Montreal Smoked Meat

Adam Horvath
4 minutes ago
2 min read

I've always been a bit envious of people who can take a sip of an Islay single malt and catch hints of sea spray and peat—or casually swirl a glass of Bordeaux while telling me about the notes of tobacco and leather they're tasting. While I’d like to think I have a sophisticated palate, that’s never been my skillset.

So, if I was ever blindfolded and asked to guess between a NYC pastrami and a Montreal smoked meat sandwich, I’m pretty sure I’m failing that Pepsi Challenge.

Some regional food anthropologist that makes me, right? Because up until this trip, I assumed they were pretty much the same sandwich.

Then I took a bite.

Same Family, Different Temple

The two sandwiches are definitely cousins. Hell, they may have even shared the same mohel, but Montreal smoked meat grew into something entirely its own. To understand just how entirely, you have to spend a few minutes inside Montreal's shrine— Schwartz's.

Opened in 1928, there's no ticket. No unwritten rules to learn before earning your sandwich. Just inhale, and you already know you're in for something special.

Unlike pastrami and corned beef, which are traditionally wet-brined, Montreal smoked meat starts with the entire brisket—the lean flat and fattier point—and a dry spice cure that draws moisture from the meat before it's smoked and steamed to a tenderness.

The narrow deli has been doing things the same way for nearly a century, turning out more than 1,000 smoked meat sandwiches a day for a reason. The pepper-forward spice blend—a closely guarded secret—hits immediately before giving way to slices of brisket so tender they practically fall apart with each bite. The mustard may feel familiar, but everything between the slices of rye is unapologetically Montreal.

Not just Deli Meat

Schwartz's, Lester's Deli and Dunn's Famous have legions of disciples, but smoked meat isn't just a deli meat, it's an ingredient and is woven into Montreal's culinary fabric.

You'll catch it peeking out of a Swiss cheese omelet at brunch, stuffed inside crispy egg rolls at happy hour and, of course, piled high atop the city's other legendary foodigenous—poutine.

Comfort food on comfort food.

In a city overflowing with culinary standouts, few dishes tell Montreal's story better than smoked meat.