McCormick Grill Mates Montreal Steak Seasoning

Montreal Steak Spice, often recognized by the iconic McCormick Grill Mates brand, is a world-famous seasoning blend with a fascinating cross-cultural history. While the name points to Canada, its flavor profile is rooted in Eastern European Jewish culinary traditions. Specifically, it was inspired by the dry-rub spices used to make Romanian 'pastramă' (the ancestor of modern pastrami). The blend was popularized in the 1940s and 1950s at Schwartz's Deli in Montreal by a grill cook named Morris Sherman, famously nicknamed 'The Shadow.' Sherman began applying the deli's traditional pickling spices to steaks, creating a sensation that soon became a standard in steakhouses across North America.

Today, the most prominent commercial version of this blend is produced by McCormick & Company. While the seasoning's cultural heart remains in Montreal, the mass-market product is primarily manufactured in the United States and distributed globally. McCormick, an American flavoring giant founded in the late 19th century, has successfully exported this Canadian culinary staple to kitchens and professional restaurants worldwide, maintaining its status as one of the best-selling meat seasonings on the market.