Basically pastrami, right?
Yep. Uncured it is beef brisket. Add the curing salts and spices and it is corned beef. Smoke the corned beef and it is pastrami.
Using the brisket is the real deal, but large diameter corned beef/pastrami typically sold in super markets is another cut such as cured eye of round. Ok for things like a Reuben.
The eye of round substitute is not as fatty, and needs less cooking because it does not have all the connective tissue of the brisket cut. So there is less shrinkage on the eye of round lunch meat version. I actually make it sometimes. Give the shrinkage and fat on a brisket cut, the eye of round is probably cheaper.
