What is the difference between montreal smoked beef and pastrami

To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. The deli counter is full of pressing questions — because while you may have some vague understanding that pastrami and corned beef are two different things, and that one might be better than the other, you may be stuck on the how or why. Here are the major points of differentiation between the two, because no meat should ever be a mystery.

Corned beef is made from brisket, which comes from the lower chest of the cow; pastrami is either made from a cut called the deckle, a lean, wide, firm shoulder cut, or the navel, a smaller and juicier section right below the ribs. These days, you may also see pastrami made from brisket.

Both are brined in a mixture of salt, sugar, black pepper, cloves, coriander, bay leaves, juniper berries, and dill, as well as the preservatives sodium nitrate or sodium nitrite. After brining, pastrami gets coated in a mixture of black pepper, coriander, mustard seeds, fennel seeds, and sometimes fresh garlic; that spice coating is what gives it its blackened appearance.

Corned beef is… naked. No spice mix to speak of. Pastrami and corned beef have different cooking methods: Pastrami is smoked over hardwood, oftentimes with a pan of water nearby, which helps create steam and keep the meat moist. So what makes it better? To wit:. The Meat Sure, it's always ominous when an ingredient is described as just being "meat", but in this case Montreal's famed protein is pure brisket, whereas pastrami tends to be comprised of the cheaper naval plate cut of beef.

The Texture The far thicker slabs of pastrami may sound appealing at first, but that also means they tend to be tough and downright chewy. Montreal smoked meat tastes different than any other kind of pastrami you might have tried before so if you are looking for something new to try give this delicacy a try! Corned beef is a delicacy that originated in Ireland.

The ingredients are mixed together to create a brine solution which is then poured over the meat during curing. After being cured for days or weeks, it is boiled until the meat is tender but not shredding apart before serving.

Corned beef tastes great on sandwiches or by itself with cabbage dishes such as coleslaw or sauerkraut on top! I hope you enjoy this blog post about corned beef! Montreal smoked meat and corned beef are both types of cured meats. The table below shows the key differences between them:. This process is very similar when you cook a pot roast, but the Montreal dishes have a unique flavor profile due to spices like peppercorns or cloves added for an extra zing! They both have similar nutritional content — they are high in protein and low in fat.

Montreal smoked meat and corned beef have similar nutritional content — they are high in protein and low in fat. There are many variations of both types of meats across different cultures and countries — for example, pastrami comes from Turkey and bratwurst from Germany.