Montreal-Style Smoked Beef
A legendary dish of Canadian cuisine — tender, aromatic beef brisket, cured in a spiced curing mixture, smoked and brought to perfection with steam. Spicy, with rich flavor and character.
Ingredients
- 1 pcs Beef brisket
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Coriander
- 1 tbsp Sugar
- 1 tsp Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Cloves
- 1 tbsp Paprika
- 1 tbsp Garlic powder
- 1 tbsp Onion powder
- 1 tbsp Dill
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 1 tbsp Celery salt
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Prepare the curing mixture: in a small bowl, mix salt, black pepper, coriander, sugar, bay leaf, and cloves. Rub the brisket evenly on all sides with this mixture. Place the meat in a large airtight bag and refrigerate in the coldest part of your fridge. Cure for 4 days, turning the meat twice daily.
- Remove the brisket from the bag and rinse thoroughly under cold running water, washing away the curing mixture. Place the meat in a large container, cover with water, and soak for 2 hours, changing the water every 30 minutes. Then remove the meat and pat it dry with paper towels.
- Prepare the spice rub: in a small bowl, mix black pepper, coriander, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dill, English mustard, celery salt, and red pepper flakes. Rub the prepared brisket evenly on all sides with this mixture.
- Heat your smoker or grill to 107°C. Add wood chips for smoking once the temperature is reached. As soon as the wood ignites and begins to produce smoke, place the brisket fat-side up and smoke for approximately 6 hours until the internal temperature at the thickest part reaches 74°C (measure with an instant-read thermometer).
- Transfer the smoked meat to a large roasting pan with a V-shaped rack. Place the pan on two stovetop burners, pour water to a depth of about 2.5 cm, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover the pan with foil, and steam for 1–2 hours until the internal temperature reaches 82°C at the thickest part. Add hot water as needed to maintain the water level.
- Transfer the cooked meat to a cutting board and let it cool slightly. Slice thinly and serve, preferably on dark bread with spicy mustard.