This Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwich is made with pumpernickel bread along with a layer of mustard aioli, a few slices of slow roasted corned beef, a generous helping of pastrami, butter lettuce, Havarti cheese and topped with cabbage and apple coleslaw. This baby is loaded.
One of my favorite things in life is a good deli sandwich. I’m not talking about something found at Subway (no offense), but a sandwich with at least an inch of meat between two slices of freshly baked bread topped with cheese and a big pickle on the side (dill, of course).
Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwich Ingredients
- Corned beef (raw): Look for it in the meat section.
- Kosher salt, black pepper, sprigs of thyme: To season the corned beef while it cooks.
- Pumpernickel bread – The key is to start with a great bread and I used pumpernickel, but you can use whatever looks the most fresh and delicious to you.
- Havarti cheese – I like Havarti with this sandwich but there are so many delicious choices such as Swiss, Provolone, Jarlsberg, Gruyere, mozzarella, or even American cheese.
- Pastrami deli meat – Fresh cut slices from the deli or packages of deli meat will work.
- Mustard aioli or Dijon mustard – Trader Joe’s
Apple & Green Cabbage Slaw
In addition to crisp green apples and crunchy green cabbage this slaw is made with a few more simple ingredients such as red onion, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, paprika, garlic and horseradish.
Refer to the pastrami corned beef sandwich recipe card below for a complete ingredients list with measurements.
How to Make Pastrami Corned Beef Sandwiches
- Slow Roast Corned Beef -Slow roast the corned beef with thyme sprigs, salt and pepper.
- Prepare the Slaw – Prepare the mix the slaw ingredients in two separate bowls, combine and mix.
- Assemble the Sandwich – Layer in on all ingredients on pumpernickel slices of bread.
Additions and Variations
Bread – Light, dark or marbled rye would be good substitutes as would sourdough bread.
Sauce – Reuben dressing, Russian dressing, Thousand Island, mayonnaise, honey mustard, or horseradish mayo will all work.
Sauerkraut – A classic corned beef sandwich addition.
Pickles – A dill pickle on the side or in the sandwich is a must. I’m serious. Don’t leave it out! Pickle relish is a nice twist as well.
Veggies – Instead of coleslaw try adding tomato, lettuce and onion.
Potato Chips – They’re delicious on the side but even better in the sandwich.
Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwich
Corned Beef and Pastrami Sandwich is made with slow roasted corned beef, pastrami, mustard aioli, butter lettuce, Havarti cheese and topped with cabbage and apple coleslaw.
Ingredients
Corned Beef
- 2 lbs corned beef (raw)
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 8 slices pumpernickel bread
- 4 slices Havarti cheese
- 1 lb pastrami deli meat
- 1 tbs mustard aioli or Dijon mustard
Apple & Green Cabbage Slaw
- 1 small head of green cabbage, shredded
- 1 red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 green apples, sliced thinly
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbs olive oil
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 clove of garlic (I minced mine using a micro-plane zester)
- 1 tsp horseradish
Instructions
Corned Beef
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a roasting dish, place the corned beef fat side up and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Cover with an inch or so of water and add the thyme sprigs.
- Allow to cook for about 1 hour and 20 minutes or until tender. Allow to rest for 20 minutes before slicing (against the grain).
Apple & Green Cabbage Slaw
- To make the slaw simply add the cabbage, red onion, and green apple into a medium sized bowl.
- In a smaller bowl, combine the vinegar, oil, paprika, garlic and horseradish.
- Add the vinegar mixture to the cabbage mixture and mix.
Sandwich Assembly
- Spread the mustard on the 4 slices of bread and then add the pastrami and corned beef slices, followed by the cheese.
- Add the slaw then the other bread slices and enjoy!
Notes
If you prefer, melt the Havarti cheese on top of the meat before assembling the sandwich.
Don't forget to include dill pickle slices on the side. I'm serious. Don't leave it out!
Try these delicious sandwich, wraps and sub recipes next:
