I need to get some deli meat by the pound for a build-your-own sandwich spread. Is there a place to get good luncheon meat? I’d love to get some nitrate free, moist, well-marbled, delicious pastrami or something similar. We don’t serve or eat pork, but anything beef, lamb/goat, turkey, or chicken would be nice. Please give the name of the place as well as the exact name of the suggested meat.
This is my plan also for the Christmas Eve crowd. I will likely go to a large HEB. We have a premium deli here too at B&B Butchers but I don’t think they have a location in Austin. You could check out Central Market.
If I were you, I’d check out the catering options at Noble Sandwich Co, one of my favorite places in Austin. They might do a deli tray, although they are heavy on the pork products. They also do chicken, duck, turkey, pastrami and roast beef though. All their meats are made in house so I doubt they have nitrates but I can’t say for sure. Worth a phone call.
1 Like
I tried the Carnegie Deli brand pastrami from Central Market and it was so salty and nitrate laden. I also tried their inhouse Wagyu and it was mealy and insipid. 
I’m actually trying out this guy’s faux pastrami recipe as I type. I’ll let you know how it goes. He is using a point end corn beef and I could only find the flat end (it was also Reuben’s brand) at my HEB. I hate flat end brisket. But I’m hoping the recipe comes out well anyway. That would be awesome if it did.
1 Like
I actually ended up ordering from Katz’s delicatessen in NYC. They have free shipping on $100+ orders. I followed their re-heating instructions and it was GORGEOUS. Absolutely delicious.
I recently drove out to Pieous and tried their in-house pastrami. It’s no Katz’s, but it was pretty good. It must be properly brined, but it still had a bit of a TX brisket character to it.
I also tried making my own faux pastrami from Reuben’s corned beef, like in the link above. It was just okay. I probably won’t do that again. I actually had HEB order me the Reuben’s point end for that. They usually keep the Classic Flat on the shelf. I love HEB!
2 Likes
The next time you’re in Houston, pop into Kenny & Ziggy’s and wander over to the deli counter and pick you up a pound or so of their pastrami.
Ain’t cheap but worth every penny.
1 Like
Brilliant!
