Ok I will be doing a Montreal Smoked Meat for my office Christmas party. I made the mistake of making it once a year and a half ago, and now it has to be at every event.
First what is Montreal Smoked Meat? It is a slice of heaven sent down by God to fix vegetarians along with its brother Pastrami. It is very similar to Pastrami, the main difference is there is a lot less sugar. When I say like Pastrami, I am talking the kind you get at a Jewish Deli in New York, not something you pick up at your local grocery store.
So I am starting the process today here are the steps. It will be served on the 6th of December.
1. Find the brisket - got one, 16.8 lbs.
2. Measure out the spices and cure.
3. Cure the meat - will be for 14 days.
4. Rinse the meat.
5. Desalinate.
6. Rub the meat.
7. Cold smoke overnight (AMNPS you God - this is a first time I'm trying to cold smoke the smoked meat the day before.
8. Smoke in my WSM.
9. Steam for 3 hours.
10. Slice and serve hot.
1. Find the brisket - Packer, 16.8 lbs
2. Mix the spices
Photo from Top to bottom:
- Prague powder #1, weighted for 156 PPM
- Salt and sugar. Salt at 3% weight (233 grams) (for the coarse kosher salt I use, every quarter cup is 80 grams). Sugar at 1% weight (85 grams).
- Spices, pepper at 1 to 1.5% weight (I used 100 grams = ~1.25%), Coriander at .5-.75% weight (I used 50 grams), mustard seed at .3% weight (25 grams), cloves and bay leafs at .15% weight each (13 grams each).
3. Cure the meat
Prior to curing I normally trim a little off my brisket, not much really, just the parts where the fat is extremely thick and hard to the touch. I cut It down to about half an inch. I generally only remove half a pound.
Now when adding the spices I put the brisket directly in the bag. I then add the prague powder, then the salt and sugar, and at the end the spices. This lets me see there is even distribution of the curing salt. i add half the prague powder to one side, then half to the other side, then repeat for salt/sugar, and a final time for spices.
Photos and details to follow as I go. Hope everyone enjoys.
Here is what the finished product should look like. The slices weren't done well because it was in a park on a small table that was unstable and it was dry because I forgot to wrap it during the smoke.
First what is Montreal Smoked Meat? It is a slice of heaven sent down by God to fix vegetarians along with its brother Pastrami. It is very similar to Pastrami, the main difference is there is a lot less sugar. When I say like Pastrami, I am talking the kind you get at a Jewish Deli in New York, not something you pick up at your local grocery store.
So I am starting the process today here are the steps. It will be served on the 6th of December.
1. Find the brisket - got one, 16.8 lbs.
2. Measure out the spices and cure.
3. Cure the meat - will be for 14 days.
4. Rinse the meat.
5. Desalinate.
6. Rub the meat.
7. Cold smoke overnight (AMNPS you God - this is a first time I'm trying to cold smoke the smoked meat the day before.
8. Smoke in my WSM.
9. Steam for 3 hours.
10. Slice and serve hot.
1. Find the brisket - Packer, 16.8 lbs
2. Mix the spices
Photo from Top to bottom:
- Prague powder #1, weighted for 156 PPM
- Salt and sugar. Salt at 3% weight (233 grams) (for the coarse kosher salt I use, every quarter cup is 80 grams). Sugar at 1% weight (85 grams).
- Spices, pepper at 1 to 1.5% weight (I used 100 grams = ~1.25%), Coriander at .5-.75% weight (I used 50 grams), mustard seed at .3% weight (25 grams), cloves and bay leafs at .15% weight each (13 grams each).
3. Cure the meat
Prior to curing I normally trim a little off my brisket, not much really, just the parts where the fat is extremely thick and hard to the touch. I cut It down to about half an inch. I generally only remove half a pound.
Now when adding the spices I put the brisket directly in the bag. I then add the prague powder, then the salt and sugar, and at the end the spices. This lets me see there is even distribution of the curing salt. i add half the prague powder to one side, then half to the other side, then repeat for salt/sugar, and a final time for spices.
Photos and details to follow as I go. Hope everyone enjoys.
Here is what the finished product should look like. The slices weren't done well because it was in a park on a small table that was unstable and it was dry because I forgot to wrap it during the smoke.
Last edited: