The Whopping Amount Of Pastrami Katz's Deli Sells In A Week

If you're looking for the place that sets the standard for pastrami sandwiches in the country (and quite possibly, the world), set your eyes on Katz's Delicatessen, a New York City icon. For most of its history, Katz's has resided in the same location in the lower East Side of New York. While this long-standing institution excels in classic American Jewish deli foods like corned beef, lox, and chopped liver, it's undoubtedly most famous for its pastrami. The cured meat — which is made in the New York style — is so popular that the deli serves up approximately 15,000 pounds of it each and every week.

The 1989 hit movie, "When Harry Met Sally" put Katz's Delicatessen on the radars of millions around the world. But, in reality, Katz's was locally famous decades before the film came out. Even today, it is much more than a tourist stop; Katz's is the heart and soul of this neighborhood and has been for generations. Through it all, Katz's has always served incredible food, and this is what has largely kept it going. Even when the tourists are few, born and bred New Yorkers still flock to this deli for its heaping servings of pastrami on rye.

Of all the meats Katz's Delicatessen offers, the house-made pastrami is clearly the most popular. The second most popular item is corned beef, which Katz's also makes in-house. The deli sells about 8,000 pounds of corned beef every week.

There is good reason why pastrami is the deli's most popular selection: It is made with incredible attention to detail. Taken from the brisket cut of a cow, the meat is first pickled in brine for three weeks. After the brining process, the pastrami is smoked for three days. Finally, before cutting and serving, the meat is boiled for three hours. It's only after these steps are completed that the pastrami meets Katz's exacting standards. Unsurprisingly, the resulting pastrami is extremely tender and flavorful.

Of course, such attention to detail does not come cheap. At the time of writing, a pound of Katz's pastrami costs $40, while a single pastrami sandwich costs $28.95. Although this may sound like a lot of money, the size of the sandwich — and the huge amount of meat it contains — means it can easily feed two people.