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    Montreal Smoked Meat

    Posts: 12,661
    edited September 2020 in EggHead Forum
    Made Montreal Smoked Meat after a long time, followed recipe posted by @biggreenmatt. It's a tedious process but so worth it.

    Spread half the seasoning+cure on cling wrap, dropped brisket over it, covered brisket with remaining seasoning+cure...

    wrapped tight like mummy, slept in fridge for ten days, flipped couple of times daily...

    After the cure, rinsed and soaked with multiple water change over several hours, recoated top with pepper+coriander, rested overnight, smoked low and slow till IT 170...

    Don't have large steamer, improvised with nested hotel pans for bottom, another pan as lid. Gently steamed till IT 180-190, about 2 and 1/4 hours...

    Thick sliced some by hand for immediate consumption...

    Fresh rye bread from bread machine...

    Chilled and sliced remainder...

    Vac sealed some for rainy days...


    Thanks for following till the end  :)
    canuckland
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    • Posts: 77
      My wife is from Montreal, and for the last 12 years we have made a pilgrimage back to see family and eat smoked meat sandwiches. Snowden Deli, Schwartz’s and a smoked meat sandwich in the Bell Centre watching the Habs. You have truly made something special! I have never had the courage to try to recreate this wonderful sandwich, but it appears you have done it. BRAVO to you as that is one of my all time favorite sandwiches, just add a poutine!
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    • Posts: 4,858
      😳😳😳

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 10,458
      Oh my Goodness that sandwich says it all. Definitely a labor of love right there and now it gives back.  Great cook!! 

      -----------------------------------------

      analyze adapt overcome

      2008 -Large BGE. 2013- Small BGE and 2015 - Mini. Henderson, Ky.
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    • Posts: 34,776
      @Canugghead -  that is delivering the goods right there.  Congrats on the skill and patience to see it through to such a great outcome.  
      Louisville; Rolling smoke in the neighbourhood. # 38 for the win.  Life is too short for light/lite beer!  Seems I'm livin in a transitional period.
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    • Posts: 43
      A fantastic cook, congrats to you my friend.  I would not dare to try it  however.
      Codfish.
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    • Posts: 14,831
      edited September 2020
      This looks great! Looks/sounds like pastrami. I've only made pastrami once and it's been a long time. Don't really remember how I did it. Is this just the Canadian name for pastrami?

      I hate it when I go to the kitchen for food and all I find are ingredients!                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

      Michael 
      Central Connecticut 

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    • Posts: 23,161
      Fantastic. 
      Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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    • Posts: 3,865
      Carolina Q said:
      This looks great! Looks/sounds like pastrami. I've only made pastrami once and it's been a long time. Don't really remember how I did it. Is this just the Canadian name for pastrami?

      I read your post and went down the rabbit hole for a bit.  Serious Eats has a good write up on it - https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/difference-between-pastrami-smoked-meat-katzs-schwartzs-mile-end.html

      Essentially:

      At the end of the day, pastrami and smoked meat have more similarities than differences, and there's plenty of variation among the two products. But some hard differences stand out: pastrami is usually made with dense, fatty navel while smoked meat comes from leaner, stringier brisket. Pastrami is usually brined while smoked meat is dry rubbed with curing salt. Smoked meat spices are a little more intense with a darker flavor profile compared to pastrami's sweeter spice rub. And smoked meat typically has a darker red hue while pastrami is rosy pink.

      Between that article and a few others, it seems that the difference falls within the range of "artistic license" on both sides.  IMO.
      NOLA
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    • Posts: 12,661
      Thanks all for the kind words, mean a lot. I recall this is what got me into the rabbit hole: https://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1128140/ultimate-montreal-smoked-meat-recipe/p1

      I've made it about a handful of times over the years. The first time I went strictly by time and IT got to 200ish I think when done smoking  :) not much steaming was needed and it was still good. I'm wondering if steaming is called for because it was challenging to tenderise a tough cut without steam back in the day?

      It's no doubt tedious but doesn't really involve high skill level, IMO it's more forgiving than regular smoked brisket. If you don't have a large steamer I suppose it can be cut into smaller pieces since it's already cooked? Once smoked you can hold it in fridge until few hours before whenever you're ready to serve... you determine when it's ready to eat, not the cow!
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @Gr_egger I'm in TO, haven't tried Snowden but been to Swartze's few times, ya poutine and fried liver! Fairmount is also a must for us. Technically I guess the border closing shouldn't stop your pilgrimage since your better half is Canuck!?  You should try making MSM, trust me it's not that hard.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @Mattman3969 One of my kids took that photo after taking a bite! You're right, it gives back not only now, but also pays future dividends when we can have quick lunches without cooking.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @lousubcap Go for it, I know you are more than capable to pull this off.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @codfish To be honest I'm more afraid to cook a regular brisket than this, go for it! 
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @Carolina Q sorry I was busy but thanks @buzd504 for sharing that great info, I learned more about MSM.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @The Cen-Tex Smoker Thanks I'm sure it's a piece of cake if you go for it.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 4,858
      Carolina Q said:
      This looks great! Looks/sounds like pastrami. I've only made pastrami once and it's been a long time. Don't really remember how I did it. Is this just the Canadian name for pastrami?
      It is the other way around, pastrami is the American name for Montreal Smoked Meat 😂😂🤣

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 12,661
      Hey @paqman, you know the briskets they display at Swartze’s store window, I wonder what stage of the curing/cooking process they’re at, any idea?
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 4,858
      Canugghead said:
      Hey @paqman, you know the briskets they display at Swartze’s store window, I wonder what stage of the curing/cooking process they’re at, any idea?
      I think that they are at the end of the process ready to be steamed.  Back in the days, they had a wood barrel with briskets brining in the display, that’s where the distinctive smell came from when entering the restaurant.  I don’t think that they are curing the briskets in the restaurant anymore, I’m pretty sure that it has been outsourced to a meat processor.

