Montreal Smoked Meat vs Reuben: What's the Difference?

The main difference between Montreal smoked meat vs Reuben comes down to the meat and the toppings. A Montreal smoked meat sandwich is dry-cured, smoked, and steamed beef brisket piled high on rye with yellow mustard. A Reuben is brined, simmered corned beef grilled on rye with Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Russian or Thousand Island dressing.

Both are deli legends, but they deliver very different experiences. Here is how they compare, from a Montreal deli that hand-cuts smoked meat every day.

Smoked Meat Sandwich vs Reuben Sandwich

Both sandwiches start with beef and rye, but almost everything else changes. Here is how a Montreal smoked meat sandwich compares to a Reuben sandwich, point by point:

• Meat: smoked meat uses dry-cured, smoked, and steamed brisket, while a Reuben uses brined and simmered corned beef.

• Bread: smoked meat comes on soft, fresh rye, while a Reuben is made on buttered, grilled rye.

• Toppings: smoked meat gets yellow mustard only, while a Reuben adds Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and dressing.

• How it's served: smoked meat is served hot and piled high, while a Reuben is served hot and pressed.

• Taste: smoked meat is smoky and peppery, while a Reuben is tangy, creamy, and salty.

In short, a smoked meat sandwich is all about the meat, while a Reuben is about how the meat, cheese, and toppings work together.

What Is Montreal Smoked Meat?

Montreal smoked meat is beef brisket that is dry-cured with salt and spices, smoked, then steamed until tender. The cure leans on cracked black pepper, coriander and garlic, with far less sugar than many other deli meats, which gives it a savoury, peppery flavour all its own.

After steaming, the meat is hand-cut across the grain to keep it juicy. You can order it lean, medium, or fatty, depending on which part of the brisket you prefer, and medium is the classic choice for balance.

The dish arrived in Montreal with Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe in the early 1900s and quickly became a city icon. 

What Is a Reuben Sandwich?

A Reuben is a hot, grilled sandwich built around corned beef. The classic Reuben sandwich ingredients are:

• Thinly sliced corned beef

• Swiss cheese

• Sauerkraut

• Russian or Thousand Island dressing

• Rye bread, buttered and grilled

The two dressings are close cousins. Russian dressing gets a tangy kick from horseradish, while Thousand Island is sweeter thanks to pickle relish. The sandwich is grilled until the cheese melts and the bread turns crisp, so every ingredient shares the spotlight. 

Is a Reuben Made With Smoked Meat?

No. A classic Reuben is made with corned beef, not smoked meat, and the two are cured and cooked in completely different ways.

Corned beef is soaked in a wet salt brine, then simmered until tender. It is never smoked, which keeps its flavour milder and saltier. According to the USDA, the name comes from the large grains, or "corns," of salt once used to cure it.

Montreal smoked meat is dry-cured with a spice rub, then smoked and steamed, so it is smokier, spicier, and more tender. Pastrami sits in between: it is brined like corned beef but smoked like smoked meat. 

Bread and Toppings: Why Smoked Meat Keeps It Simple

A Montreal smoked meat sandwich is served on soft, fresh light rye that is not toasted. The heat from the steamed meat warms the bread, and the rye's mild flavour lets the brisket shine. The only topping is yellow mustard, which adds a sharp bite that cuts through the rich meat.

A Reuben takes the opposite approach. Its rye is buttered and grilled, then layered with cheese, sauerkraut, and dressing, so the toppings matter as much as the meat.

Can you add cheese to smoked meat? You can, and Swiss works well, but the classic Montreal way is mustard only. When the meat is cured and cut right, it does not need anything else.

How Do They Taste?

Montreal smoked meat tastes smoky, peppery, and deeply savoury, with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture, especially when ordered medium or fatty. Every bite is about the meat, and classic sides like a crunchy dill pickle, coleslaw, and fries keep it that way.

A Reuben is all about contrast: salty corned beef, sour sauerkraut, creamy melted Swiss, and sweet or tangy dressing, held together by crunchy grilled bread. It is richer and messier, with more going on in every bite.

Which Should You Order?

Choose a Reuben if you love melted cheese, tangy sauerkraut, and a crispy, grilled sandwich. Choose a Montreal smoked meat sandwich if you want the meat to be the star, hand-cut and stacked high on fresh rye. If you are visiting the city, smoked meat is the sandwich Montreal is famous for.

Looking for the best smoked meat deli in Montreal? At Dunn's, our smoked meat is hand-cut and piled high the traditional way. Order it lean, medium, or fatty, add a pickle and fries, and taste the difference for yourself. Find your nearest Dunn's. 

Conclusion 

Both sandwiches start with beef and rye, but they take opposite paths. The Reuben builds its flavour in layers, with melted Swiss, tangy sauerkraut and creamy dressing on crisp grilled bread. The Montreal smoked meat sandwich strips everything back and trusts a slow cure, real smoke, and careful hand-cutting to do the work. That is the real difference: one is about the toppings, the other is about the meat.

If you are in Montreal, start with the original. Stop by Dunn's, order your smoked meat medium with a pickle on the side, and see for yourself why it is a favourite for anyone looking for the best smoked meat deli in Montreal.

Frequently Asked Questions 

Q1. Is Montreal smoked meat the same as pastrami?

No, but they are close relatives. Pastrami is usually made from the beef navel or plate, wet-brined, then smoked. Montreal smoked meat uses brisket and is dry-cured with less sugar and more black pepper, then steamed and hand-cut, which gives it a more savoury, peppery flavour.

Q2. Can you make a Reuben with Montreal smoked meat?

Yes. Swapping the corned beef for Montreal smoked meat creates a smoked meat Reuben, with the same Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, dressing and grilled rye. The result is smokier and more peppery than the classic. It is not traditional, but it is a popular twist for fans of both sandwiches.

Q3. What is the difference between lean, medium, and fatty smoked meat?

It depends on which part of the brisket is cut. Lean comes from the flat and is firmer with less fat. Fatty comes from the point and is the richest and most tender. Medium mixes both and is the most popular choice for a balanced, juicy sandwich.

Q4. Why is Montreal smoked meat hand-cut?

Hand-cutting allows thicker slices across the grain, adjusted for each part of the brisket. That keeps the meat juicy and so tender it almost falls apart. Machine slicing makes thinner, uniform slices that can dry out and lose the classic texture.

Q5. What do you eat with a Montreal smoked meat sandwich?

The classic sides are a crunchy dill pickle, coleslaw, and fries, and many Montrealers add a black cherry soda, a long-time deli tradition. For something heartier, smoked meat poutine pairs the same star ingredient with fries, cheese curds, and hot gravy.