Grilled steak with coarse salt and seasonings on a wooden cutting board

Davidchukalexey/Getty Images

Besides cooking it properly, if you want homemade steak to taste like it came from a restaurant, it comes down seasoning. It is crucial for making the meat more flavorful and can positively impact its texture. Of course, the options are endless, but when Mashed asked steakhouse chefs for their favorite grocery store seasoning brands, one of them gave McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning the seal of approval.

"They have dozens of flavors, and they are all tasty," remarked Colin Clark, Executive Chef at Acqua Bistecca in Washington, D.C. "The basic cores of seasoning ingredients are salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Beyond that, I can go for one or two more ingredients, maybe paprika, pepper flakes, or chili powder." No wonder Clark likes this pantry powerhouse, since the brand's seasoning blend contains coarse salt, black and red pepper, garlic, onion, and paprika extract.

Montreal steak seasoning is famous for its coarse texture, which makes it great for grilling. That's because it chars into a thick exterior crust that can hold its own against high heat without burning as easily as finely ground spices. Furthermore, coarse spices stick to the meat and release their flavors at a slower pace. This McCormick spice-rack staple is deliciously versatile. The ingredients are versatile enough to use on other proteins, too. You can sprinkle it on chicken, ground beef, salmon, veggies (seriously — steak seasoning elevates produce to the savory veg hall of fame), and everything in between.

Montreal steak seasoning has a long history and McCormick has many variations nowadays

Hand seasoning a cooked steak on a cutting board

Mikhail Spaskov/Getty Images

While the exact backstory is unclear, the steak seasoning has purportedly existed since the 1940s. It is associated with Montreal because it was created by Morris "The Shadow" Sherman, a broilerman at a famous Montreal deli, Schwartz's. The spice blend, which has Romanian roots, was initially used on the eatery's smoked meat, Canada's equivalent to pastrami. But when Sherman tried it on broiled liver, diners begged to taste it on steak — and the rest is history. 

Chef Colin Clark said all of McCormick's Montreal steak seasonings are solid. Currently in the lineup are spicy, smoky, and chicken varieties. The hot version's ingredients read the same as the O.G., but likely contain more pepper. The smoky number has a natural hickory smoke flavor that adds barbecue flare. The chicken variety is most different, as it includes herbs, orange peel, bell pepper, and lemon.

In case Clark's rec doesn't sway you, see these five-star McCormick reviews. "As a dry rub for steaks and chops, this seasoning is the best ... the flavor blooms during searing," wrote one fan on the brand's website. "This is the most versatile seasoning, and anyone who cooks needs to add it to their lineup," claims another. One reviewer even said it converted her taste buds: "I hated using pepper on anything ... My boyfriend got spicy Montreal seasoning. I smelled it, tried it, [and] I now use two bottles a week."