Montreal Smoked Meat

[Day Man Fighter of Night Man]

I think I already know the answer to this question, but has anyone found a place making montreal smoked meat lately? The last post I could find ( http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/21068 ) was from awhile back, so I thought I would try again.

My Canadian friend is so obsessed with smoked meat, that despite the fact that is a vegetarian, when he visits Montreal he still gets smoked meat. With such a large Canadian population I am surprised that no place around here serves it.

[wolfe]

What is Montreal Smoked Meat?
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/321080
edit p.s.
"With such a large Canadian population I am surprised that no place around here serves it."
We finally got a decent poutine and that was only a sometimes thing at Gregoire.

[Day Man Fighter of Night Man]

I saw Gregoire has poutine on the menu this month...from your post I take it that it was good?

[wolfe]

Here is the pertinent link with a poster that knows poutine. I am afraid the closest I came was chips and malt vinegar in Windsor, Ontario.
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6655...

[BernalKC]

The odds of getting correctly prepared Montreal smoked meat here are the same as the odds of finding a good Mission style burrito in Montreal. Pretty close to zero. But the odds of finding a suitably close pastrami alternative locally are a lot better than the odds of satisfying a burrito Jones there.

[maigre]

I just happen to have read David Sax's "Save the Deli," kind of a casual history and world tour of Jewish deli food. In it, he points out that Lester's Deli (http://lestersdeli.com) in Montreal does mail order and their website certainly supports the claim. Sax is from Toronto, but his parents and greater family are from Montreal and he writes with great enthusiasm about the Montreal deli scene. I don't know if any of the other Montreal delis ship out of the Montreal area. It seems that the noted Schwartz's doesn't.

I realize you're looking for a more local rendition of smoked meat, but maybe this will be an adequate substitute. If you give it a try, let us know what you think. I'll do the same.

[kpzoo]

Schwartz's does deliver out of Montreal (FedEx, I believe) - they satisfy ex-Montrealers' smoked meat cravings all over Canada. The problem is getting Canadian beef across the US border due to customs regulations, which would also be an issue for Lesters.

http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/

[BernalKC]

Do you happen to know how much an individual can carry accross the border? My daughter is a student there, and I'm thinking I should commission her. Max out on Schwartz's, bagels, May Wests...

[kpzoo]

It's not the quantity, it's the post mad-cow rules about importing Canadian beef. :-(

I've heard some border agents are more lenient than others. Good luck!

[Melanie Wong]

Not Montreal smoked meat, but something your friend might be willing to fall off the vegetable wagon for would be Memphis Minnie's house-smoked pastrami. It's made from a fattier cut (more flavor!) and has a heavier smoke component. Only served on Wednesdays, which would be tomorrow.

[whiner]

Melanie,

Thanks for this; I, too, have a craving for smoked meat (haven't had it in years) and while obviously not the same, this sounds like it might be really good (love me some pastrami as well)... I'll be checking it out soon!

[Melanie Wong]

I noticed on MM's website menu (listed under "specials") that the pastrami is also available as a Reuben sandwich.

[david de berkeley]

Thanks Melanie for this great bit of information. I went yesterday to test this sandwich out, very delicious. A lot more smoke than regular pastrami, but in a good way. Also, definitely not navel pastrami, a little "looser," some other cut, maybe brisket. But again, still a great sandwich.

A couple minor complaints/points: I wish there was a bit more meat on the sandwich (a friend had the two meat combination plate and was still hungry). The sandwich is served on a crusty roll (wish it was rye) along side a middling pickle spear. The potato salad was solid, though.

It's been a while since I've been to Memphis Minnie's, though I feel like pastrami Wednesday will be in my near future.