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 4,858
      I made some a couple of weeks ago but I did a wet brine.  Technically I started a couple of months ago.  Brisket was aging in the basement fridge since early May.

      Here’s what my process looked like:

      Day #-90 - Start wet aging brisket in the basement fridge.  I trimmed the brisket and split the point/flat.  I washed the pieces with heavily salted water then dried them and vacuum sealed them.  I smoked the point 2 months later and kept the flat aging one more month for Montreal Smoke Meat.  You could technically skip this step and start on the next one.

      Day #0 - Prepare brine and refrigerate 

      Day #1 - Add brisket to brine (will stay there for 5 days)

      Day #6 - Remove brisket from brine, rinse and soak in clear water (in the fridge) for two days to remove some of the salt.

      Day #8 - Pat dry and let dry in fridge to form a pellicule 

      Day #9 - BGE - Smoke @225F until you hit the stall, remove and finish in a steamer or pressure cooker OR refrigerate and steam it later. Make homemade rye bread.


      Pics in random vanilla order...



      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @paqman beautiful cook and presentation, stealing your wet aging technique, great way to prolong shelf life without freezing. Never tried wet brining large hunk of meat or turkey due to limited fridge space. Thanks for sharing.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 4,858
      Canugghead said:
      @paqman beautiful cook and presentation, stealing your wet aging technique, great way to prolong shelf life without freezing. Never tried wet brining large hunk of meat or turkey due to limited fridge space. Thanks for sharing.
      I’m not sure if aging adds any value for smoke brisket but the fridge smelled about the same thing as when you walked in to Schwartz.  I’ve done with and without aging many times and other than the smell, which all goes away anyway when you brine, I did not notice much of a difference.  For me, it is a matter of availability, brisket is kinda hard to come by around here and with the border being closed, I jump on the occasion when I see brisket at Costco.

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @paqman Loblaws here had it for 6.59/kg few weeks ago, I grabbed three only due to lack of freezer space. Costco here carries it regularly.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 19,142
      That's a wicked good lookin' sammich @Canugghead ! I love the coriander in the finishing rub.

      yours too, @paqman. My niece and nephew are both at McGill, so I'll add Montreal smoked meat to my bucket list. If this COVID business ever settles down...

      #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
      A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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    • Posts: 4,858
      caliking said:
      That's a wicked good lookin' sammich @Canugghead ! I love the coriander in the finishing rub.

      yours too, @paqman. My niece and nephew are both at McGill, so I'll add Montreal smoked meat to my bucket list. If this COVID business ever settles down...
      Schwartz is where it is happening.  There is always a huge lineup to get in the restaurant but they opened a deli pickup counter right next door to the restaurant so you can now pickup whatever you want there much faster.  They sell their spices too and it is relatively cheap.  That’s the only thing I use on beef.

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 33,805
      looks like a great sandwich. have you experimented with other cuts, i know pastrami can be made with the flat, the point, some use chuck frome the roll etc.
      fukahwee maine

      you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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    • Posts: 12,661
      @fishlessman thanks, no I have not tried other cuts. In the above seriouseats article it mentioned even other animals were used back in the day. Speaking of chuck, in me neck of the woods, chucks are harder to find at ‘affordable’ price relative to brisket lately, used to be the other way around.
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 12,661
      Thanks @caliking, how many more years do they have at McGill? Hopefully not before COVID-19 is conquered, but who knows, we could have a covid20 in 2021 you know  ;)
      canuckland
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    • Posts: 19,142
      Canugghead said:
      Thanks @caliking, how many more years do they have at McGill? Hopefully not before COVID-19 is conquered, but who knows, we could have a covid20 in 2021 you know  ;)
      Oh man. I sure hope not!

      Niece starts her 3rd year, and nephew starts his 2nd year, in a week or so.

      #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
      A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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    • Posts: 4,858
      fishlessman said:
      looks like a great sandwich. have you experimented with other cuts, i know pastrami can be made with the flat, the point, some use chuck frome the roll etc.
      I do short ribs corned beef but no smoke so I guess that doesn’t count

      ____________________
      Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage. •Niccolo Machiavelli
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    • Posts: 33,805
      paqman said:
      show previous quotes
      I do short ribs corned beef but no smoke so I guess that doesn’t count

      the old english butcher shop here corns the short ribs as well, but boils them so that really does not count =) red wine vinegar is the sauce served at the table
      fukahwee maine

      you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
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