Montreal eats: The difference between smoked meat and pastrami

Enrico Frank Andreoli, a Montreal native, sure loves his hometown’s cooking. One of his staples is Schwartz’s world-famous Smoked Meat Sandwich, which should not be confused with pastrami. While both dishes are similar, they are not the same.

Often compared to the equally famous New York Pastrami, Montreal’s Smoked Meat has a distinct character all to its own.

Perhaps the biggest difference foodies will notice between these two popular types of meat are their cuts. Montreal’s Smoked Meat uses more of a brisket cut, while New York Pastrami is prepared via the naval cut, as Enrico Frank Andreoli explains.

There is also a difference in the ingredients of the final product. While both the smoked meat and pastrami recipes use coriander, black pepper, and sugar, the Montreal dish uses less sugar but amps up the spices such as garlic and mustard to give it a more exotic flavor.

Moreover, both New York Pastrami and Montreal Smoked Meat are dry-cured, but the smoked meat preparations go further. After being cured, the smoked meat is soaked. The aim here is to spread the seasoning, according to Enrico Frank Andreoli. Both are also smoked, but the Montreal meat takes a longer time during this process.