So it’s a little bit denser, a lot fattier, and it’s less stringy,” notes Sax. On the other hand, Montreal-style smoked meat comes from brisket, as navel is much harder to find in Canada because of its British beef cut tradition. “Smoked meat made from brisket can be stringier and a lot softer if it’s steamed right. [Brisket’s] not fattier throughout the cut, but it has a larger cap of fat, and it has a stringier texture, more fibrous. American-style pastrami is more marbled with fat and has a denser texture.”
In Canadian butchery, the cut called brisket comprises parts of the American brisket and navel (combined the two parts are called “whole brisket.”) As such, if you go to a Canadian deli and order fatty, medium, or lean smoked meat, you’ll receive a sandwich with varying amounts of meat from each portion of the whole brisket.
Split image showing both pastrami and smoked meat on white serving plates.
Katz’s pastrami on the left compared to Mile End’s smoked meat.
