Is Pastrami Halal? Beef, Turkey and Deli Pastrami

Pastrami is a cured meat from Jewish-American cooking. It came from the Jewish community of Romania and nearby regions, and it is usually made from beef brisket ^[1]. The raw meat is brined, partly dried, rubbed with spices, then smoked and steamed ^[1]. Hot pastrami on rye is a New York deli classic.

Traditional pastrami does not use pork, because it comes from a kosher food culture. Turkey pastrami is also common in US stores. So the halal question is almost never about pork. It is about how the beef or turkey was slaughtered.

The Qur'an forbids meat from an animal that died before slaughter, and meat over which God's name was not said ^[2][3]. Most supermarket and deli pastrami in the US is made from beef that was not slaughtered under halal supervision.

Scholars differ on meat from Jews and Christians. The Qur'an permits the food of the People of the Book ^[4], and one common view treats such meat as permissible ^[5]. Others, including a Hanafi answer from SeekersGuidance, ask for proof that God's name was said and the cut was correct ^[6]. Your answer for regular deli pastrami depends on which view you follow.

Many New York delis serve kosher-style or certified kosher pastrami. Kosher slaughter is done by hand with a sharp knife, which is close to zabiha in method. Some Muslims accept kosher meat under the People of the Book view ^[5]. Others do not, because a Jewish slaughterer does not usually say God's name over each animal in the way required by many scholars ^[6].

Also note that "kosher-style" is not kosher. It describes the cooking style, not the slaughter. See our kosher vs halal guide and our Katz's Deli page for one famous example.

Halal beef pastrami is easy to find in areas with Muslim communities.

• Packaged brands. Halal brands sell sliced beef pastrami in US grocery stores, for example Al Safa's beef pastrami listed on Instacart ^[7].
• Halal delis and butchers. Many halal butchers make or stock pastrami for sandwiches.
• Check the certifier. A plain "halal" claim is hard to verify. Look for the certifier's name; HMS, for example, certifies only hand-slaughtered meat ^[8].
• Read the label. Some cured meats use wine, gelatin or flavorings with alcohol. Halal-certified products should already be free of these.

For related deli meats, see our salami and pepperoni pages.

Pastrami shows up on burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and even fries at many US restaurants. Unless the restaurant is halal-certified or names a halal supplier, assume its pastrami is not halal.

At halal restaurants, ask to see a current certificate that names the certifier, and ask whether the pastrami comes from the same supplier. Some halal burger chains and delis now offer halal pastrami, but menus change, so check each time. Also ask whether the pastrami is cooked on the same grill as non-halal meat, which matters to many diners. If you're unsure, a chicken or beef item from a certified supplier is the safer choice.