Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

Name: Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 240 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Canada
Ingredients: 4 lb beef brisket; 3 tbsp coarse black pepper; 2 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed; 2 tbsp paprika; 2 tbsp brown sugar; 1/4 cup kosher salt; 2 tsp pink curing salt; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 8 slices rye bread; Yellow mustard, for serving

4 servings20 min prep240 min cookMedium Canada

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The Story Behind It

The Tale of Montreal Smoked Meat Sandwich

Story updated September 17, 2026

Montreal smoked meat grew out of the city's Eastern European Jewish immigrant community in the late 1800s and early 1900s, who brought Romanian-style meat-curing traditions with them. Schwartz's Deli, opened in 1928, remains one of the most iconic keepers of the tradition, piling spiced, smoked brisket onto rye bread.

Ingredients

Scale:· 4 servings

4 lb beef brisket
3 tbsp coarse black pepper
2 tbsp coriander seeds, crushed
2 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
2 tsp pink curing salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
8 slices rye bread
Yellow mustard, for serving

Instructions

1Mix salt, pink curing salt, brown sugar, and garlic, and rub all over the brisket.
2Cure the brisket in the refrigerator 5-7 days, turning daily.
3Rinse the brisket and coat with pepper, coriander, and paprika.
4Smoke at 225°F for about 5-6 hours, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
5Steam the smoked brisket over water for 2-3 hours until fork-tender.
6Slice the meat thinly against the grain.
7Pile onto rye bread with mustard and serve hot.

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