Pastrami

Pastrami is a cured meat central to Jewish-American cuisine, originating in the Jewish community of Romania and usually made from beef brisket in the United States. It is prepared by brining the raw meat, partially drying it, seasoning it with spices that typically include garlic, coriander, black pepper, paprika, cloves, allspice and mustard seed, then smoking and steaming it. The name comes from the Yiddish pastrame, likely borrowed from Romanian and ultimately Turkish; Romanian Jewish immigrants, arriving in New York as early as 1872, brought pastrami to America and adapted a traditional goose-based recipe to use the cheaper beef available there. It remains one of the iconic meats of American Jewish and New York City cuisine, classically served hot on rye bread at delicatessens.