Montreal smoked meat is similar to corned beef and pastrami in that they are cured meat sandwiches, but there is one uniquely Canadian aspect to them. What sets it apart from the rest is low sugar content. Among the plethora of seasonings in a traditional Montreal smoked meat sandwich, there is usually only around a tablespoon of sugar, whereas its American counterparts, such as corned beef and pastrami, use a half cup brown sugar and almost two cups of sugar, respectively.

There are a variety of theories about who was actually the first to create this delicious sandwich in Canada. Regardless of who did, Montreal is all the better for it.