National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day

National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, observed January 14th, celebrates the classic deli sandwich of seasoned, smoked, and steamed beef, thinly sliced and piled high, traditionally served on rye bread with mustard. Pastrami's roots trace back to Romanian and Eastern European Jewish immigrant communities, who brought techniques for curing and smoking beef navel or brisket to New York City in the late 19th century. The dish became inseparable from New York's Jewish deli culture, with establishments like Katz's Delicatessen, open since 1888, helping popularize the towering pastrami sandwich as an American culinary icon. The preparation is notably labor-intensive, typically involving curing the beef in a seasoned brine, coating it in a peppery spice rub, smoking it, and then steaming it for hours to achieve its signature tenderness. While corned beef is a close cousin made with a similar cut, pastrami is distinguished by its smoking process and heavier use of black pepper and coriander. On National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day, people celebrate by visiting a deli for an authentic hot pastrami sandwich or attempting the multi-day process at home.