Food - Drink
The Biggest Difference Between American And European Pastrami
By ELIAS NASH
After 75,000 Romanian Jews emigrated to New York, pastrami was first introduced in the United States and quickly turned into an American classic. However, this style has very little in common with the original European version that traces its origins to the Ottoman Empire.
American pastrami is produced with brisket that has been brined, spice-rubbed, and then smoked; in contrast, European pastirma is salted, let to air dry, and then rubbed with a spice mixture of fenugreek and cumin before being cooked. The liquid brine used to prepare pastrami in America stands in stark contrast to the European method of preparation.
The sort of beef used, however, is the most significant distinction between pastrami from America and Europe. In contrast to European pastirma, which can be made from any piece of meat with sheep, goats, ox, and geese being popular choices, American pastrami is made from beef brisket, which is preferred by Romanian immigrants for being cheap and plentiful.