Cure Length

[eztantz]

Hi Guys,

New here to the forum although I've been lurking around for the past few months and learned quite alot. So thank you all for that.

I had a question regarding the maximum length of cure time if there is any. I've been making corned beef and tongues using Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie recipe - 4 teaspoons cure to 1 gallon water. (I know about pop's brine which is 1 tablespoon per gallon but I used Ruhlmans before I found the forum so I kinda stuck with it.)

Is there a max length for curing time - I have a tongue sitting in brine for close to 4 weeks. 

Here is the exact breakdown:  Originally had 1 gallon brine with 4 teaspoons cure and placed a 3 pound tongue and 5 pound brisket together in the brine. After a week cut brisket in half to taste...wanted stronger flavor so I put the remaining half of brisket in a ziplock bag with about 1/3 of the brine and put the tongue in a separate bag with another 1/3 of the brine. Remaining brisket was eaten 2 weeks ago and flavor was excellent but I sorta forgot about the tongue till the other day. Still sitting in brine as I write this.

Smells fine but nervous about

1) Nitrite level - does nitrite level increase as time goes on? Is there a point where it will absorb more than the safe level of nitrite? Or as long as I followed a safe recipe the nitrite level will be fine?

2) Bacteria? I know its cured but how long can it last in the fridge and still be safe to eat?

Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Eli

 

[daveomak]

You are fine....     Cure #1 should be added at a rate of 1 tsp. cure #1 per 5 pounds of stuff.... 

So, 1 gal. of water + salt and sugar weighs about 10#'s.....    Add 8#'s total of tongue and brisket puts the total weight at approx. 18#'s of stuff including the brine / cure solution....    4 tsp. of cure put your close enough there is no problem....

Time in the brine / cure mix...  generally 2 weeks up to a month will work...   

You are using what is called an equilibrium brine / cure mix...   It needs to be in the solution and in the refer long enough for everything to penetrate the meat fully...  7 days per inch of thickness is the general rule...  longer allows for the sugar to penetrate deeper into the meat because it is a larger molecule....   longer times allow the sugar to offset the salt taste...    All is good....   You are golden.....