea soup, try this split pea soup recipe with corned beef. The flavor is peppery rather than smoky, and a tasty change of pace. —Barbara Link, Alta Loma, California

Get Recipe

Creamy Corned Beef Casserole

My family really enjoys the flavor of corned beef so I invented this casserole. It is so easy to whip up and your family will love it. —B Overland, Park, Kansas

Get Recipe

Reuben-Style Pizza

I love a good Reuben sandwich and thought, “Why not make it into a pizza?” It's got extra cheesy goodness in the sauce, and smells wonderful coming out of the oven. —Tracy Miller, Wakeman, Ohio

Get Recipe

Reuben Calzones

I love a Reuben sandwich, so I tried the fillings in a pizza pocket instead of on rye bread. This hand-held dinner is a big winner at our house. —Nickie Frye, Evansville, Indiana

Get Recipe

Chicken Reuben Roll-Ups

My Nebraska-native husband loves Reuben sandwiches and anything with chicken, so I combined his two favorites in a fun roll-up. —Ashli Kottwitz, Hermitage, Tennessee

Get Recipe

Reuben Rounds

Fans of the classic Reuben sandwich will go crazy for baked pastry spirals of corned beef, Swiss and sauerkraut. They're so easy to make, and bottled Thousand Island dressing makes the perfect dipping sauce. —Cheryl Snavely, Hagerstown, Maryland

Get Recipe

Corned Beef Bagel Dip

I've taken this appetizer to many potlucks over the years, and everybody always enjoys dunking bagel bites into the creamy, kicked-up dip. —Shari Stensrud, Cambridge, Minnesota

Get Recipe

Baked Reuben Dip

I love a Reuben sandwich, and this recipe combines all of those flavors into a warm and gooey party dip. —Sylvia Metzler, Chillicothe, Ohio

Get Recipe

Makeover Reuben Melt

This twist on a classic Reuben keeps the corned beef and uses a sauce made with Swiss (and plenty of thousand-island flavor). Fresh slaw on top replaces the sauerkraut. —Jenni Sharp, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Get Recipe

The post Pastrami vs Corned Beef: What’s the Difference? appeared first on Taste of Home.

Ceara Milligan