ultimate montreal smoked meat recipe

biggreenmatt

This recipe is lengthy but not difficult. It takes two weeks to make. Stick through it and you'll get a final at-home product that's on par with Schwartz's, Smoke Meat Pete or any other of the holy smoke meat temples you'll find on the island of Montreal. Really- it's that good.

Didn't make up the recipe: I'm just spreading the gospel.

MONTREAL SMOKED MEAT

Cure a 12 lb double-brisket (fat-cap on) by adding the following spice mixture generously to both sides:

1/2 c Readycure (1% nitrate) + 1/4 c kosher salt OR 4 tb instacure (6% nitrate "pink salt") + 1.5 c kosher salt
1/2 lb cracked black pepper
1/4 lb sugar
1/4 lb cracked coriander
3 tb bay leaf powder
3 tb cloves

Place brisket in an XXL ziploc bag and let cure for 10 days in the fridge, flipping the brisket twice daily.

On day 11, thoroughly rinse off the cure and then soak in cold for at least 3 hours, changing the water every half-hour to get out most of the salt. Dry. Cover top of brisket with 2:1 mixture of cracked pepper to cracked coriander seed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

On day 12, smoke over maple chunks for 4 hours at 250. After 4 hours, completely foil the brisket and return to smoker (or oven) to cook for another 5 hours. At this point the smoke meat will be fantastic, but not 100% tender. Resist eating it now. Let come to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

On day 13, gently steam the brisket for 3 hours just prior to service. Odds are that you won't have a steamer big enough- I improvised by putting water in a foil turkey roasting pan, throwing a baking rack on top and then covering it with a second pan.

To carve, cut against the grain and on the bias very thinly, using a VERY SHARP slicing knife (the knife actually makes a difference). Serve stacked on fresh seeded rye bread with mustard.

RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.

Harleydog77

That sounds awesome! Where do you buy your curing salts?

biggreenmatt

I'm in Toronto- Highland Farms supermarket carries a product called Readycure in their meat section, otherwise you can order from Canada Compounds, out in Mississauga for GTA service. Not sure where to go outside the GTA- speak to your butcher and ask for tips.

nuynai

We have a place in Buffalo, NY that sells them. It's called Instcure #1 and Instacure #2. One's for smoked, cooked meats and the other is for slow curing-salami's, prosuitto, etc. Check them out at sausagemaker.com. They send it internationally. Hope this helps.

MCR

Thanks for the recipe. I will try-it!

sbmfj

any pics?

Id love to make one, but theres no way I can finish a brisket. Only 2 of us at home, and wifey isnt the biggest smoked meat fan....

Oh, and what size was the brisket that you made. Think the recipe could be adapted for a smaller piece of brisket, or is this not recommended?

sbmfj

dbl post, sorry...

sbmfj

triple post, sorry again...

Mr Holloway

Thanks for the post
Would love to be able to pull this off

Shane

biggreenmatt

The brisket I used was a good 11 1/4 pounds, and yes, I suppose you could scale down the recipe for a smaller quantity (use a point, not a flat if you do- you really want the fatty end of the two), but my god, man. What an enormous pain in the ass to go through for ONE OR TWO SANDWICHES! Make the entire thing, eat what you can and freeze the rest.

As for pictures, yes, I took a bunch, but it's on my computer and I'm on my iPhone right now. Here's the chowhound link to the pictures, where you can also find the CH link that details the work in progress: http://www.chow.com/photos/649968.

sbmfj

thanks!!

oh, and it there an internal temp that you cooked the meat too, or simply did the 4 hours, then foil and cooked for another 5. Internal would be around 200 I guess?

Rzeancak

I tried this recipe and here it is from start to finish. If you a smoked meat fan you have to try this. It is absolutely fantastic!

biggreenmatt

Yup.  Terrifically good.  

Words can't express how happy I was to find it since it's virtually impossible to find proper MSM recipes anywhere, even online.

If you check out the CH forum (search home cooking forum for "montreal smoke meat"), I posted a second recipe a while back that makes a sweeter/spicier version, more like Smoke Meat Pete than Schwartz's, which I prefer.

biggreenmatt

Yup.  Terrifically good.  

Words can't express how happy I was to find it since it's virtually impossible to find proper MSM recipes anywhere, even online.