[Melanie Wong]

It's been some years now since my last pastrami san at MM's, so it's great to have an update. Did you get the "regular" sandwich with the barbecue sauce? Or is the Reuben made on a crusty roll? <shudder>

[david de berkeley]

I had the regular sandwich with what I think was the mustard barbeque sauce already spread on the roll. There was a reuben hanging out on a warmer / griddle by the cash register. I think it was on rye. It was also on the small side =(

[Civil Bear]

Yup, the Reuben comes on grilled rye. Next time, I'm sure they would do the same for the regular pastrami if you ask.

[Melanie Wong]

Any chance I could re-route you to Orson for the housecured pastrami for your wednesday lunch?
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010...
I haven't tried it and would love to hear your take on it compared to MM's.

[david de berkeley]

More great info, thanks Melanie. I'm not sure how I'm going to make the trek from my office to 4th and Brannan, but this is on the "to do" list.

[Melanie Wong]

ddb, today Tablehopper announced that Orson would start weekend brunch service and the pastrami gets a mention. Just in case that makes it easier for you to check out.
http://www.tablehopper.com/chatterbox...

[ellen4441]

the first Montreal smoked meat has arrived in the U.S.A., and it's only a 6 hour plane
ride away from you !!

It's in Brooklyn, NY, called the Mile End deli.....(www.mileendbrooklyn.com
)It just opened last week, but they are having a tough time keeping up with demand...
(as in "we are closing way early , cuz we are out of meat"...)

I started a thread on the "outer boroughs forum .....as it's a short subway ride from
manhattan...

I tried going there yesterday, but they were closed for the whole day, to "catch up" on making the smoked meat!!!!

[Melanie Wong]

Not your fault, but I slogged through the 97 posts in that thread to find little discussion of the food. I think I'll fly to Montreal again to get my smoked meat, not Brooklyn.

For those interested in hearing about the future of smoked meat and other deli classics,
http://saulsdeli.com/deli/pressevents/

6:30 pm Tuesday, February 9
Reception and snacks at 6pm
Registration/Will Call check-in from 5:45 on

**Restaurant will be closed from 4 pm on**

Tickets $10 in advance, $15 at the door

Proceeds benefit The Center for Ecoliteracy
Referendum on The Deli Menu
Can a retro cuisine be part of the avant-garde?

Panelists:
Michael Pollan, Journalist, Author: The Omnivore’s Dilemma, In Defense of Food
Gil Friend, CEO of Natural Logic, Author: The Truth About Green Business
Willow Rosenthal, Founder, City Slicker Farms
Karen Adelman, Co-Owner, Saul’s Restaurant and Deli
Peter Levitt, Co-Owner, Saul’s Restaurant and Deli
Moderator: Evan Kleiman, Host, KCRW’s Good Food, Owner-Chef, Angeli Caffe

[Kayde]

This makes me hungry. A long time ago I used to live in Montreal at St. Urbain & Mont-Royale - and I LOVE smoked meat, though pastrami can make me very happy. I'll second Melanie Wong - for a smoked meat fix, forget Brooklyn. Just go to Montreal.

[elvisahmed]

I agree Montreal is the place to go for smoked meat. I personally prefer Reueben's over Schwartz. As for buying smoked meat I have bought a 6 pack from Dunn's at the Costco's here in Canada and it is pretty tasty.

[Melanie Wong]

Now that's an idea, maybe we can lobby our local Costco stores to stock smoked meat.

[elvisahmed]

There are some places in montreal that ship to USA here is the one I found:
http://www.lestersdeli.com/frameset.htm
Haven't tried this place but seems to have good reviews from the Montreal forum of chowhound.
Adding to what is sold here in Canada at Costco from Dunn's. I have tried the smoke meat pizza which pretty good and have seen big briskets from Dunn's being sold as well. I prefer the individual packed precut 6 packs which are good for making a good sized sandwich.

[Melanie Wong]

And research into the origins of Montreal smoked meat
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/691773

[veronaraven]

The closest in California is the Redondo Beach Cafe (run by ex-Montrealers). That would be about 400 miles away tho...ask if he ships it?