ultimate montreal smoked meat recipe

pantsypants

maybe someone can help me out here ?

I am about to do the 3 hour steam on my montreal smoked meat . If I am not going to serve the whole thing is it important to steam the whole thing ? ?

TexanOfTheNorth

I steamed the whole thing. Don't think it would hurt though to try a little without steaming. I don't remember from the instructions exactly what the purpose of the steaming is but I remember it being an important step in getting the final results; more likely related to tenderness as I can't see how it adds anything in the way of flavor.

pantsypants

got it thanks !!!

TexanOfTheNorth

So, @pantyspants, how was it. Hope you didn't put yourself in a smoked meat food coma.

pantsypants

I did .
It was great
I will post picks and stuff when I stop the meat sweats

biggreenmatt

TexanOfTheNorth said:

I steamed the whole thing. Don't think it would hurt though to try a little without steaming. I don't remember from the instructions exactly what the purpose of the steaming is but I remember it being an important step in getting the final results; more likely related to tenderness as I can't see how it adds anything in the way of flavor.

Exactly.  Texture before v. texture after: completely different.

hondabbq

I called Canada Compound and the only Readycure they have is in a 25kg bag. They have what they call a pickle cure, so I asked what the nitrate content was and it is the same as instacure at 6.25%. Will this work?

I am concerned about the steaming process as others have mentioned. I work in a commercial kitchen and have access to a full steamer. Will that be too aggressive of steam to use or does it have to be a gentle steam?

 

One last question, once the meat has cooled after the steaming process can you slice it and just cryovac it for future meals or sandwiches?

pantsypants

I  think you would be better off with a light steam .

and yeah you would be fine to cryovac it after it has cooled .
As far as the 6.25% cure that is the instacure  and the recipie gives you that as an alternative.
I just used it on the one I made and my recommendation would be to soak the meat for more than 3 hours . That stuff is very salty .

TexanOfTheNorth

@hondabbq, I bought Readycure at Super Store and have seen it at Longo's and Sobey's (not sure what you have there in Winnipeg). It was sold in a 1kg bag. Whatever cure you use should have instructions for how much cure to use per the weight of the meat you are curing.

You may need to do a little math to determine how much salt your adding with your cure and adjust the overall salt content accordingly.

hondabbq

@TOTN I have Superstore and Sobeys. Ill check both. Thanks.

TexanOfTheNorth

@hondabbq... if you don't see ask someone in the meat department.

Little Steven

I think the steaming is done before service. I always see it in cryovac in the sandwich houses.

Canugghead

Ummmm ... I'm wondering if SV will be a better substitute for steaming!

TexanOfTheNorth

Canugghead said:

Ummmm ... I'm wondering if SV will be a better substitute for steaming!

I assume that part of the reason for steaming is to add some moisture back to the end product. If that's the case then SV would not provide that.

@biggreenmatt is the expert... maybe he can clear that up.

nolaegghead

SV would be fine - I'd shoot for 170F.

hondabbq

Canugghead said:

Ummmm ... I'm wondering if SV will be a better substitute for steaming!

I contemplated that as well. Just cryovac it and drop it in some mijoter water for the time suggested.

 

biggreentom

I am on day 3 of the Smoke Meat Pete recipe.  11lb brisket.  It looks amazing so far

I live in Milton and wasn't able to find Readycure or Instacure anywhere around but happened to be in Burlington at Ikea and popped into Fortino's and they had it.  (Side note, I bought 5 1kg bags and that is WAY too much if you need some and you're close to Milton, let me know).

I know @biggreenmatt has said not sweat the small stuff too much, but I have been worrying about the salt and Readycure.  Those amounts were posted in cups and everything else seems to be by weight.  I used 1/2 c of Readycure and 1/4 c Kosher salt, has anyone else tried using the same (or similar) amounts?

Canugghead

@biggreentom

The package instruction on my ReadyCure, bought direct from manufacturer Canada Compounds in Woodbridge, ON, has label that says for dry curing use 2 lb RC per 100 lb of meat. I use that dosage to substitute pink/curing salt and regular salt in recipes. However, I usually rinse and soak after curing, for hours with regular water change, to make sure it's not too salty.

