For years, I have traveled to New York City to get my fix for a hot pastrami sandwich. Living in southeastern Connecticut my entire life, I’ve grown tired of restaurants serving pastrami sandwiches that come to the table dried up, no fat, with no flavor, resembling jerky meat on bread.

Unlike the juicy, fatty, flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth pastrami that only New York delis seem to be able to create. And don’t think that pastrami at your local grocer’s deli counter even comes close to New York delis.

I’ve tried every brand. They all fall short.

Why do I say this recipe is “simply”? I have made my own pastrami from scratch. It’s a labor-intensive process, which explains why N.Y. delis can get $30/sandwich. It requires hours/days to prepare it correctly. Boiling the meat to make it tender, coating it with spices, smoking it in a wood smoker. This is not for the person who wants a quick pastrami sandwich. But instead, it takes planning a week in advance.

Prep of wood smokers, large pots, and purchasing corned beef when it goes on sale (after St. Patrick’s Day). “Simply” means I have found a solution to all this wasted energy. I have found a way to make the perfect pastrami sandwich within 15 minutes! (There goes my diet.)

Pastrami is nothing more than corned beef, with spices and a smoky flavor. I took my leftover corned beef from St. Patrick’s Day, and I made pastrami the lazy way. Here’s how:

What you will need:

(Makes 1 sandwich. Double ingredients to make 2 sandwiches and so on.)

● Leftover corned beef which has already been boiled previously to remove the salt cure, prepared per the instructions on the package. Leave all the fat intact. Do not trim the fat off.

● 1 teas Liquid smoke (Found in your grocer’s condiment or spices aisle)

● 1/2 tsp onion powder

● 1/2 tsp garlic powder

● 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper

● 1/2 tsp coriander powder

● 1/2 cup water

● 2 slices of good, fresh rye bread

● Mustard (optional)

● Swiss cheese (optional)

Slice the corned beef into thin 1/8 inch slices, and this is important, CUT ACROSS THE GRAIN.

You will DEFINITELY want to cut across the grain to avoid stringy meat. I hate it when restaurants don’t cut their corned beef correctly! Ruins the meat and texture. Cutting the meat across the grain makes the meat chewable and distributes the fat evenly.

In a small nonstick frying pan, add the water, liquid smoke and all the spices. Stir it up to mix all ingredients. Add the sliced meat. Heat up. When the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to simmer the meat for 5 minutes, turning it over frequently, until water has mostly evaporated.

Do not overcook, or the meat will be dry. The liquid is intended to make the meat moist. Remove from the pan and put on your choice of bread. The meat will taste just like N.Y. deli pastrami!

Options: if you like the crunchy outer crust of pastrami, follow the above steps. Then sprinkle the meat with the spices like a dry rub. Place meat in broiler for 2-3 minutes or until spices get crusty. But do not over broil or the meat will dry out.

This will be the best pastrami sandwich ever. It will also save you money. I bought corned beef on sale before the holiday. A 5 lb point cut cost $6.50. I used 1/4 lb on the sandwich - $1.62. A loaf of rye bread was $3 - 2 slices -$.60. So, for $2.22 I made a $30 N.Y. deli pastrami sandwich. I saved on gas/train tickets, and I got my fix within 15 minutes. An $80 N.Y. deli pastrami sandwich, or equally as good, at home $2.22 pastrami sandwich?

Give it a try then share this meal with others. Love starts at the dinner table!

Sharon A. Kane grew up in Norwich and lives in Ledyard.