New York Pastrami

I'm always happy to welcome a super sweet customer who tells me every time she sees me that she 'wants to kiss the ground I walk on'.

The reason for her heartfelt enthusiasm?

Some time back I shared the recipe for Homemade New York Style Pastrami with her and she's being making it weekly - always to overwhelming applause - ever since.

This easy-to-follow recipe transforms everyday, uncooked corned beef into something truly extraordinary and, as Meatland's famous Corned Beef is on special for just one more week, now seemed the best possible time to share this gem with you all.

Slathered in a spice mix and cooked in the oven, it's fractionally more time-consuming to make than simply simmering in water as usual, but it's well worth the added effort

.I've adapted the original recipe to make it doubly delicious and it's my pleasure to share it here.Enjoy a New York deli dining experience whenever you choose.

No jet-lag and undoubtedly no leftovers either!

2 kg corned beef with some fat, defrosted SPICES 2 tablespoons coarse black pepper 2 teaspoons mustard powder 2 tablespoons ground coriander 1 tablespoons smoked paprika 2 teaspoons garlic powder 2 teaspoons onion powder * See COOK'S NOTES regarding ingredients needed. 1: Mix spices and sprinkle over a flat tray or board. 2: Remove corned beef from packaging, pat dry with a paper towel, and roll in spices to coat well. 2: Wrap coated meat in a large sheet of aluminium foil, then wrap again with two more sheets of foil, so that it's well enclosed with three layers. 3: Pour 1/2 cup water into a cooking pan, place meat on a rack/elevate with scrunched up balls of foil above water, and cover pan tightly with foil. 4: Slow-cook at 110 C for 6 hours then unwrap meat and bake open at 180 C to set the spice crust. 5: Allow to cool completely - you can even refrigerate overnight - before slicing. COOK'S NOTES: Meat can also be cooked on a rack in a slow cooker and then finished off in the oven. If you're reluctant to buy large bottles of spices before Pesach, buy the required spices in a spice shop in smaller quantities, but don't let this deter you from making this. Mustard powder - available at Meatland - is first prize here but you could spread a thin layer of smooth Dijon mustard over the meat and then coat with the spices if you don't have powder at hand. Smoked paprika is as easy to find as sweet paprika and adds essential smoky flavor. You could also add a few drops of Liquid Smoke - at Meatland - for added smokiness. Leftover sliced beef can be frozen. Pastrami goes especially well served warm on rye with pickles and potato salad.