Montreal Smoked Meat — Print Recipe

Peppery, tender smoked beef brisket piled sky-high on rye bread with yellow mustard — Montreal deli culture at its finest.

Ingredients

1 Combine salt, cracked pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, garlic powder, and curing salt.
2 Rub the spice mixture generously over the entire brisket. Refrigerate for 7-10 days, turning daily.
3 Rinse brisket, then soak in cold water for 1 hour to remove excess salt.
4 Hot-smoke the brisket at 110C (225F) for 4-5 hours until deeply coloured and fragrant.
5 Steam the smoked brisket for 3 hours until fork-tender and jiggly.
6 Slice against the grain — medium-fat cut is traditional. Pile on rye bread with yellow mustard.

Did You Know?

Schwartz's Deli in Montreal has served smoked meat since 1928 and famously has no phone — you just show up and wait in line.