Curing Brine Pop Quiz.......

[diggingdogfarm]

:biggrin:

Can you spot the error in the following table?

The table is from the following link.......
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/hams-other-meats/hams

Further reference....
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage-making/curing/making-brine

~Martin :wink:

 

[davidhef88]

Don't you only need 1tbsp. Of cure #1 per gallon. I haven't done any curing yet, but have done some reading and that seems high.


David

 

[JckDanls 07]

I'm gonna say that sounds like a lot of salt

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Don't you only need 1tbsp. Of cure #1 per gallon. I haven't done any curing yet, but have done some reading and that seems high.
David

The cure amount is correct in the context of the example given, a 10% pump at no more than 200 ppm nitrite.

"ppm = lb. nitrite x % pick-up x 1,000,000/lb. pickle

Without weighing the meat, the only way to determine % pick-up of cured meat is by an educated guess based on previous experience. It is generally accepted that immersion cured hams (60° SAL) pick-up about 4% weight. If we add 4.2 ounces (120 g) of Cure #1 to 1 gallon of brine, the solution will contain 1973 ppm of sodium nitrite. At first sight it may seem that there is an excessive amount of nitrite in water. The answer is that only a small percentage will be absorbed by meat during the immersion process. At 4% pick-up the ham will absorb 79 ppm which will be just enough for any meaningful curing. At 10% pump (needle pumping) the same ham will contain 197 ppm of sodium nitrite which is in compliance with the government standard of 200 ppm. Pumping more than 10% or increasing the amount of cure in the solution will of course cross the limit."


~Martin

 

[fpnmf]

Too much cure...

  The maximum concentration allowed safely is 3.84 ounces per 1 gallon of brine (24 lbs.per 100 gallons: 16 oz. x 24 = 384 ounces, 1/100th is 3.84 ounces).

  What did I win???

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Nope, the cure amount is correct and within safe limits, see above.


~Martin

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Here are the numbers for checking to see if the cure amount is acceptable in the context in question......

ppm nitrite = (120g cure #1 X 6.25% nitrite) X 10% X 1,000,000 ÷ 3,800g water

120 X .0625= 7.5g nitrite

7.5 X .10 = 0.75

.75 X 1,000,000 = 750000

750000 ÷ 3800 = 197.36 ppm nitrite, which is within the safe limit of 200 ppm for an immersion cure.

~Martin

 

[jalan43]

Not enough sugar.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

The sugar amount is trivial, it can be whatever level you wish, including none at all.

~Martin

 

[daveomak]

Martin.... Is this rate safe for doing bacon..... I thought bacon was 120 Ppm max nitrite for immersion and pumped cured.....  Dave

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Martin.... Is this rate safe for doing bacon..... I thought bacon was 120 Ppm max nitrite for immersion and pumped cured.....  Dave

No, 200ppm nitrite is not correct or safe for bacon, they're curing a ham in the example.


~Martin

 

[roller]

The water amount is wrong...Ha !

 

[diggingdogfarm]

The water amount is wrong...Ha !

Nice try!

:biggrin:

~Martin

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Hint: JckDanls 07 is on the right track, but there's a very specific and fundamental brine error.


~Martin

 

[s2k9k]

Well if it's not the water and not the cure and the sugar doesn't matter then it has to be the salt but how can the salt make it not safe? I checked all the conversions and they are correct.

Is one of the words misspelled, I didn't check that!

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Well if it's not the water and not the cure and the sugar doesn't matter then it has to be the salt but how can the salt make it not safe? I checked all the conversions and they are correct.
Is one of the words misspelled, I didn't check that!

Nope, all the spelling looks correct.
It's not a trivial error, it's a technical error.
And yes, it does have something to do with the salt.

~Martin

 

[JckDanls 07]

should be a capitol S on Salt ?.. hell.. I dunno...:biggrin:

 

[diggingdogfarm]

should be a capitol S on Salt ?.. hell.. I dunno...:biggrin:

:biggrin:


~Martin

 

[daveomak]

When the salt was added, it did not take into account the salt in the cure....  

4.2 oz cure = 3.9 oz salt

60 deg brine needs 21.7 oz salt + 4.2 oz cure (3.9 oz salt) to equal 25.6 oz salt in the brine

 

[diggingdogfarm]

When the salt was added, it did not take into account the salt in the cure....  

4.2 oz cure = 3.9 oz salt

And the crowd cheers!!!!!! LOL

That's correct!!! :biggrin:

Sure ain't no 60 degree brine, it's about 68 degree!!!
Almost 4 ounces of salt can make a big difference in a gallon of water!



~Martin