If you check out the CH forum (search home cooking forum for "montreal smoke meat"), I posted a second recipe a while back that makes a sweeter/spicier version, more like Smoke Meat Pete than Schwartz's, which I prefer.

Little Steven

Excellent! Off to Highland Farms

texaswig

Man. I really want to try this soon.

TexanOfTheNorth

I did a pastrami last year but am bookmarking this post as I much prefer smoked meat.

Thanks for posting the recipe!

Little Steven

Just got back from Highland Farms with the instacure. Now to find a fat brisket

Greeno55

Is instacure the same as the progue powder with 6.25% sodium nitrite?

sticks88

I make a 12 hour drive to Montreal at least once a year mainly to go to Swartzes and the BarbyBarn.

Little Steven

Greeno55 said:

Is instacure the same as the progue powder with 6.25% sodium nitrite?

No it's 1% nitrite. If you look at the recipe it calls for less added salt with the readycure than with the instacure.

Let me know if you want some. I'll send it up to you. Highland farms is close to my office

Greeno55

Thanks LS, I should be OK. I just received a pound of the 6.25% stuff. I'll be all over the GTA for the next 6 weeks and may end up picking some up while out. Cheers!

Little Steven

biggreenmatt said:

Yup.  Terrifically good.  

Words can't express how happy I was to find it since it's virtually impossible to find proper MSM recipes anywhere, even online.

If you check out the CH forum (search home cooking forum for "montreal smoke meat"), I posted a second recipe a while back that makes a sweeter/spicier version, more like Smoke Meat Pete than Schwartz's, which I prefer.

Most MSM cures I've seen call for juniper berries and i know the swartz's stuff has some. Did you omit or did the recipe not call for it?

biggreenmatt

Little Steven said:

biggreenmatt said:

Yup.  Terrifically good.  

Words can't express how happy I was to find it since it's virtually impossible to find proper MSM recipes anywhere, even online.

If you check out the CH forum (search home cooking forum for "montreal smoke meat"), I posted a second recipe a while back that makes a sweeter/spicier version, more like Smoke Meat Pete than Schwartz's, which I prefer.

Most MSM cures I've seen call for juniper berries and i know the swartz's stuff has some. Did you omit or did the recipe not call for it?

Porker's original recipe didn't call for it.  FWIW, I associate juniper with English cooking more than I do central European/Jewish cooking so I don't find it missing anything.

Hitting this thread again made me revisit the original.  For anyone interested in a sweeter-spicier cure more reminiscent of Smoke Meat Pete than Schwartz's, I reverse-engineered this recipe, to follow the same steps as above:

1.5lb k-salt
.5 lb pepper
.5 lb sugar
.5 lb brown sugar
1 oz clove, broken
.2 oz bay leaf, crushed
1 oz garlic powder
1/4 lb coriander, ground
4 tb instacure #1
Sprinkle hot pepper flake

Little Steven

Thanks! I wasn't questioning the recipe at all. I so excited to try it. There is nothing else anywhere that compares to the stuff. I've spent years looking at recipes for it. Thanks again for your help. Would you toast the spice seeds before breaking them?

jimfastcar

I am definitely going to try this !

horseflesh

I'm sold, will try this soon too.

biggreenmatt

Little Steven said:

Thanks! I wasn't questioning the recipe at all. I so excited to try it. There is nothing else anywhere that compares to the stuff. I've spent years looking at recipes for it. Thanks again for your help. Would you toast the spice seeds before breaking them?

Can't hurt, I guess, but given that you're curing, smoking and steaming, I wonder how much of a taste-difference it'll actually make. 

Note to whoever tries the recipe:  if you're anything like me, you'll be cutting pieces off from the smoker as it goes.  What you're going to taste is awesomeness.  Be sure, however, not to cut off any serious parts of the brisket, as awesome as it will be, before it's steamed.  The steaming is crucial and the difference in taste and texture will be night-and-day.  Trust.

jimfastcar

Cured last night, first flip this morning

For now in a large plastic container, my wife will look for XXXL Zip Locks today

horseflesh

Hey, should I use a packer or flat only?

I don't know if I can find a double, may have to settle for whatever the restaurant supply store has.

jimfastcar

Day 5 and meat getting quite dark.....to be expected ?