Forget the deli counter! This guide shows you how to transform a humble cut—the lamb topside—into sensational, homemade lamb pastrami. This detailed Pastrami Recipe covers everything from butchery tips to the perfect smoking temperature. Get ready to ramp up your sandwich game!

This method focuses on achieving tender, spice-crusted pastrami using a low-and-slow smoke process on a ceramic cooker like the Big Green Egg.

• 1 lamb topside (the preferred cut for this recipe)

• 1 litre water
• 85g x salt (we use Australian measurements)
• 9g curing salt #1 (essential for safety and that classic pink colour)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbs black peppercorns and coriander seeds (½ & ½)
• 3 fresh bay leaves
• 1 sprig rosemary

• Toasted and cracked black and white peppercorns and coriander seeds (a generous mix)
• Dijon mustard

1. Prepare the Brine: Combine all brine ingredients with half the water. Boil until the salt and sugar have dissolved and the spices are fragrant. Pour into a container and add the remaining water. This helps to chill the brine quicker. Chill completely before use.
2. Brine the Topside: Once the brine is cold, add the topside. Place in the fridge with a lid. Turn the topside every day and leave for a total of 3 days.
3. Desalt (Rinse): After 3 days, place the topside in a container of cold, fresh water and return to the fridge for several hours. This critical step helps reduce the surface saltiness absorbed during the cure.
4. Prepare the Smoker: Set up your Big Green Egg with a mix of oak and hickory premium lump charcoal. Install your convEGGtor for indirect cooking. Target a temperature of about 120°C - 150°C  for the cook.
5. Season: Pat the topside completely dry. Rub a thin layer of Dijon mustard all over the meat, then roll it liberally in the cracked spice mix until the topside is evenly coated.
6. Smoke: Place the topside directly on the grill grates. Use a tray with a little water below (if using the convEGGtor) to maintain humidity.
7. Target Internal Temperature: Smoke until the internal temperature reaches approximately 
8. Rest: Wrap the topside in baking paper and foil, or butchers paper, and rest for as long as you can. This allows the juices to redistribute for a tender result.
9. Assemble: Slice thinly against the grain. Serve your homemade lamb pastrami any way you like! For a classic Reuben, serve it on toasted sourdough with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Sriracha sauce (because, why not?).

Success with this Pastrami Recipe starts with understanding the meat. The topside is one of the four main muscles of the hind leg, sitting on the inside of the thigh. It can generally be easily recognised as it has minimal to no surface fat, which is ideal for curing and smoking.

The topside is a relatively lean and tender muscle. It boasts a solid flavour profile precisely because it's a load-bearing and heavily used muscle in the live animal. This makes it suitable for slicing into steaks, dicing, or, in this case, a lean mini roast for pastrami.

Sourcing the topside should be relatively easy from any butcher shop as they will almost always have legs on hand. Don't be shy about asking your butcher to remove the topside for you. If you choose to buy a whole boneless leg and remove it yourself, the process is straightforward.

We are currently at a pivotal point where lamb is finally being seen by chefs and home cooks as having far more opportunities than just roast shoulder or chops. While the carcase size limits our cuts compared to beef, the opportunity is huge. Ask questions, be curious, and start to see lamb as just as important, versatile, and premium as beef. Experimentation, like this lamb pastrami recipe, is key!