Montreal Smoked Meat from "Corned Beef"

[maggiethecat]

Our local grocery store is flooded with the pre-St.Patrick's Day glut of point cut cryovaced "corned beef" at 1.49 a pound. At that low price I'm willing to experiment. This homesick Montreal girl wonders if it's possible to transmogrify this cut into something similar to Smoked Meat, (which I'm not even sure is smoked.)

I know it's not going to resemble Schwartz's product, but is there a possibilty of coming close? I'm not even sure about the seasonings -- coriander, maybe? -- let alone the method. Any ideas?

[melkor]

Montreal smoked meat is more or less pastrami with a different crust. More coriander and I think mustard seed, less black pepper. Either way, figure out a rub, rinse off the meat, pat it dry, rub the spices on one side and smoke it at around @200*F until it hits 150*F internal. Wrap it in plastic wrap then foil after it comes out of the smoker, let it cool and stick it in the fridge overnight. Steam it for 2 or 3 hours before serving.

[tsure]

Our local grocery store is flooded with the pre-St.Patrick's Day glut of point cut cryovaced "corned beef" at 1.49 a pound. At that low price I'm willing to experiment.  This homesick Montreal girl wonders if it's possible to transmogrify this cut into something similar to Smoked Meat, (which I'm not even sure is smoked.)

I know it's not going to resemble Schwartz's product, but is there a possibilty of coming close? I'm not even sure about the seasonings -- coriander, maybe? -- let alone the method.  Any ideas?

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If what you end up with something that is remotely similar to Montreal smoked meat, please post the recipe. I miss the smoked meat on Mount Royal and Rue de La Montaigne and if I remember correctly, Ste. Catherine (and the pastries too, but that's another forum).

Edited March 9, 2006 by tsure (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Our local grocery store is flooded with the pre-St.Patrick's Day glut of point cut cryovaced "corned beef" at 1.49 a pound. At that low price I'm willing to experiment.  This homesick Montreal girl wonders if it's possible to transmogrify this cut into something similar to Smoked Meat, (which I'm not even sure is smoked.)

I know it's not going to resemble Schwartz's product, but is there a possibilty of coming close? I'm not even sure about the seasonings -- coriander, maybe? -- let alone the method.  Any ideas?

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If what you end up with something that is remotely similar to Montreal smoked meat, please post the recipe. I miss the smoked meat on Mount Royal and Rue de La Montaigne and if I remember correctly, Ste. Catherine (and the pastries too, but that's another forum).

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I'm not homesick for Montreal -- the one time I was there, I saw the surface of the earth for all of ninety seconds -- but I'd love to get some idea of what Montrealers are always raving about. So, please, if you get something close, yes, let us know.

[UnConundrum]

We love to visit Montreal, and, of course, Schwartz's rules Actually, they do smoke briskets, not the plate which is a true pastrami. And no, corned beef isn't close. It's a very different product, although the same cut of beef.

Schwartz's actually will sell their spices. If you go to their web site Schwartz's here they have a link to "Buy our spices."

My take on getting close, with their own spices would be to get a good brisket, packer cut, and trim well. Schmere with a whole grain mustard, and then season heavily with their spices. Let sit in the fridge overnight. Bring to room temperature. I'm a Big Green Egg fan, so I'd smoke it at a 200 - 225 dome temperature till internal temp is about 185 (this can take 12 or more hours). Wrap in foil, and let rest in an insulated chest for at least an hour. Comes out pretty darn close.....

[maggiethecat]

UnConun -- thanks for the link. Schwartz's lets the brisket sit in the rub for ten days before smoking. As I'll be using the cheapo corned beef brisket tip I think three days will be plenty. Opinions?

By the way is the other Montreal temple to Smoked Meat, Ben's, still around? The product was never in Schwartz's class, but it had decor and charm of its own.

[lcdm]

I have smoked a corned beef (same thing on sale St. Partricks day) and it came out way too salty. If I did it agian I would soak overnight and change the water once or twice and not add any salt to the rub (maybe even buy the low sodium corned beef).

Try this site for ideas:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com

[wattacetti]

By the way is the other Montreal temple to Smoked Meat, Ben's, still around? The product was never in Schwartz's class, but it had decor and charm of its own.

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Ben's is still around, though I haven't been in there in about oh, 20 years.

I'm very curious as to how your experimentation works out. Please post some photos if you can.

[donk79]

I'm suprised that this hasn't already been posted but I stongly suspect this thread would be your best resource on the topic of meats smoked.

The Great Pastrami/Smoked Meat Experiment

[scubadoo97]

I have smoked a corned beef (same thing on sale St. Partricks day) and it came out way too salty. If I did it agian I would soak overnight and change the water once or twice and not add any salt to the rub (maybe even buy the low sodium corned beef).

Try this site for ideas:

http://www.virtualweberbullet.com

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I haven't smoked one but experimented with cooking one in the oven like a brisket. Too salty to eat. I think these are made to be boiled which leaches out a lot of the salt. The long soak should work.

[maggiethecat]

Well, the prep wasn't pretty, or authentic, but I'm thrilled to announce that you can turn a cheap five pound tip cut into an item very very close to a Montreal Smoked Meat brisket. Almost as important , it didn't taste at all like supermarket corned beef. The sandwiches were, oh choose your adjective: fab, bangin', crunk, off the hook. Purists among you may sneer, but I am married to a man who finds smoking (meat) tiresome and that the brisket was never gonna hit the kettle.

It was a five pound hunk, about four and a half pounds after we removed a huge glob of external fat. We cooked it at a slow boil for about 3 hours, which removed the flavour of papayin and corning spices. Next, a rub with a mustard paste, topped thickly with cracked black peppercorns and coriander berries, followed by a very light sprinkle of (Hang head) Liquid Smoke! We encased it in a big double foil packet into which we poured a cup of boiling water. It cooked in a 275 oven for another three hours, then uncovered for half an hour.

Tender, very lightly smoky with some dark brown ends and nibbly bits -- piled on rye witth a side of coleslaw I could almost conjure The Main.

[hhawk]

Montreal smoked meat is more or less pastrami with a different crust.  More coriander and I think mustard seed, less black pepper.  Either way, figure out a rub, rinse off the meat, pat it dry, rub the spices on one side and smoke it at around @200*F until it hits 150*F internal.  Wrap it in plastic wrap then foil after it comes out of the smoker, let it cool and stick it in the fridge overnight.  Steam it for 2 or 3 hours before serving.

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Is pastrami smoked?

[jayt90]

Montreal smoked meat is more or less pastrami with a different crust.  More coriander and I think mustard seed, less black pepper.  Either way, figure out a rub, rinse off the meat, pat it dry, rub the spices on one side and smoke it at around @200*F until it hits 150*F internal.  Wrap it in plastic wrap then foil after it comes out of the smoker, let it cool and stick it in the fridge overnight.  Steam it for 2 or 3 hours before serving.

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Is pastrami smoked?

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Yes, then it is steamed as is smoked meat. Except for the spicing, I would be hard put to tell the difference. But Montrealers are fanatical about their smoked meat, and you won't really find a lot of pastrami there.

[maggiethecat]

Off the top oif my head, I've got to say that pastrami is leaner than smoked meat. I think smoked meat is typically fatter and milder --- and that's not necessarily a bad thing.

I've got another cryovaced corned beef in the fridge , so I'll be continuing the experimentation.

[melkor]

Pastrami from any good deli can be had 'fatty'. The difference between montreal smoked meat and pastrami is all in the spice rub.