Pastrami has its own language: cure, brine, steam finish, bark, grain, etc. If you’re new to making it at home, those terms can get confusing fast.
This glossary breaks down the most common pastrami words and phrases in plain English, so you can follow recipes, troubleshoot problems, and talk pastrami like you’ve been doing it for years.
For more tips, check out my Ultimate Pastrami Guide.
Against the grain
Slicing perpendicular to the muscle fibers so pastrami is tender, not chewy.
Allspice
Common pickling spice ingredient; warm, clove-like aroma.
Aromatics
Flavor add-ins for brine (garlic, bay, peppercorns, coriander, etc.).
Bark
The dark, seasoned outer crust formed during smoking.
Bay leaf
Brine aromatic that adds herbal depth.
Beef navel
Traditional deli cut for pastrami; rich, fatty, and very sliceable.
Brine
A salt solution dissolved in liquid that is used to cure meat.
Chuck roast
Common backyard cut for pastrami; beefy flavor, less expensive than brisket.
Clean smoke
Thin, almost invisible smoke that tastes pleasant, not bitter.
Cold water soak
Soaking cured meat to reduce salt before seasoning/smoking.
Coriander
Classic pastrami flavor (citrusy, floral); often paired with black pepper.
Corned beef
Cured beef usually cooked by boiling or braising.
Cure
Preserving and seasoning process using salt (and often pink curing salt #1). A wet cure (or brine) is in a salt solution. A dry cure is with just salt or seasoning.
Curing Salt #1 (Prague Powder #1)
Curing salt containing sodium nitrite; used for cured meats like pastrami.
Deli-style
Pastrami that’s cured, smoked, then typically steamed/held for ultra-tender slicing.
Desalination
Reducing salt via soaking and water changes after curing.
Diamond cut
Slicing style sometimes used for presentation (thin slices at an angle).
Dry cure
Cure applied as a measured mix directly to meat (no added water).
Dry brine
Often used casually to mean a dry cure (for pastrami, “dry cure” is clearer).
Internal temperature
Meat’s center temp; useful, but tenderness is the real finish line.
Kosher salt
Common curing/brining salt; measure by weight for consistency.
Low-and-slow
Cooking at lower heat for longer; helps tenderness and smoke flavor.
Navel plate
Another way people refer to beef navel; traditional pastrami cut.
Nitrite
Preserves cured flavor and color; part of pink curing salt #1.
Nitrate
Ingredient in pink curing salt #2, which is used to make salami and other hard sausages.
Pastrami
Cured, seasoned beef (or other meat) that’s smoked; often steamed to finish deli-style.
Peppercorns
Core pastrami flavor; coarse black pepper is classic.
Pickling spice
Spice blend used in many corned beef/pastrami cures (pepper, coriander, bay, etc.).
Pink Curing Salt
Curing salt containing sodium nitrite; used for cured meats like pastrami.
Plate ribs
Beef ribs cut; can be pastrami-style, very rich.
Point
Fatty portion of brisket; forgiving and juicy, slices differently than flat.
Prague Powder #1
Curing salt containing sodium nitrite; used for cured meats like pastrami.
Probe tender
When a thermometer probe slides in with little resistance—key tenderness cue.
Pulling early
Removing meat before it’s tender; leads to tough slices.
Rest
Time off heat before slicing; helps juices redistribute.
Rub
Seasoning blend applied before smoking; pastrami rub is typically pepper + coriander heavy.
Rinse
Washing off surface brine after curing to avoid excess salt.
Sodium Nitrate
Also referred to as pink curing salt #2, which is used to cure hard meats like salami.
Sodium Nitrite
Also referred to as pink curing salt #1, which is used for cured meats like pastrami.
Steam finish
Steaming after smoking for classic tender deli texture.
Submersion
Keeping meat fully covered in brine; prevents uneven curing.
Texas crutch
Wrapping meat during the back-end of the cook to push through the stall.
Uncured pastrami
Pastrami-style flavor without Cure #1; won’t have the classic cured color/taste.
