Corned Beef Brine???

[dirtworldmike]

Good Morning all. I have a question

I have had this small brisket point soaking in brine/cure for 10 days. Still a little red in the center, is this ok??? It's only about 1 1/2" thick. Thanks!

 

[Chasdev]

As long as you cook it.

 

[TNJAKE]

What's in your brine

 

[dirtworldmike]

My brine was:
2 gals water
1 1/2 cps Kosher salt
4 tea spoons pink salt.
1/4 cup pickling spices.
Didn't inject, just soaked and turned every day. 9 lbs of meat. (3 lb. point and 6 lb. flat)

Surprised that after 10 days, cure didn't penetrate all the way through the meat that was only 1 1/2" thick??

 

[Brokenhandle]

You're a little light on cure. Pop's brine calls for 1 Tbsp of cure 1 per gallon (3 tsp) so you should have used 6 tsp cure for 2 gallons of water

Ryan

 

[dirtworldmike]

Well that explains it.. Guess I'll have to go heavier on the cure next time. Thanks!

 

[SmokinAl]

It will turn red when you cook it.
Al

 

[SmokinEdge]

From a equilibrium cure stand point, you are just 1tsp short on cure. That’s close. Given your 10 day soak, I would guess an uptake of about 70-80 ppm nitrite. That is enough to do the job. That red spot is actually cure that wasn’t exposed to oxygen. For your own information, slice off a 1/4 “ slice and see the inside. Color will be more uniform. At any rate I am confident that when cooked it all will be pink meat. It is cured. Light, but cured the same.

 

[dirtworldmike]

From a equilibrium cure stand point, you are just 1tsp short on cure. That’s close. Given your 10 day soak, I would guess an uptake of about 70-80 ppm nitrite. That is enough to do the job. That red spot is actually cure that wasn’t exposed to oxygen. For your own information, slice off a 1/4 “ slice and see the inside. Color will be more uniform. At any rate I am confident that when cooked it all will be pink meat. It is cured. Light, but cured the same.

Thanks!! Ya I pulled that point from the cure and cut it in half and that's what the center looked like. I haven't cured anything in a long time so I guess I was a little rusty..

I separated the point and flat from a Sam's Club Prime whole brisket(16 lb.) Used the point for corned beef(froze and vac sealed for use at a later date) and smoked the flat for pastrami. Everything seams to have turned out pretty good, Thanks again everybody!!!

Q of the strami: