Steaming Pastrami

Pastrami aficionados like to steam the meat after smoking. It softens the crust, but it does make it slightly more tender. Here’s how:

Do not slice the meat before steaming. If you have a bamboo or metal steamer in which the meat will fit, use that. If not, make a steamer by putting a wire rack in a baking pan and cover the rack with foil to keep the rub from washing off.

If the pan is steel, don’t let the foil touch the meat. The salt, water, steel, and aluminum might interact and create electrical charges that can melt the foil, a phenomenon called the “lasagna effect.”

Put the pan on a burner, add water to the bottom of the pan, turn the heat to ­medium-low, and steam the meat for 2 to 3 hours until heated through to 203°F. The exact time will depend on the meat’s thickness and how hot the water is. Keep a close eye on it and add hot water as needed, making sure the pan never dries out. This can happen quickly and can cause a fire.