Hosting a sandwich debate at your next lunch? Few contenders stir the pot like the Reuben and the Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich. Both are stacked high, loaded with cured beef, and rooted in deli culture, yet they offer entirely different flavor journeys.
While the Reuben leans rich and melty with its grilled rye, tangy sauerkraut, and creamy dressing, the smoked meat sandwich is all about bold simplicity, just warm brisket, rye bread, and mustard.
In this blog, we’ll unpack exactly what sets these two classics apart: from their ingredients and origins to how they’ve carved out distinct identities on the global food map. Hungry for answers? Let’s dig in.
What Is a Reuben Sandwich?
The Reuben sandwich is a bold, indulgent creation that has earned its place in North American deli culture. It’s the kind of sandwich that doesn’t hold back: it’s grilled, melty, and overflowing with layers of contrasting textures and flavors.
Core Ingredients
At its heart, the Reuben sandwich features:
- Grilled rye bread
- Corned beef
- Swiss cheese
- Sauerkraut
- Russian dressing or Thousand Island dressing
The layers are assembled and grilled until the bread crisps, the cheese melts, and the entire sandwich becomes warm, juicy, and rich.
What makes the Reuben even more interesting is its somewhat debated origin. Some food historians trace it back to a hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, in the 1920s, where it was supposedly created by a grocer named Reuben Kulakofsky for a poker game.
Others argue that it was first served at Reuben’s Delicatessen in New York City around 1914, crafted by the deli’s founder, Arnold Reuben. Regardless of which story holds true, there’s no denying that the Reuben is a uniquely American sandwich that grew from Jewish deli traditions while adopting distinctly non-kosher twists, mixing meat and dairy in one hot, glorious stack.
What Is a Classic Montreal-Style Smoked Meat Sandwich?
The classic Montreal smoked meat sandwich may seem simple, but behind its humble presentation lies over a century of craft, tradition, and flavor. Built on the essentials: juicy slices of smoked, spice-rubbed beef brisket stacked between slices of rye bread with a smear of yellow mustard, this sandwich has become an icon not only in Quebec but around the world.
What makes it stand out is the preparation. The brisket is first dry-cured with a robust blend of spices: usually peppercorn, garlic, coriander, mustard seed, and other aromatics, then it’s smoked and steamed until it reaches the perfect tenderness. Each slice is carved by hand, often to a customer’s preference: lean, medium, or fatty.
Its roots go deep. This beloved sandwich was introduced by Romanian Jewish immigrants who settled in Montreal in the late 1800s. Over generations, the original curing and smoking techniques were preserved and refined in delis across the city, turning smoked meat into a cultural symbol.
Places like Dunn’s Famous helped elevate it from a working-class lunch to a celebrated Quebecois institution, one that still draws both locals and tourists with its comforting, unmistakable flavor.
Reuben vs. Montreal Smoked Meat: Key Differences
Bread and Build: Grilled vs. Classic
The Reuben sandwich is a grilled masterpiece. Made with buttered rye bread, it’s toasted until golden brown and filled with layers of corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing.
The Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich, on the other hand, takes a more minimalist approach. Built on ungrilled rye bread with nothing more than a thick stack of smoked meat and a smear of yellow mustard, this sandwich is all about highlighting the meat itself.
Meat: Corned Beef vs. Smoked Brisket
A key difference lies in the meat. Reubens use corned beef, which is salt-cured and boiled, producing a soft, mild flavor with a tender, almost stringy texture. It’s seasoned, yes, but not deeply smoky.
In contrast, Montreal smoked meat is brisket that has been dry-cured with a spice rub, then smoked and steamed. This method creates a bold, peppery bark on the outside and a juicy, tender center. It’s aromatic, rich, and far more robust in flavor than its corned counterpart.
Flavor Profiles: Creamy vs. Peppery
Reubens are a melty, tangy, and creamy experience. The combination of sauerkraut and dressing adds both sharpness and sweetness, while the melted cheese binds everything together. Every bite is a contrast of flavors and textures.
Montreal smoked meat sandwiches are straightforward but bold. Their magic lies in the smoky aroma, the spice of the cured crust, and the satisfying chew of the brisket. The rye and mustard provide subtle support, never overpowering the meat’s rich character.
Where Can You Try Both?
You don’t have to travel far to enjoy either sandwich; Dunn’s Famous serves up both the Reuben and the classic Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich on its menu.
If you’re in Montreal or the surrounding areas, you’ll find multiple Dunn’s locations where both options are made fresh, using authentic techniques.
Conclusion
When it comes to deli sandwiches, both the Reuben and the Montreal-style smoked meat sandwich offer something unforgettable. One is rich, melty, and layered with bold contrasts of tang and creaminess. The other is pure, peppery indulgence, lean or fatty, but always tender and deeply satisfying.
So if you’re still debating which one deserves your loyalty, here’s a simple solution: try them both.
Find your nearest Dunn’s Famous location and experience the best of both worlds.
