Containers for brining brisket

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NorthStarCarnivore

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Original poster
Feb 28, 2021
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Does anyone have a good recommendation for a container to use when brining a brisket? What I've been doing is just putting it in a giant Ziploc bag, which works, but also means I spend a week living in fear that I'll open the fridge and see that sticky brine water has leaked all over the place (if my wife hasn't murdered me yet).

So, what I'm looking for is something rigid. I usually buy a whole brisket, separate the point and flat, and brine them in separate bags, but it'd be just fine to brine them together in the same container if it works. A preference, but not a necessity, is for the containers to be stackable if I get more than one.
 
I use the Sterilite containers from Walmart. Cheap and they're stackable.

Q: What materials are used to manufacture Sterilite products?
A:
Our products are made of polypropylene and polyethylene that are safe for food storage. No PVCs, Latex, Teflon, Phthalates chemicals, fungicides, Bishphenol A (BPAs), or antibacterial chemicals are used in our manufacturing process.
 
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I use the 15” vac bags & use a dry cure. I think the final product has a much better flavor & taste than a wet brine. Just weigh the brisket & use the cure calculator that most of us use. That will give you the proper amounts of salt, sugar, & cure #1. You can add other spices to suit your own taste. Here is the link. http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
Al
 
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hmmmm Never done a dry rub. I'll have to search around for the recipe on here. I know it's here somewhere. :D

As for the container, I use a large vacuum sealer bag.
 
I use the 15” vac bags & use a dry cure. I think the final product has a much better flavor & taste than a wet brine. Just weigh the brisket & use the cure calculator that most of us use. That will give you the proper amounts of salt, sugar, & cure #1. You can add other spices to suit your own taste. Here is the link. http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
Al
Al,

I was looking at the digging dog farms calculator and was wondering if the amounts shown are the accepted amounts or just a default number:

Cure #1 % Nitrite 6.25%
Salt % Desired 2%
Sugar % Desired 1%
PPM Nitrite 156

I guess what I am asking is if I wanted to cure a brisket to make Pastrami or Corned Beef should I just punch in the weight and accept the percentages that are already in the chart?

Thanks for your help,

John
 
Last edited:
Haven't brined a brisket , but I have a 15 or 18 qt rubbermaid clear container with lid. That would work pretty good and totally food safe. I also have a few LEM meat lugs with lids that would hold as well.
I feel the panic with having done bacon in bags. Started putting bags in the tote just to be safe.
Good luck!
 
This style container with the corresponding lid would work and stack with others. Searching restaurant supply sites for 'plastic hotel pan' will get you a lot of options.
Screenshot_20210301-074429~2.png
 
Al,

I was looking at the digging dog farms calculator and was wondering if the amounts shown are the accepted amounts or just a default number:

Cure #1 % Nitrite 6.25%
Salt % Desired 2%
Sugar % Desired 1%
PPM Nitrite 156

I guess what I am asking is if I wanted to cure a brisket to make Pastrami or Corned Beef should I just punch in the weight and accept the percentages that are already in the chart?

Thanks for your help,

John
The cure cannot be changed, but you can adjust salt & sugar.
 
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What I've been doing is just putting it in a giant Ziploc bag, which works, but also means I spend a week living in fear that I'll open the fridge and see that sticky brine water has leaked all over the place (if my wife hasn't murdered me yet).
I double bag everything I brine in Ziplocks of any size for just that reason. I have had one of the larger bags leak into the outer bag, but only once. I was brining a turkey.

That said, I don't have the refrigerator space for brining the big stuff. Briskets and turkeys are brined in a Ziplock bag in a Coleman Xtreme 3 day cooler. I throw a couple of frozen half-gallon, water-filled milk jugs in the cooler. Depending how long you are going to brine, just switch out the jugs with more frozen ones every 24-36 hours. Re-freeze the ones you just replaced. You actually don't need to use the bags if the cooler is sanitized, but it makes cleanup SOOOO much easier.
 
I do the same as Murray Murray and use grocery store buckets. Both the bakery an the deli get things in buckets. One store sells them for $1 unless they recognize you as a regular shopper. I have 2 gallon and 3.5 gallon ones. I buy 5 gallon brining bags and use those for easier clean-up.
 
Does anyone have a good recommendation for a container to use when brining a brisket? What I've been doing is just putting it in a giant Ziploc bag, which works, but also means I spend a week living in fear that I'll open the fridge and see that sticky brine water has leaked all over the place (if my wife hasn't murdered me yet).

So, what I'm looking for is something rigid. I usually buy a whole brisket, separate the point and flat, and brine them in separate bags, but it'd be just fine to brine them together in the same container if it works. A preference, but not a necessity, is for the containers to be stackable if I get more than one.
I ask my local grocery store for their empty frosting containers. They are food grade and usually give them away or ask for .75 cents for larger ones and .25cents for the smaller ones. I also use these to collect my maple sap and store my wood pellets.
 
I use a baggie too and set it in a pie plate in case it wants to take a leak. You gotta use what works! Good Luck
 
Al,

I was looking at the digging dog farms calculator and was wondering if the amounts shown are the accepted amounts or just a default number:

Cure #1 % Nitrite 6.25%
Salt % Desired 2%
Sugar % Desired 1%
PPM Nitrite 156

I guess what I am asking is if I wanted to cure a brisket to make Pastrami or Corned Beef should I just punch in the weight and accept the percentages that are already in the chart?

Thanks for your help,

John

Personally I just use the default numbers, but as said above you can change the salt & sugar, but not the cure#1. The default works very well for us, I never have to soak the brisket after the cure, just rinse the cure off and dry it & add whatever spices you are going to use. We like just cracked black pepper, then right into the smoker.
Al
 
Wow, thanks for all the great suggestions, everyone! Lots of good options out there.

I use the 15” vac bags & use a dry cure. I think the final product has a much better flavor & taste than a wet brine. Just weigh the brisket & use the cure calculator that most of us use. That will give you the proper amounts of salt, sugar, & cure #1. You can add other spices to suit your own taste. Here is the link. http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
Al

I'm intrigued by this. Would you recommend it for corned beef or pastrami, or just straight up smoked brisket?
 
I have The Briner. Works great for for brining. Has a piece inside to keep the meat under the liquid.
 
I will say I only dry cure meat but brine other meats
 
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