Venison Pastrami is so good, yet it’s almost always prepared wrong. This venison pastrami recipe starts with a sirloin roast cured for 3 days in a pink curing salt brine. It’s coated in a coriander, juniper, and black pepper crust, then smoked low at 150–180°F. It comes off the smoker at 140°F internal and is never steamed. The result is juicy, smoky pastrami you slice paper-thin, like a gourmet venison ham.
Quick Look: Homemade Venison Pastrami
- Ready in: 20 minutes to prep + 3 days to brine + 4 hours to smoke
- Serves: Makes about 12 4-ounce portions of smoked venison pastrami
- Calories: 141 calories
- Main ingredients: A venison sirloin roast, pink curing salt brine, and a coarse coriander, juniper and black pepper rub.
- Cook method: Cure the roast in brine for 3 days, smoke it low at 150–180°F, then finish at 200°F until it reaches 140°F internal.
- Why this version works: Pulling the lean venison at 140°F and skipping the steam keeps it juicy, smoky and easy to slice paper-thin.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
There’s a lot of bad advice out there on venison pastrami. The biggest mistake is treating deer like beef brisket: smoking it well done, then steaming it. Brisket has the fat and connective tissue to handle that, but venison doesn’t. Once lean deer meat goes much past 150°F, it turns dry and tough, and steaming won’t save it.
So I smoke it low for as long as I can and pull it at 140°F. My whitetail sirloin roasts take 4 to 5 hours this way, and they come out juicy, smoky, and perfect for slicing thin. I use the LEM Mighty Bite 8 1/2″ Meat Slicer, and it produces ultra-thin uniform cuts perfect for sandwiches and charcuterie platters.
Want something similar to the soft, pull-apart texture of a smoked deli pastrami? Try my smoked deer roast recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- It’s pulled at 140°F. Stopping well short of 150°F keeps lean venison juicy instead of dry and tough.
- The low first smoke builds flavor. Starting at 150–180°F gives the roast more time in the smoke before it’s done.
- A 3-day cure goes all the way through. The venison brine seasons and cures the roast from edge to center.
- The sirloin is the right size. A thick roast can stay on the smoker for hours without overcooking.
- The wrapped rest finishes it gently. Foil and kitchen towels let the roast coast up a few degrees while the juices settle.
- No steaming. Skipping the steam keeps the meat tender and sliceable instead of stringy.
Notes on Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Venison sirloin (ball roast): This thick hind-leg roast can stay on the smoker for hours without overcooking. It is also great for making a venison roast in the slow cooker. Trim off the surface fat and silver skin before brining. Other hind-leg roasts work too; see my guide for how to cut up a deer hind quarter to find each cut.
- Pink curing salt: Also sold as Prague Powder #1 or Instacure #1. Pink curing salt keeps the meat safe during the long, low smoke and gives pastrami its pink color and cured flavor. I also add a bit of this ingredient to my homemade knackwurst.
- Kosher salt: Use kosher salt, not table salt. Table salt is much denser, so the same volume makes the venison pastrami brine far saltier.
- Brown sugar, sugar and maple syrup: They balance the salt and help the crust brown on the smoker.
- Pickling spice: Store-bought works fine and adds the classic warm spice flavor to the brine.
- Coriander, juniper, and black pepper: Crush them coarsely for a crunchy crust. Coriander and pepper are the classic pastrami rub; the juniper is my wild-game twist.
Substitutions and Additions
- Other cuts: Top round or bottom round also make great pastrami. Learn how to trim them in my venison rounds guide. These roasts are thinner than the sirloin, so they reach 140°F faster, so the key is to start checking the internal temperature early.
- Rub variations: For a bolder crust, double the black pepper. Add crushed mustard seed to the venison dry rub for a tangy bite, or a pinch of garlic powder for a more classic deli flavor.
How To Make Venison Pastrami
1. Make the brine. Add the water and all the brine ingredients to a large pot. Bring it to a simmer and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. When ready, remove it from the heat, cool it to room temperature, and then refrigerate it until thoroughly chilled.
2. Brine the venison. Add the venison roast to the chilled brine. Place a plate on top of the meat to keep it completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days. Check it periodically to make sure the meat stays completely submerged in the brine.
3. Remove from brine. When ready, remove the venison from the brine, rinse it and pat it dry completely. Discard the brine.
4. Add the rub. Mix the juniper berries, black pepper, and coriander in a small bowl until evenly combined. Press the seasoning firmly on the outside of the venison to coat it completely with the spices.
5. Smoke the venison. Smoke the meat between 150 and 180° F for 2-3 hours. Then increase your smoker’s temperature to 200° F and smoke until the internal temperature of the venison reaches 140° F.
If you don’t have enough time, smoke the meat at 200° F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F. Make sure to check the temperature in the thickest part of the roast. Your best guide to doneness is to monitor internal temperature, rather than relying on the amount of time it cooks.
6. Rest & slice the meat. After the meat is cooked, wrap it loosely in aluminum foil. Then wrap this in kitchen towels and allow it to rest for at least 45 minutes before slicing the meat.
After it’s rested, you can go ahead and slice it up or chill it and slice later. I find cold venison pastrami is a bit easier to slice because it’s a bit firmer. To slice, use a sharp knife and be sure to slice it across the grain.
Chef Tips & Troubleshooting
- Chill the brine completely. The brine needs to be completely chilled before you add the venison. This matters for food safety and to avoid cooking the outside of the venison.
- Pat dry very well. Before you add the rub, the outside of the venison should be very dry. A dry surface helps the smoke and spice stick to the venison better.
