How would I prepare this Schwartz Montreal Smoked Meat brisket in my BGE?

rolex

Greetings, friends!  I come today with a question - if anyone has ever been to Montreal before, they are famous for their Montreal Smoked Meat.  Schwartz is the legendary restaurant most associated with it, and they sell big chunks of their meat at certain Costco's here: Schwartz’s Smoked Meat Brisket, 1.5 average weight* | Costco (costcobusinesscentre.ca)

Here is a reddit post by someone asking how to make it in an instantpot: Schwartz's Montreal smoked meat brisket in IP? : instantpot (reddit.com)

Typical directions call for 90 minutes of steaming.  However, I need this for a street event and ideally would just like to do this outdoors on the Big Green Egg instead of having to keep going inside to a kitchen.

Is there any way to steam 2 big chunks of meat on a BGE?  Or some kind of science like using a heat deflector and water tray or something that might work just as well?  

Or any cool BGE spin I could put on this thing, like maybe having to unfortunately do the 90 mins of steaming first but could be finished on the grill somehow? 

Looking for some creativity and I am sure this is the right place for it!  

Thanks very much in advance!

lousubcap

Paging @Canugghead as he is all over this cook.  

Canugghead

Sorry can’t help, no experience with this Costco prefab MSM. What you’re trying to do is essentially boil water in BGE for 90 minutes, as many eggers know boiling water is a taboo subject here (insider joke) 
I do MSM from scratch, it’s a two week ordeal 
https://www.google.ca/search?q=montreal+smoked+meat+canugghead+eggheadforum.com&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-ca&client=safari

paqman

The Schwartz smoked meat is already cooked and smoked.  The steam phase is mandatory IMHO otherwise it will be tough (sliced cold is acceptable but it is chewy when warm and not steamed).  You can steam it on the BGE in a disposable aluminum pan with a little water at the bottom.  In the pan, you can use a rack or onion halves to raise the meat out of the water.  Instead of water you can use beef broth.  Basically you just follow the instructions on the packaging but in your BGE.

I would say start with hot liquid and aim for 250-300F egg. FWIW, walking around with a disposable pan that contains liquid is not always easy so consider pouring the liquid after the pan is on the egg.

GrateEggspectations

Was going to page the above two posters when I saw that they were already all over it. Nice to see residents of the GWN make a play on this one. Have an upcoming trip to Montreal within my sights, so will no doubt be hitting a deli or two. 

paqman

GrateEggspectations

Pretty sure that years ago, I bought one and ate it without steaming. 😊 No wonder I never bought another. 

paqman

GrateEggspectations said:

Pretty sure that years ago, I bought one and ate it without steaming. 😊 No wonder I never bought another. 

Very important to slice it against the grain especially if it is cold.  It needs quite a bit of steam time too.  In store, it is nice being able to pick a nice fatty piece.  I am surprised by the price online though.

lkapigian

Canugghead

paqman said:

GrateEggspectations said:

Pretty sure that years ago, I bought one and ate it without steaming. 😊 No wonder I never bought another. 

Very important to slice it against the grain especially if it is cold.  It needs quite a bit of steam time too.  In store, it is nice being able to pick a nice fatty piece.  I am surprised by the price online though.

Apparently not sold at our Costco business centre, $8.62/lb dry is crazy good considering the effort and shrinkage. IIRC I paid $14/lb at a deli here long before Covid, condensed steam included.

GrateEggspectations

Canugghead said:

paqman said:

GrateEggspectations said:

Pretty sure that years ago, I bought one and ate it without steaming. 😊 No wonder I never bought another. 

Very important to slice it against the grain especially if it is cold.  It needs quite a bit of steam time too.  In store, it is nice being able to pick a nice fatty piece.  I am surprised by the price online though.

Apparently not sold at our Costco business centre, $8.62/lb dry is crazy good considering the effort and shrinkage. IIRC I paid $14/lb at a deli here long before Covid, condensed steam included.

I’ve seen it at ours. 😛

fishlessman

foil wrap with some liquid until it probes.  when i steam pastrami though its better in a pressure cooker for about 10-15 minutes

rolex

Big thanks to everyone who replied so far!

It used to be a lot more commonly available - now I had to actually hunt down the item # and call around to a helpful employee at a location that didn't even have it, and she helped tell me exactly which stores DO still stock it.  For some reason that neither of us understood, Burlington Costco has the most pieces of it in all of Ontario.  Over 100 pieces!  Couple other random locations she said had it were Mississauga Central, and Niagara I believe..  among probably lots of others.  The majority, naturally, are in Quebec, and secondly then the eastern provinces.  Call your local warehouse and ask for item #27316, and if they don't have it, ask which locations near you do

Sounding like the steaming part is mandatory..  So I may need to opt for doing this in my kitchen unfortunately.  But once that is complete, is there any other kind of BGE "finishing touch" I could put on this thing? 

What would happen if after it was steamed 90 minutes, I put it onto a high direct heat for just like 1 minute per side to give it a little flame kiss?

Or what would happen if I steamed & sliced the traditional way, but dropped some of the sliced meat on the grill before putting it on the sandwich for some extra grill/smoke flavor?

Or are both of these not good ideas..  maybe it will toughen it up again even though it's been steamed?  Thought provoking questions here, LMAO

Thanks again, BGE squad!

fishlessman

you could steam it, slice it up, then in the bge resteam the slices.  in a pinch i pack a cup with slices, add a tbls water, pack paper towells on top and microwave a minute to reheat for pastrami sandwiches which is a similar style meat

Wolfpack

Nice Rainbow- that’s a unicorn for sure. 

paqman

Just steam it in the BGE!  I should have mentioned the pan must be covered with foil.

You know you can boil water in your Egg right? 🤣😂

I wouldn’t do anything after steaming it.  90 minutes is just a pointer BTW, it can be shorter (likely) or longer (unlikely).  You know it is ready when a probe or a fork slides right in with little or no resistance.  It can stay a while in the pan too after it is ready.

Canugghead

Cold smoke couple of hours before steaming?

CTMike

Have been to Schwartz’s a couple of times, and I am always conflicted when the server asks “fatty, or lean?” I typically ask for a 50/50 split. 

I will have to stop in to Costco the next time we visit our son and his family in Ottawa.  

paqman

Fatty all the way!

The one they sell at Costco is definitely not the same one that they serve at the restaurant but it is good enough.  Maybe it is just the smell (stink?) of the restaurant that changes the experience! 🤷‍♂️

lousubcap

CTMike said:

Have been to Schwartz’s a couple of times, and I am always conflicted when the server asks “fatty, or lean?” I typically ask for a 50/50 split. 

I will have to stop in to Costco the next time we visit our son and his family in Ottawa.  

Dang- straight out of any brisket stop.  Clearly the cow drives the sales pitch as well.  
Stay healthy and safe out there-