ultimate montreal smoked meat recipe

BackYardGreen

Nice to see this thread is alive and thanks for posting these recipes. Would welcome comment from Matt or anyone else who knows.

Put an 11.5 lb brisket on the Smoke Meat Pete cure last night - am I correct in my interpretation that the cure should be cup not lb?

Also wondering if you can you do the smoke and foil cook then cut into pieces and vac seal and freeze pieces then do the steam after you thaw them out but before you serve?

Any idea how long the meat would keep just vacuum sealed and refrigerated?

Thanks.

Rob

biggreenmatt

No, with the one exception of the instacure, it's by weight.

Last year, when I came up with the recipe, I'd been introduced to Modernist Cuisine at Home, which meant I was on a measure-by-weight kick.  The recipe provides a lot of cure- much more than enough for just one batch.  Seal whatever you don't need in a container, keep it out of the light and save it for the next time.

Re: darkening: absolutely to be expected.  The nitrites (or nitrates?  Always get them confused) in the cure, like bacon, turns the finished colour of the meat from brown to red.

Re: vacuum sealing: not sure-never done it.  Don't see why it wouldn't work, though.  Any kind of charcuterie-esque product (weird to refer to MSM as "charcuterie", but charcuterie it certainly is) is created for the purpose of preservation, and that makes it, generally, less delicate than its previous form and more impervious to time and tide.  I'd feel comfortable (if the technique works) keeping it for a month or two.  Lord knows I usually just throw it in the fridge, knowing my vulture-like neighbours will be around to eat whatever I don't.

SoCal_Griller

This sounds great, going to give it a try.  But what is the difference between this an a Pastrami? Is it just the spices?

Little Steven

Smoked meat is a dry cure, pastrami is a pickle I think. Just checked. Both are dry cure, MSM is soaked after the cure

biggreenmatt

My understanding of the difference is the cut (brisket v. naval beef/beef belly) and the spices used.

Like pastrami, MSM can be dry- or wet cured.  The dry, to my taste, is preferred.

http://www.mrbbq.ca/2010/01/smoked-meat-pastrami-beef-brisket.html

BackYardGreen

Isn't it important that the amount of instacure used be proportional to the meat? I used all of the Smoke Meat Pete cure on my 11.5 lb brisket but I have to admit it went on pretty thick.

biggreenmatt

In getting the recipe down pat, I must've gone through the better part of a dozen full briskets before I really got a consistent product.  At the beginning, I religiously turned the meat, was exceptionally careful with times and temps, all that.

FWIW, I've stopped really overthinking the process.  First off, you're dealing with a big honking cut of meat, which allows for a certain amount of leeway.  You need to have it in an extra week or so, I imagine, before it overcures.  Same with time and temp- you're going to have to really over- or under-smoke it before it really makes an impact.

This is a product that originates from central Europe, where measurements were (likely) done by handfuls.  My best advice: don't overthink think things.  Make notes about what you do (so as to get it better next time, if necessary), but don't sweat the small stuff.  

BackYardGreen

Thanks Matt and good advice. I was only concerned as I was using LEM cure (6.25% sodium nitrite purchased from Bass Pro Shop). On the package they recommend a scant 1/4 teaspoon cure per pound of meat but I think that is for product like sausage where it's mixed directly into the consumable product rather than smoked meat where it is used as a rub on the outside of a soli chunk of meat. Just didn't want to poison myself or the family with sodium nitrite. The lethal dose of sodium nitrite for humans is 71 mg/kg so if 4 tablespoons 6.25% sodium nitrite (~ 4,000 mg sodium nitrite) is used to cure 12 lbs of brisket and all of the cure is absorbed by the meat, a 50 kg (110 lb) person would have to eat pretty much the whole brisket at one sitting to get a lethal dose. Most of us grill guys would have to eat a couple cured briskets. Some of the cure would also be lost through lack of absorption or in the post-cure soaking process so I think we're safe.

jimfastcar

I may have overlooked slightly as when I was taking the brisket off the grill it was coming apart some.... next step fridge for a day My question is can i freeze half and steam only want I want to eat Tuesday ? M idea is to steam the rest when I need it as opposed to steaming it all Thanks for advice PS - it smells amazing !!!

Little Steven

It's cured man. Vac seal and leave it in the fridge

Rzeancak

I cut mine up in 1/4s vac seal and froze. I just recently opened one and steamed it for 3 hrs. It wasn't bad. Wife said it was good. But for me it wasn't as good freshly made

jimfastcar

Iris very tasty, hard to slice as I think I overcooked it so it will probably end up being Pulled Smoked Meat. Good though, thanks for recipe

BackYardGreen

Think I over cooked mine as well as it shredded - more like chopped pulled brisket but definitely msm in taste. Was also a little disappointed as my brisket was super fatty. It is also a little too salty - soaked for 4 hrs replacing water every 1/2 hr before smoking but clearly not enough in my case. would there be anything wrong with soaking the remaining chopped meat in cold water to remove some of he excess salt prior to reheating?