5 kg is a lot!  My 1 kg bag has lasted a couple years but I just started making bacon and MSM recently.  You can vacuum seal them for long term storage, I store mine in a Foodsaver canister.

biggreentom

Yup, I am going to have to do a lot of curing.  I think I will try my own bacon next.

biggreentom

Hey curing experts, I was looking up how to cure and smoke my own bacon and found this post:
http://www.imafoodblog.com/index.php/2009/02/25/how-to-cure-and-smoke-bacon

I find it interesting that they only used salt.  It had me wondering, is the ReadyCure/InstaCure really needed?  This thought briefly crossed my mind as I ready somewhere in this thread (or perhaps on CH) about this being based on the Jewish Nomads curing meats as they travelled.  Surely they had no curing agent other than salt? 

Has anyone tried this without the curing agent? 

Cookinbob

@biggreentom,  I recommend you pick up a copy of Charcuterie by Michael Ruhlman.  It is the go-to book for all things cured, and goes into the history, science and lots of recipes.  I would not personally cure bacon with just salt.  The pink salt also creates the pink color in cured pork, and and contributes to the flavor.  I am puzzled by the pink color in the post referenced above, I would expect the bacon to look pale like normal smoked pork without curing salt.

BigWader

There is less residual nitrite in bacon than most green veggies...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7777773

Only 120-150 ppm in bacon usually but that 120ppm can save your life.  I wouldn't cure without it no matter how many old timers made it through okay.

biggreentom

@Cookinbob, thanks!  I ordered it and Salumi to my kindle.  Looking forward to both.

biggreentom

I can't believe that this thread is 3.5 years old.  I have probably memorized it at this point.  Checking it constantly over the past 11 days to make sure I didn't miss any steps.

Today is meat smoking day.  Just under three hours left before wrapping it in foil and cooking for an additional 5 hours. 

Very excited. 

biggreentom

I apologize for hi-jacking this thread.  I just wanted to add that I think the best route would be to cook by temperature and not time.  The brisket I got, although 11lbs, was thinner than a lot of the pictured ones (on here and CH).  It hit an IT of 185 after only 6 hours.  I actually thought my CyberQ was malfunctioning until I verified the temp with another thermometer.  I ended up smoking for 4 hours, wrapping in foil, and then cooking for an additional 2 hours. 

I suspect that tomorrow's steam will be less than three hours as well.  Which works just fine for me because I can't wait to eat it.

I just wanted to caution anyone reading this thread and trying it for the first time, monitor the temp.  Cooking for an extra 3 hours would have probably been detrimental to my final product.

That said, the sample I cut off from the point was AMAZING.  I can't believe it will be even better tomorrow after steaming.  Thanks so much to @biggreenmatt for all his contributions to this thread over the years, and everyone else who shared their progress.  I have done videos of each step and will be posting them to you tube.  I'll share the link here once I have.  Hopefully my process will help someone the way all of yours helped me.

FlashkaBob

BackYardGreen I have PMd you. Check your inbox.

dirty_denim86

I was wondering how long the smoked meat lasts in the fridge after being smoked? A few days...a week?

KiterTodd

That sounds awesome.  I didn't even know there was such a thing!

dirty_denim86

biggreentom said:

I apologize for hi-jacking this thread.  I just wanted to add that I think the best route would be to cook by temperature and not time.  The brisket I got, although 11lbs, was thinner than a lot of the pictured ones (on here and CH).  It hit an IT of 185 after only 6 hours.  I actually thought my CyberQ was malfunctioning until I verified the temp with another thermometer.  I ended up smoking for 4 hours, wrapping in foil, and then cooking for an additional 2 hours. 

I suspect that tomorrow's steam will be less than three hours as well.  Which works just fine for me because I can't wait to eat it.

I just wanted to caution anyone reading this thread and trying it for the first time, monitor the temp.  Cooking for an extra 3 hours would have probably been detrimental to my final product.

That said, the sample I cut off from the point was AMAZING.  I can't believe it will be even better tomorrow after steaming.  Thanks so much to @biggreenmatt for all his contributions to this thread over the years, and everyone else who shared their progress.  I have done videos of each step and will be posting them to you tube.  I'll share the link here once I have.  Hopefully my process will help someone the way all of yours helped me.

Should the brisket be at 185 interal temperature when the smoking is done?

Also what temperature should the brisket be foiled at?

horseflesh

I'm wondering about the desired internal temps too. I'm part way into the cure, smoking next Saturday, steaming and serving Sunday. Got a Prime packer brisket at Costco for $3/lb!