Smoked, Pastrami-Style Lamb Sando

Jeff McInnis

At Root & Bone’s Barbecue and Blues night, the Aussie Lamb Pastrami delivers familiarity with an elevated twist. Jeff McInnis, chef/co-owner of this Southern-inspired restaurant, showcases the house-cured favorite in two styles: stacked high on a sandwich with housemade accompaniments and deconstructed for a plated experience. McInnis starts with square-cut lamb shoulder, then brines it in a pastrami-style cure. “It’s a pretty straightforward cure—pink salt, coriander, garlic, bay leaf, peppercorn, sugar. Adding smoke makes the difference,” he notes. Once brined, he rubs the shoulder with mustard, then adds a spice rub that features Dijon, brown sugar, kosher salt, coriander, mustard powder, garlic and onion powder, paprika and pepper. The meat is then smoked with hickory and maple chips.

The approach is rooted in comfort but leans creative, highlighting the value of reimagining beloved classics. “When you can call out something guests already love, tweak the technique just enough, then you’ve got a win,” he says.

McInnis embraces underutilized cuts not only for their operational advantages but as a canvas for innovation. He features this lamb pastrami occasionally, and it always sells out. “Giving the pastrami treatment to Aussie lamb? That’s flavor on a different level,” he notes.

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