Did I kill Pop's Brine?

[yance]

I mixed up a batch of Pop's brine for some CB and since I have an "open" spring for my water source I brought the brine to a boil then chilled it in ice water.  Loin stayed in the brine for two weeks.  I tried a slice last night to test for salt, and besides being a little too salty the texture wasn't what I was expecting.

Did boiling kill the cureing agent in my brine?

TIA

Yance

 

[DanMcG]

I'd say yes. You should boil the water, salt and spices, then let them cool ..... then add you cure.

 

[Bearcarver]

I'd say yes. You should boil the water, salt and spices, then let them cool ..... then add you cure.

X2

Bear

 

[woodcutter]

I would boil the water only. Mix everything together after it cools and then add your meat.

 

[shoneyboy]

I would boil the water only. Mix everything together after it cools and then add your meat.

2 X's

 

[daveomak]

I think I read somewhere that temps above 135 nitrite goes bad or something...  I think nepas has posted some magic number to NOT raise the temp above...  

Boil the water first, add spices and seasonings when water gets below 135 and wait to add the cure when the marinade gets below 60 deg.... that is what I try to do....

I have no proof or resource to point to.... Just seems 135 will help release oils etc from spices... and since cure #1 is designed to be used below 40 deg, I try to keep it in that temp range... 

 

[chilefarmer]

X3 on what woodcutter said. CF

 

[yance]

Oh well, just out $10.00 and 2 weeks time.  Didn't like the onion/garlic flavor in it anyway.  Guess now we'll start over with BBB since butts are on sale for 99¢/lb at my store this week.

Thanks for the replies.

 

[Bearcarver]

Oh well, just out $10.00 and 2 weeks time.  Didn't like the onion/garlic flavor in it anyway.  Guess now we'll start over with BBB since butts are on sale for 99¢/lb at my store this week.

Thanks for the replies.

$99 cents ???

Wow---I haven't seen that around here in years!!!!

I'd make BBB too!!!

Bear

 

[fpnmf]

$99 cents ???

Wow---I haven't seen that around here in years!!!!

I'd make BBB too!!!

Bear

I just bought 4 two paks  for 1.15.....

P4010007.JPG

• fpnmf
• Apr 3, 2013
• 1

 

[fwismoker]

Add cure to brine???    The salt and sugar in the brine is a cure so what exactly are you all talking about?  http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/DJsBriningBook.pdf

OP, i wouldn't brine longer than a couple of days.  This guide on brining might help you. 

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Add cure to brine???    The salt and sugar in the brine is a cure so what exactly are you all talking about?  http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/Downloads_files/DJsBriningBook.pdf

OP, i wouldn't brine longer than a couple of days.  This guide on brining might help you. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

You need to read this

 

[fwismoker]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

You need to read this

Yea i read it, there still isn't any need at all to use something like pink salt in a brine if you're going to hot smoke it.  Things like hams and  cold smoking sausage of course you do but not for hot smoking. 

 

[daveomak]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

You need to read this

Yea i read it, there still isn't any need at all to use something like pink salt in a brine if you're going to hot smoke it.  Things like hams and  cold smoking sausage of course you do but not for hot smoking. 

FWIsmoker.....  The originator of the thread was trying to make bacon....bacon and ham must have nitrite to make the conventional product most of us are looking for... If you just brine it without cure, you are making smoked pig belly and smoked pig leg....  Ham and bacon have a texture, color and taste only nitrite can give it....  

On this forum, safety is a primary concern....  we give our members advice with safety in mind...  cure pretty much eliminates botulism... 

There are lots of methods on the web.... some are dangerous... there are misprints etc.... We are not perfect here but there are enough folks whom are knowledgeable and the errors I make are caught by others so misinformation is not passed on....

Dave

 

[fwismoker]

Dave i had it in my head the op was cooking something else.... if someone is curing bacon of course they should use cure.  The "CB" just threw me off, way too many acronyms on here! lol

 

[yance]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

That was the recipe I used, but I was wondering if I'd just made a cauldron of poison by cooking the pink salt when I boiled my brine.

I tried another slice from the center of the second half of the loin after an overnight soak in cold water.  There is no "off" smell  or taste and the meat is firm.  If I didn't make "poison", then really I just have seasoned loin chunks to hot smoke.

Another question about amounts and times, in Bruce Aidel's  book his brine uses something like 4 Tbs per gallon and curing for only 2-3 days.  Even injecting would something like CB cure in that short a time?

 

[woodcutter]

4 Tbs of cure #1 is too much for Pop's brine. Pop's advises 8-10 days for buckboard bacon

Here is what Pop has in his thread.

Curing times vary with meat, but generally overnight to 2-3 days for chickens and turkeys, 8-10 days buckboard bacon, 10-14 days belly bacon, pork shoulder, whole butts, 3-4 weeks whole hams, 10-20 days corned beef (fresh beef roasts, briskets, rolled rib roasts, etc.)   If whole muscle is more than 2" thick, then inject so it can cure i/o as well as o/i, and/or in and around bone structures, etc.

You can add any other flavorings you'd like, this is just the basic curing brine. 1 heaping tablespoon of cure is about 1 ounce.  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).  You can experiment with different concentrations as long as you keep it between those parameters:

 

[yance]

Yup, I'd already read that, that's why I was asking about Aidel's amounts and times.

 

[daveomak]

Dave i had it in my head the op was cooking something else.... if someone is curing bacon of course they should use cure.  The "CB" just threw me off, way too many acronyms on here! lol

I totally understand.... I replied thinking new folks may think no cure was acceptable.... Not a personal attack... please don't take it that way...  I have read threads and replied... then reread the thread and had to edit my answer MANY times...   seems the old brain finishes the paragraph before I get started...   Someday I will learn to read twice and type once.... HAAHHHAHHA

Dave

 

[woodcutter]

Yup, I'd already read that, that's why I was asking about Aidel's amounts and times.

I've only brined with Pop's brine. I have used a few dry rubs but the cure times were the same. Hopefully someone can answer your question.