Hey RICHT

[scotty]

I make a lot of corned beef and use the #1 pink salt-dq#1/prague powder etc as directed on the package. My corned beef always tastes great but is only red on the outer edges.
In some books the amount of pink salt per gallon seems to be 4 or 5 times what salt suppliers recomend for the nitrite laced salt.
Could you comment on this.

BTW I ALWAYS PUMP THE MEAT WHEN BRINING UNLESS INSTRUCTIONS STATE OTHERWISE


Scotty

 

[white cloud]

I dry cured mine along with alittle pumping and was pink clear thru

 

[scotty]

its a mystery

 

[richtee]

I don't use the Prague... I use Morton's Tenderquick. But how long do you leave them in the brine?

 

[scotty]

I left my first ones in the brine for the recomended time. I thim\nk it was a week Then adter that i left on in for 2 weeks and om leaving this for 3 weeks.
I thought that the longer brining would solve the problem.
The formula for the DQ cure #1 is 4 ounces for 100 pounds

I converted that to .04 ounces per pound then multiplied the amount by the weight of the meat. I made a gallon of brine and added that amount to the gallon. I placed the meat into a 2 gallon glass jar and poured the whole gallon in. I placed a plate on top to keep the meat submerged.

What other info would you like Rich. I really like the taste but the color kis dark. Perhaps it just needs more salt???

 

[richtee]

Salt is not what gives you the red color, it's the nitrates. Kutas' method calls for 1/3 cup in 5Q water...but it's for 25 lbs. It also calls for pumping 12-15% green <fresh> weight with the curing brine. With that curing time, I suspect you are using too weak a brine, however I have no experience with the prague. Can you get some TQ? It includes salt and is ready to go.

 

[supervman]

Go to Foodnetwork and look up Alton's way to make it. He uses Saltpetre to make it pink. (NO it doesn't do what we don't want it to) - You can buy it OTC but it's behind the Pharmacy counter as kids make some sort of bombs out of it with 2 liter pop bottles.

Saltpetre is Potassium Nitrate if that helps.

 

[richtee]

Yep...you can. And I make a nice fast black gunpowder out of it. But it's much safer to use a commercially available curing compound.

And what's nice about the TQ is you don't have to work with .04 Oz.. unless you have an accurate scale... that's tough. Of course I do... Hence the fine black powder I produce :{)

IF anyone's interested

 

[supervman]

Rich. I'm sendin your pkg off tomorrow.
I'm including one of my recipe disks.
You'll love it.
Thanks for the Smitty's.
V

 

[richtee]

Yer welcome- :{)