Did I Screw Up With Cure #1?

[Braz]

Making pastrami from an eye of round. I made up a wet cure/brine which I brought to a boil then cooled. I put 1.5 TBSP of Cure #1 in the mix before I heated it and only just now learned that heat will break down the nitrite. It has been curing in the refrigerator for five days now. I was shooting for a 12 day cure.

Will this turn out OK? Should I add more Cure #1 now or just let it go?

Thanks.

 

[daveomak]

Theoretically, about 80-90% of the nitrite is broken down when stuff is heated in a commercial smoker when sausage etc. is smoked and cooked.. anyway from all the "post smoking" testing that has been done... Soooooo, if you can weigh the meat and brining liquid you could safely add 80 % of recommended... 1.13 grams per pound of stuff, you will be fine.. If you added the recommended amount of cure #1 at the start of the process, 1.13 grams of cure #1 per pound, 1 tsp. per 5#'s of stuff, even if all the nitrite has been broken down, your strami will be ~ 124 Ppm nitrite which is fine....
I would add the cure #1 to the batch.. at 80% rate...
What was your original recipe ????

 

[Braz]

Thanks Dave. The recipe is:
1G water
1/3 c pickling salt
2 bay leaves
1/8 c gran. garlic
3 tbsp thyme
1 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp pepper
1.5 tbsp cure #1

The eye of round was about 5 pounds.

 

[daveomak]

With the 1 G water and other stuff, and 5#'s meat, you have about 15#'s of stuff... I would add 1 level TBS. of PP#1 to the mix and mix thoroughly and inject some of the new brine mix into the meat.. It is recommended to inject meat over 2" thick... inject as much as it will hold.. then start the 12 day cure over... I would also shoot for 21 days in the cure in the refer.. if possible..

 

[Braz]

Thanks for your help Dave. I did as you recommend and started the clock over. I didn't inject it as I had split the eye in half lengthwise so each half is about 2" thick. That, and I don't have an injector - yet.

 

[daveomak]

Splitting the roast in half is a good idea... Cuts down on curing time and cooking time... also, makes for sandwich size slices when done....
I haven't made strami in quite awhile... I should do that... Homemade is really good...