Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

About This Recipe

Montreal smoked meat is Canada's most celebrated deli tradition — a cured and smoked beef brisket, seasoned with a distinctive spice blend of black pepper, coriander and garlic, steamed until tender and piled high on rye bread with yellow mustard. A creation of Jewish Romanian immigrants in Montreal's Mile End neighbourhood in the early 20th century, it has become one of Canada's great culinary institutions. This recipe produces a home-cured version that rivals the legendary Schwartz's deli.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 1.5 kgbeef brisket(point cut (deckle end), trimmed)
• 3 tbspcoarse black pepper
• 2 tbspcoriander seeds(coarsely crushed)
• 1 tbspgarlic powder
• 1 tbsppaprika
• 1 tspcayenne pepper
• 2 tbsppink curing salt (Prague powder #1)(essential for safety)
• 60 gbrown sugar
• 2 tbspcoarse sea salt
• 8 slicesrye or pumpernickel bread(to serve)
• yellow mustard(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cure the brisket

   Combine all spices and the curing salt into a rub. Coat the brisket on all sides, pressing firmly. Wrap tightly in cling film and refrigerate for 4–7 days, turning daily.

   The curing salt is essential for safety and gives smoked meat its characteristic pink colour and flavour. Do not substitute.

2. 2

   Rinse and dry

   Remove from the fridge and rinse off the cure under cold water. Pat dry. Apply a fresh coating of black pepper and coriander.

3. 3

   Smoke low and slow

   Smoke the brisket over hardwood (hickory or maple) at 105–120°C for 4–6 hours until the internal temperature reaches 75°C and a dark bark has formed.

4. 4

   Steam to tenderness

   Wrap the smoked brisket in foil and steam (or oven-braise in a covered pan with a little water) at 120°C for a further 1–2 hours until completely tender — it should yield completely when pressed.

   The steaming step is what makes Montreal smoked meat uniquely tender compared to standard BBQ brisket.

5. 5

   Slice and serve

   Slice the meat thinly against the grain. Pile generously on rye bread spread with yellow mustard. Serve with a pickle and coleslaw on the side.

Variations

• •

  Quick Version: ask your butcher to cure a brisket for you, then focus on the smoking and steaming steps.

• •

  Oven Method: if you don't have a smoker, use 1 tsp liquid smoke in the rub and slow-roast at 120°C for 5–6 hours covered tightly in foil.

Storage

Refrigerate the cured and cooked meat for up to 5 days. Slice and reheat by steaming. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions