Know your coldcuts — what's what, and what to put it on.
The three that carry the counter
Beef pastrami — peppery and smoky, the one people ask for by name. Corned beef — brined and milder, the other half of the sandwich argument. Turkey roll — lighter and leaner, and the workhorse of a week of lunchboxes.
The rest of the case
Montreal smoked meat sits between pastrami and corned beef. Beef salami and the salami torpedo eat well cold and better fried. Mexican chicken roll brings the heat. Nitrite-free turkey roll is the one for the kids.
Build it properly
Rye, mustard, and enough meat that the bread struggles to close. A quarter pound makes a generous sandwich. Coldcuts warm through in a dry pan in under a minute, and pastrami is better for it.
For a platter
Three meats minimum, and pick them for contrast — pastrami dark, corned beef red, turkey roll pale. Roll the slices rather than folding them; they hold their height for hours. Pickles and mustard alongside, never on top.
Keeping it
Vacuum-packed coldcuts hold well in the fridge. Once opened, wrap them tight and use them within a few days. A whole salami chub keeps far longer than anything sliced.