- Smoke it low first. If time allows, smoke the deer pastrami at a lower temperature for the first 2-3 hours and then raise the temperature to finish it. The low start keeps the roast in the smoke longer before it reaches 140°F, so it picks up deeper smoke flavor without overcooking the lean venison.
- Short on time? Skip the low first stage and smoke the roast at 200°F the whole way until it reaches 140°F internal. It cooks faster, but the roast spends less time in the smoke, so the pastrami will have a lighter smoke flavor. It will still be tender and juicy.
- Do not cook past 140°F. Lean venison dries out quickly once it goes much beyond 150°F, so this recipe is built around pulling the roast at 140°F. The temperature will keep climbing a few degrees as it rests wrapped loosely in foil and kitchen towels for at least 45 minutes. After that, slice it thin.
- Chill before slicing. For deli-thin slices, refrigerate the rested roast overnight, then slice it cold. Cold meat is firmer, so the knife or slicer cuts cleanly through it instead of tearing or crumbling the lean venison. The juices have also fully set, so less moisture runs out onto the board, and each slice stays juicy. This is an important step and one I use in most recipes similar to this one, like my smoked deer loin.
Venison Pastrami Recipe FAQs
How long does venison pastrami last in the fridge, and can you freeze it?
Wrapped tightly, venison pastrami keeps in the refrigerator for up to 1 week as a whole roast, or 3–5 days once sliced. For longer storage, vacuum seal it whole or in portioned slices and freeze it for up to 3 months for the best quality. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator.
What wood works best for smoking venison pastrami?
Hickory or oak gives a classic pastrami flavor, while cherry, apple or maple is milder and pairs well with the maple in the brine. Skip mesquite, which can turn bitter over a long smoke.
How long does it take to smoke deer pastrami?
For best results, I highly recommend smoking between 150-180° F for two to three hours, if possible. Then raise the temperature to 200° F and cook until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140° F.
That’s it; that’s the secret to having juicy venison pastrami. It usually takes me around 4 to 5 hours to smoke a whitetail ball roast using this method.
If you’re strapped for time, simply smoke at 200° F until you reach an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. The pastrami will pick up less smoke, but it will still be tender and delicious.
What to serve with Deer Pastrami
- Venison pastrami Reuben: Pile thin slices on rye with Swiss cheese, Russian dressing, and my homemade sauerkraut, then grill it until the bread is crisp and the cheese melts. You can also skip the classic dressing and use my white BBQ sauce
- Charcuterie board: Fan out paper-thin slices next to my smoked venison salami, grainy mustard, sharp cheese, crackers, spicy pickled quail eggs, and pickled mushrooms. The tangy mushrooms cut through the smoky, peppery meat.
- Breakfast hash: Dice the pastrami and crisp it in a skillet with potatoes and onions, then top it with a fried egg. Add the pastrami near the end so it heats through without drying out.
More Smoked Wild Game Recipes
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Venison Pastrami Recipe
Ingredients
For the Venison
- 3-5 pound venison sirloin roast, Surface fat and silver-skin removed
For the Brine
- 1 gallon of water
- 1 1/2 cups kosher salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup real maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons (10 grams pink curing salt), (TCM, Instacure # 1, Prague Powder 1)
- 2 tablespoons pickling spice
- 6 garlic cloves, chopped
For the Rub
- 1 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, coarsely ground or crushed
- 1 teaspoon juniper berries, coarsely ground or crushed
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, coarsely ground
Instructions
- In a large pot bring add the water and the remaining brine ingredients. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Remove from the heat, allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
- Add the venison roast to the brine. Place a plate on top of the meat to keep completely submerged. Cover and refrigerate for 3 days.
- Remove the venison from the brine, rinse it and then dry it thoroughly. Discard the brine.
- In a small container mix the juniper, black pepper and coriander until evenly combined. Coat the venison completely with these spices.
Smoking option # 1
- Smoke the meat between 150 and 180 degrees F. for two to three hours. Then increase your smokers temperature to 200 degrees F and smoke until the internal temperature reach 140 degrees F. (:)
Smoking option # 2
- If you don't have enough time for option # 1, smoke the meat at 200 degrees F until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees F.
Rest the Meat
- After the meat is cooked, wrap loosely in aluminum foil. Then wrap this in kitchen towels and allow to rest for at least 45 minutes before slicing.
NOTES
- Use sirloin roast if possible. I recommend using a venison sirloin or ball roast because the size gives you more smoke time and better final slices.
- Chill the brine completely. Simmer the brine only long enough to dissolve the salt and sugar, then refrigerate it before adding the meat. Keep the roast fully submerged and brine it for 3 days.
- Dry the roast very well. After brining, rinse and dry it thoroughly before applying the coriander, juniper, and black pepper rub. A dry surface helps the smoke and spice coat better.
- Smoke it low first. For the best result, smoke between 150 and 180 F for 2 to 3 hours, then raise the smoker to 200 F until the meat reaches 140 F internal.
- Do not cook past 140 F. The post is clear that venison pastrami dries out fast once it goes much beyond 150 F, so this recipe is built around stopping at 140 F and slicing thin.
- Use the shortcut if needed. If you do not have time for the lower-temp first stage, smoke at 200 F until the roast reaches 140 F internal. It will be a little less smoky, but still tender.
- Rest it before slicing. Wrap the cooked pastrami loosely in foil, then in kitchen towels, and let it rest at least 45 minutes before slicing.
- Slice it very thin. This recipe is meant to eat more like a gourmet ham than traditional steamed deli pastrami, so thin slicing matters.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
