Montreal Smoked Meat

What you need

Ingredients

Measured for 12 servings.

• 6 kgwhole beef brisket, fat cap trimmed to about 3 mm
• 240 mlcoarse kosher salt, source-volume measure; crystal size affects weight
• 45 mlground black pepper, for the cure
• 45 mlground coriander seed, for the cure
• 15 gPrague Powder #1 curing salt, 6.25% sodium nitrite
• 12.5 ggranulated sugar
• 5 mlground bay leaf
• 5 mlground cloves
• 45 mlcoarsely ground black pepper, for the rub
• 15 mlground coriander seed, for the rub
• 15 mlsweet paprika
• 15 mlgarlic powder
• 15 mlonion powder
• 5 mldried dill
• 5 mlground mustard
• 5 mlcelery seed
• 5 mlcrushed red pepper flakes
• 2–3 piecesfist-size oak or hickory smoking wood chunks
• as neededcold water for the two-hour soak and hot water for steaming

Make it

Method

1. 01

   Trim the whole brisket so the exterior fat cap is about 3 mm thick and confirm the trimmed meat weight is close to 6 kg. Keep the meat refrigerated at 1–4°C throughout preparation. Prague Powder #1 must be the standard curing mix containing 6.25% sodium nitrite; it is not Himalayan pink salt, Prague Powder #2, German Nitritpökelsalz, or ordinary salt.

2. 02

   Make the dry cure by thoroughly mixing the coarse kosher salt, 45 ml ground black pepper, 45 ml ground coriander, 15 g Prague Powder #1, sugar, ground bay leaf, and ground cloves. The 15 g Prague Powder #1 amount is standardized to 0.25% of a 6 kg brisket and must be weighed on a scale accurate to at least 0.1 g. If the brisket weight is changed, do not scale the curing salt by spoon volume; recalculate it from the exact meat weight and the curing-salt manufacturer's directions.

3. 03

   Rub the cure evenly over every surface of the brisket. Place the brisket in a food-safe extra-large bag or non-reactive covered tray, refrigerate in the coldest part of the refrigerator at 1–4°C for four days, and turn the brisket approximately every 12 hours so the cure and released liquid remain evenly distributed.

4. 04

   After four days, remove the brisket and rinse the exterior thoroughly under cold running water to remove visible cure. Put it in a large food-safe container, cover completely with cold water, and soak for two hours, replacing the water every 30 minutes. Drain and pat the brisket very dry with clean paper towels.

5. 05

   Mix the rub: 45 ml coarsely ground black pepper, 15 ml ground coriander, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried dill, ground mustard, celery seed, and crushed red pepper. Press the rub over the entire brisket in an even coating.

6. 06

   Preheat a smoker or covered grill for indirect cooking to 107°C. Add 2–3 fist-size pieces of oak or hickory once the cooker is stable and producing clean smoke. Place the brisket fat-side up and smoke until an instant-read or probe thermometer in the thickest part reaches 74°C; for a brisket of this size the source recipe gives about six hours, but internal temperature rather than clock time is the endpoint.

7. 07

   Transfer the brisket to a V-rack set inside a large roasting pan. Add about 25 mm of hot water to the pan without letting the meat sit in the water. Cover the pan tightly with heavy foil and set it over a controlled steaming heat source. Keep the water gently boiling/steaming and replenish it with hot water as needed.

8. 08

   Steam for roughly one to two hours, until the thickest part of the brisket reaches about 82°C and the meat feels noticeably tender when probed. Remove from the steam, uncover carefully to avoid steam burns, and rest until cool enough to slice cleanly.

9. 09

   Slice thinly across the grain. Divide into 12 source-style portions. Serve hot, traditionally with rye bread and mustard if desired. For meal prep, cool leftovers promptly, refrigerate in sealed containers, and reheat until fully steaming hot before serving.