Montreal steak seasoning

Montreal steak seasoning, also known as Montreal steak spice, Canadian steak seasoning or Canadian steak spice is a spice mix used to flavor steak and grilled meats that was based on the pickling dry-rub mix used in preparing Montreal smoked meat. The smoked meat seasoning itself was descended from pickling mixes used in Eastern Europe or Romanian Jewish cuisine. The primary constituents of Montreal steak seasoning including garlic, coriander, black pepper, Cayenne pepper flakes, dill seed, and salt. The spice mix recipe varies slightly among restaurants and manufacturers.

History

The Montreal deli Schwartz's is credited with the creation of Montreal steak seasoning. The story of its creation is that a Schwartz's broilerman by the name of Morris "The Shadow" Sherman, during the 1940s and 1950s began adding the deli's smoked meat pickling spices to his own rib and liver steaks. Soon the customers began asking for the same. Due to its popularity, it eventually became a norm in Montreal delis and steakhouses such as the nearby Moishes Steakhouse and the Main Deli Steak House to spice their steaks similarly.