Pastrami Burger
intro
A hearty, deli-inspired stacked burger pairing juicy seared beef patties with smoky crispy pastrami, melted Swiss, tangy sauce, and sautéed onions on a toasted brioche bun.
Ingredients
Steps
Make the tangy sauce
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together 60ml full-fat mayonnaise, 30ml Dijon mustard, 30ml tomato ketchup, and 0.5g (1/4 tsp) freshly ground black pepper until completely smooth. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld while you prep other components.
Shape the beef patties
Divide 680g of 80/20 ground chuck into 4 equal 170g portions. Gently form each portion into a round patty 10cm wide and 2cm thick, pressing a shallow 1cm dimple in the center of each patty to prevent bulging during cooking. Season both sides of every patty evenly with 5g kosher salt, 3g garlic powder, and the remaining 0.5g black pepper.
Toast the brioche buns
Heat a cast iron skillet or flat-top grill over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Brush the cut sides of all 4 split brioche buns evenly with 28g melted unsalted butter. Place buns cut-side down on the preheated surface, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes until the cut surfaces are deep golden brown and slightly crisp. Transfer toasted buns to a clean plate and set aside.
Crisp pastrami and onions
Keep the pan over medium heat (175°C/350°F). Add 150g thinly sliced yellow onion to the pan, sautéing for 5 minutes and stirring occasionally, until soft and light golden at the edges. Transfer onions to a small bowl, then arrange 225g thin-sliced smoked pastrami in a single layer on the pan. Cook for 45 seconds per side, until the pastrami edges curl slightly and turn crispy. Remove pastrami from the pan and set aside.
Sear the beef patties
Maintain the pan at medium heat (175°C/350°F). Place seasoned patties on the cooking surface dimple-side up, leaving 2cm of space between each. Cook for 4 minutes without moving, until a dark, rich seared crust forms on the bottom. Flip each patty, top immediately with one 28g slice of Swiss cheese, then cook for 3 additional minutes for medium doneness (internal temperature 71°C/160°F), until cheese is fully melted and bubbly. Transfer patties to a plate to rest for 2 minutes to lock in juices.
Assemble the finished burgers
Spread 1 tablespoon of the chilled tangy sauce on the cut side of each bun top and bottom. Layer each bottom bun with 2 dill pickle slices, one rested cheesy beef patty, 2 slices of crispy pastrami, and one quarter of the sautéed onions. Place the sauced top bun on each stack, pressing down lightly to hold layers together, and serve immediately.
Tips
2.Never press down on beef patties with a spatula while cooking, as this squeezes out flavorful fat and juices, leading to dry, less flavorful burgers.
3.Let cooked patties rest for 2 full minutes before assembling; this allows juices to redistribute so they don’t run out and make the bottom bun soggy.
OMG this pastrami burger is an absolute game changer! I made these for our weekend cookout and every single person asked for the recipe. The crispy pastrami on top of the juicy patty? *Chef’s kiss* Took me right back to the delis I grew up going to in NYC, and it was so easy to throw together even with 10 people hovering around the grill.
My kids DEVOURED these for family dinner last night! I was worried the pastrami would be too salty for the little ones but it was perfectly balanced, especially with that swipe of yellow mustard and the pickle slices. Total cook time was right at 35 minutes too, which is perfect for chaotic weeknights when we’re running between soccer practice and piano lessons.
Really solid burger! I swapped the Swiss for pepper jack because that’s what I had in the fridge, and added a little pickled jalapeño for kick. Next time I’ll make sure to get thinner pastrami slices so they crisp up better, the thick cut I grabbed was a little chewy. Still SO good though, will be adding this to our regular rotation.
As someone who’s extremely picky about pastrami (I drive 45 minutes every other weekend to my favorite deli for a proper pastrami sandwich), I was skeptical about a pastrami burger. Let me tell you — this delivered. Tasted exactly like something I’d order at an old-school Jewish deli, no cap. Made it for my roommates and they’re already begging me to make it again for our Sunday football watch party.
Game changer for my weekly meal prep! I pre-cooked the patties and crisped the pastrami on Sunday, then assembled the burgers for lunch all week. They held up way better than I thought they would, even after 3 minutes in the office microwave. Saved me so much money from buying takeout burgers every Friday.
Made this in my tiny dorm kitchen with just a countertop griddle and it came out perfect! I thought it’d be too fancy for my limited setup but it was so easy, no fancy tools needed. My floor mates could smell it cooking and knocked on my door asking for bites, 10/10 would make again for a floor potluck.
Brought these to our neighborhood potluck last weekend and they were the first item gone! The only note I have is that I wish I’d made double the batch, I only got half a burger before they were all snatched up. People were coming up to me for 20 minutes after the potluck ended asking where I got the recipe.
OMG I added a layer of thousand island dressing on the bottom bun like they do at my local diner and it took this burger to a whole new level! The salty pastrami, melted Swiss, juicy beef, and tangy thousand island? Literal perfection. I’ve made this three times in the last two weeks, that’s how obsessed I am.
Took me a minute to find good deli pastrami at the grocery store, but once I did this came together exactly as written. Cook time was spot on 35 minutes, which was perfect because I had to get to my kid’s evening game right after dinner. Even my super picky teen who only eats chicken nuggets said it was “actually fire” — high praise coming from him.
I’m usually not a huge red meat person but I wanted to make something special for my partner who loves pastrami, and this did not disappoint. I used a leaner ground beef blend to cut down on grease, and it was still super juicy. Served it with a side of dill pickle chips and potato salad, and he said it’s better than the burgers we get at the deli downtown.