Different Corned Beef Styles?


 
S

Stone

TVWBB Super Fan
On a different food board, I've been in a discussion about corned beef and pastrami. It was prompted by a bit of a debate between New York's famous Katz's pastrami, and an upstate from Brooklyn, Mile End, serving Montreal "smoked meat." We were talking about whether and to what extent buying higher "quality" brisket affects the end product.

One issue that came up was different corning methods that result in very different textures and tastes of the corned beef. I think the Montreal style uses a different technique, which results in a different product, that some people may like better than NY style.

My recollection is that St. Louis corned beef, for example, is a bit drier and firmer than NY. However, I've searched the Internets and can't find discussions about how corning processes vary by region.

You guys know anything about this?

Cheers.

edit -- oops, I just noticed that this should probably go in the Charcuterie forum. Sorry.
 
I see corned beef sold as either brisket or top round. Could that be the reason for texture differences? I'd suspect the cooking process will have more of an effect on the finished product then what happens during the brine. How different could brining be? You could work with different salt concentrations and length of time but that's as much as I know.

I just had a housemade corned beef at a local restaurant that was excellent. They use prime brisket and it was incredibly moist.
 
The seasoning ingredients account for differences as does whether a brine or dry cure is used. Meat type and quality has affects as does how the meat is smoked and/or cooked, whether it is steamed to finish and/or steamed for serving, and whether it's held cold after initial smoking/cooking, possibly being weighted.
 
Well around here Montreal smoked meat is "king". It is kind of annoying since almost all brisket goes to commercial eateries our butchers make their own so it can make finding a brisket rather frustrating sometimes. Fortunately I finally tracked down a local abattoir that usually has some or will get me one in a couple days.

Check this article which compares Montreal style to pastrami
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

 

Back
Top