U_tarded

BackYardGreen said:

Think I over cooked mine as well as it shredded - more like chopped pulled brisket but definitely msm in taste. Was also a little disappointed as my brisket was super fatty.

It is also a little too salty - soaked for 4 hrs replacing water every 1/2 hr before smoking but clearly not enough in my case.

would there be anything wrong with soaking the remaining chopped meat in cold water to remove some of he excess salt prior to reheating?

You could either quick blanch or steam to help remove saltiness. It's common in bacon and pastrami to do so

gmac

Sorry for bumping such an old thread but I read this the other day and I'm wondering if it can be made with any other, cheaper cut of meat.  I'd love to do brisket into MSM but to be honest, that's a lot of money and a lot of meat to deal with.

I'm wondering about using an eye of round roast or something similar.  Certainly won't be as fatty but it might be ok sliced thin for sandwiches etc.  I have Ready-Cure that I bought for another use and then never used it.  I'm wondering if the same cure would work.

pantsypants

Just started this recipie .
I can't believe that I have to wait 12 days to eat this .
I know it's going to be amazing

Rzeancak

use the the 12 days to diet, and on the 12 day wear stretchy pants....   lol

KenfromMI

Is it similar to corned beef?

pantsypants

@KenfromMI‌
It's similar. I think corned beef is not smoked where this is .
I could be wrong but I am pretty sure thats the main difference

KenfromMI

I actually meant Pastrami, sorry. I make a faux Pastrami by smoking a corned beef after a long soak to remove the salt and adding a rub to it. We have three famous Corned Beefs in the Detroit area.

xiphoid007

Corned beef is boiled.

This is basically smoked corned beef.

Sounds awesome!

Corned beef is traditionally made with just the point, but it seems you could do a smaller version with just a point, just a flat, or just a tiny packer.

Thanks for posting!

KenfromMI

Actually around here the flat is the more popular corned beef.  I'd say most stores don't even stock the point for corned beefs unless you go to a true meat market in the Detroit area.

Little Steven

KenfromMI said:

Actually around here the flat is the more popular corned beef.  I'd say most stores don't even stock the point for corned beefs unless you go to a true meat market in the Detroit area.

When you go to Schartz's Deli in Montreal they ask you if you want the fehat or the lean

Little Steven

gmac said:

Sorry for bumping such an old thread but I read this the other day and I'm wondering if it can be made with any other, cheaper cut of meat.  I'd love to do brisket into MSM but to be honest, that's a lot of money and a lot of meat to deal with.

I'm wondering about using an eye of round roast or something similar.  Certainly won't be as fatty but it might be ok sliced thin for sandwiches etc.  I have Ready-Cure that I bought for another use and then never used it.  I'm wondering if the same cure would work.

That is so funny! Brisket is supposed to be the cheapest cut on the animal. The very reason these recipes were developed. Canadian eh? BTW ...I know a guy.
B-)

KenfromMI

Nothing is cheap anymore meat wise LOL

Little Steven

I don't see cheap briskets in MI and I stop a lot when I'm on my way back. When I was in Texas they had them for like $2.29 a pound. Most brisket here is ground for burger and the flats are sometimes available. If you go to a butcher a AAA (Choice) brisket is over six bucks. That said hamburger isn't cheap right no either.

Cookinbob

I saw packer briskets at $8.00 per lb at a local meat market last week.  For about that price I can buy a SRF Wyagu brisket.  I won't be doing brisket until I see a fair price, or take the plunge on Wyagu.

As for Corned beef and pastrami, the brine is identical.  If you rub the cut with coriander and pepper then smoke it, it is Pastrami.  Charcuterie has the recipe.   Locally I have seen corned beef flats, points, and rounds - have only purchased the flat though, and made two into Pastrami.  Came out great.

KenfromMI

I followed the recipe from Virtualweberbullet.com in the past. Sounds about the same.

pantsypants

The only cheap briskets I see are ones I wouldnt want to eat

$5 a lb is pretty standard around here for choice packers

I need to know a guy

biggreenmatt

xiphoid007 said:

Corned beef is boiled. This is basically smoked corned beef. Sounds awesome! Corned beef is traditionally made with just the point, but it seems you could do a smaller version with just a point, just a flat, or just a tiny packer. Thanks for posting!

Weeeeeeeeell, sort of.  

Pastrami and MSM are kissing cousins, of sorts, but there are some pretty serious differences between the two.

Here's a good synopsis of the differences: http://www.mrbbq.ca/2010/01/smoked-meat-pastrami-beef-brisket.html