Corned Beef Brine

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foamheart

Gone but not forgotten. RIP
Original poster
OTBS Member
I tryed to refashion Pop's a little for my brine recipe. I had about 4# of flat that wouldn't fit in the smoker with the brisket (dang nab little MES30!), Figured I would try corning it, and if it doesn't shrink too much then on to pastrami. Sounds like a good plan. If it works, I like it enough to dedicate a whole flat on the next one.

Heres what I figured out as a recipe:

4# flat probably less than 20% fat.

1/2 Gal of water (including ice)

1/2 C Sugar

1/3 C Canning Salt

2t. #1 Cure

2 Garlic toes, (don't worry I didn't use the good hard necks)

1/3t. Ground Cloves

2 large Bay Leaves

1/2t. Mustard Seeds

1/2t. Ground Coriander

1t. Thyme

1 1/2 T cracked pepper

It smells good, do you think its close to right on cure and ingredients?
 
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Sounds interesting, but the proof is in the puddin....or in the beef in this case!

Let us know how it turns out my friend!

You know I like q-view, so don't disappoint!  
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Bill
 
I am watching.

Making pastrami out of store corned beef this weekend.

If it turns out good I want to corn my own next time.
 
If you're going on to pastrami, I like coriander and juniper seeds in my brine. However, I am interested to see how yours turns out!

Disco
 
 
Sounds interesting, but the proof is in the puddin....or in the beef in this case!

Let us know how it turns out my friend!

You know I like q-view, so don't disappoint!  
30.gif


Bill
Thank yas Bill You know I will, But I really have no Qview except a gallon plastic bag Full of things that crawl and go bump i the night and a piece of flat. Its really more of an experiment. I like to try on something like this first before I jump in with a full packer. Besides I have to find something big enough to hold it all. LOL
 
I am watching.

Making pastrami out of store corned beef this weekend.

If it turns out good I want to corn my own next time.
C, I tried that with a store bought corned beef, but it shrunk down so dang small I didn't have enough to make a sandwich. It was really pretty pit-i-full..... Course I don't live where too much corned beef is consumed. They think its the St. Pady's meal mostly.
 
I think your recipe looks good.
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Thanks Todd, I really appreciate it since I usually try to do off shoots of Pops because it is just so good. I never know about cure (I usually have a good idea on cure, but the time thats a different story. As red as the corned beefs I have seen have been, must be a long brine though. I would have injected if the flat was thicker.
 
 
If you're going on to pastrami, I like coriander and juniper seeds in my brine. However, I am interested to see how yours turns out!

Disco
I did add some ground corriander, but didn't list it. I got it and the juniper berries just to make pastrami! I so wish I could make rye bread like Todd!

But you've got to admitt, we are having tons of fun at learning! And meeting some pretty fine folks too.

AND we have not even got to sausage yet! I have a huge cardboard box full of stuffies for sausage making though, its out grown to boxes already....LOL Its all because of BACON its the devil incarnate!
 
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I did add some ground corriander, but didn't list it. I got it and the juniper berries just to make pastrami! I so wish I could make rye bread like Todd!

But you've got to admitt, we are having tons of fun at learning! And meeting some pretty fine folks too.

AND we have not even got to sausage yet! I have a huge cardboard box full of stuffies for sausage making though, its out grown to boxes already....LOL Its all because of BACON its the devil incarnate!
Why can't you make rye bread? If I can, anyone can.
 
I can make light bread, biscuits, brioche, Hamburger buns, bagels, pretzels, even french bread.... but Rye I assume its that special additive, don't recall the name, but its a gluten builder? Whatever when I have tried to make rye in the past instead of a nice rise and a moist tight crumb I get something that looks like a nice irish soda bread. Flat without any body and all the moisture of the Saraha desert. But the taste is perfect if you use it for passover....LOL
 
 
I can make light bread, biscuits, brioche, Hamburger buns, bagels, pretzels, even french bread.... but Rye I assume its that special additive, don't recall the name, but its a gluten builder? Whatever when I have tried to make rye in the past instead of a nice rise and a moist tight crumb I get something that looks like a nice irish soda bread. Flat without any body and all the moisture of the Saraha desert. But the taste is perfect if you use it for passover....LOL
May I message you a good recipe (it is under copyright so I feel uncomfortable posting it)?
 
This is a picture just to hold your interest for the next few weeks, so don't stare too hard or fast and wear it out.


There is so much love in that bag, if I opened it up we'd jump from All Saints Day to St Valentines in a flash!
 
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Just adapt the Amish white bread recipe to rye, it'll come out perfectly. The recipe below is for very soft sandwich rye, if you want it a little more rustic, just up the ratio of rye flour to bread flour.

4 cups bread flour.

2 cups rye flour

2 cups water

2/3 cup mole asses (for light rye you can use light brown sugar or even white sugar)

1/4 cup oil

4TB Vital wheat gluten

2TB bread yeast

2TB caraway seeds. (for seedless bread you can grind them in a coffee grinder)

1tsp salt


 
I have never used the vital wheat gluten. I put in an order for Rye flour yesterday, but I am not expecting it this week. Rue flour isn't a normal stocked item here. They will have to talk to commodies salesman I am sure to get some because they wouldn't sell 2 bags a year....LOL This just ain't New York City. The reason I learned to make bagels and hot pretzels was for that same reason. Everyone likes 'em when ya make 'em but they never think of it otherwise. You have to feel sorry for folks that have never had a nice warm bagel with loxs and cream cheese. Or just a fresh bagel split and toasted. Or a vendor wagon with hot pretzels with the large crunchy salt and mustard on the bottom loop....

But people in New York probably never think of King Cakes with fruit and Creole cream cheese.

Thats why we learn....

Oh sorry, I appecaite the recipe, and I will put it to good use and report back! If I get where I can make rye, next its Pinwheel Bread!
 
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Its been 2 weeks, I opened the Zip-lock and wanted just to drink a glass of that brine.....Mmmmmmmm....... did it smell good!

Meat was cured extremely well, I patted and dried, rubbed down with crushed Juniper berries, ground coriander and ground Anjo Chili powder (I couldn't just be normal could I?).

I was going to leave out to dry but since I wasn't expecting it to for a pellicle I decided to cover in foil to keep those spice smells up close and personal.


I am wondering since its just a flat, if I could have cured/brines too long. I never cured or brined beef before. But we are here to learn right?


Still have the loins smoking, Probably be tomorrow. Sure smells good though! Thinking about possibly foiling w/ liquid and cooking in the oven, then when near done transferring to the smoker. LOL.. if I did that I could go ahead now.
 
I cooked mine on the smoker the whole time.  Wrapped in foil at 150 with broth and took IT to 190.
 
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