Montreal Smoked Meat - Cured or not?

[FLBentRider]

I saw a show on food network the other day about this Deli in NY selling Montreal Smoked meat.

They used a 12-day (!) "curing" process (they did not mention any curing salts, but there were "secret" ingredients)

The Montreal Smoked Meat recipe on the recipe site does not have cure either, nor a 12-day curing process.

I'll assume then that "Montreal Smoked Meat" is more like a category that a recipe.


Any thoughts?

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Don't know about the one you saw - here is a different one from DDD with Fieri from a Nebraska restaurant that is cured, smoked then steamed/braised much like a pastrami without the spice rub after the cure..

[Habanero Smoker]

When I researched the recipe that is on the recipe site, it was like researching how to make chilli. You will find a great deal of variation; with many stating authentic.

Using the flat (or point) of a brisket, some stated it is never cured. Curing is just making pastrami. While others stated it always should be cured, but almost all had a couple of things in common; 1) the rub is highly seasoned, and 2) they wrapped the meat in double or triple smoked bacon. I decided to go with the uncured camp.

The recipe link in BLS' post is what I call smoked corned beef. Another member posted that he smoked corned beef in a similiar fashion and called it Montreal Smoked Beef.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Just for grins I checked out Wikipedia - surprisingly there's an article (but then, why am I surprised -- it's Wikipedia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoked_meat#Montreal

[LumpyDVC]

My thread when I did the DDD episode version from Nebraska.

Call it what you want. I made a batch up for my Mom , she
was born and raised in Montreal, she said it was just like she
remembered.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=17100.msg207915#msg207915

[squirtthecat]

Thanks for posting that thread again!  I've been looking for that version of it..

[BuyLowSellHigh]

I have no interst in fueling any debate.  With that as my disclaimer, I went looking for more on Montreal Smoked Meat.  It seems that Schwartz's Hebrew Delicatessen is largely considered as Montreal Smoked Meat Central. I found a couple of videos showing and "describing" their version of the stuff.  In the first you'll get a good closeup look at the steaming briskets (love those stacks of sliced bread on the line - someone plans on making a lot of sammies).  In this other one you'll see Frank Silva, General Manager of Schwartz's describe their version -- 10 days of marinade, 8 hours of smoke,  3 hours steam, "you eat it in seconds".

I have no idea what Montreal Smoked Meat is supposed to be, but the Schwartz's stuff sure looked good to me.

[Habanero Smoker]

Like I said earlier, when I researched this it was like researching for the authentic chilli recipe. There are thousands different way and a lot claiming they are authentic. Doing a recent search there seems to be thousands more then every. Reviewing Lumpy's (the one I call smoked corned beef  :) ), it is very close the the link posted by BLSH.

When I did my search in 2004 there was not as much information about the secret recipe of Montreal Smoked Meat, but at that time Lester's was the standard to go by; and in Canada it is still highly rated.

[squirtthecat]

I'm going to be in Brooklyn the week of Christmas, and we just happen to be staying a couple blocks from the place FLBR is talking about...    I'll pop in for a sandwich and chat them up a bit.   ;)