Montreal steak seasoning facts for kids
Montreal steak seasoning, also known as Montreal steak spice, is a special mix of spices. People use it to add lots of flavor to steak and other meats cooked on a grill. This seasoning actually comes from the dry-rub spices used for making Montreal-style smoked meat, which is a famous dish from Montreal. The idea for smoked meat came from a Romanian dish called pastramă, brought to Montreal by immigrants from Romania.
What's in Montreal Steak Seasoning?
The main ingredients in Montreal steak seasoning are:
- Garlic
- Coriander (which comes from the cilantro plant)
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper flakes (these give it a little kick!)
- Dill seed
- Salt
Different restaurants and companies might have slightly different recipes, but these are the main spices you'll find!
How Montreal Steak Seasoning Started
The famous deli called Schwartz's in Montreal is often given credit for creating Montreal steak seasoning. The story goes that back in the 1940s and 1950s, a cook at Schwartz's named Morris "The Shadow" Sherman had a great idea. He started putting the same spices they used for their smoked meat onto his own rib and liver steaks.
Soon, customers loved the flavor so much that they started asking for their steaks to be seasoned the same way! Because it was so popular, other delis and steakhouses in Montreal, like Moishes Steakhouse and the Main Deli Steak House, also started using similar spices on their steaks. And that's how Montreal steak seasoning became a famous flavor from Montreal!
