Prague Powder #1

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jjp1991

Newbie
Original poster
Jan 17, 2015
16
10
Bethesda MD
I'm curing a 13 pound brisket in a 3 gallon brine to make a pastrami and using prague powder #1.   This my first time using the curing salt.  The brine called for about 2 and half cups of salt for the 3 gallons of water.  I substituted the curing salt which was about 14 oz.   I understand that the curing salt is primarily salt, over 90%, but is using this in what I have now learned is a disproportionate amount going to have a bad effect on the pastrami? 
 
Thanks.  I appreciate the response.  I found additional info at the link below which clarifies that the 1 tsp for 5 lb is for a dry cure and that for a brine 4 oz per gallon is recommended.  Since I'm using 3 gallons, I should be okay.  Let me know if you think otherwise.  Here is the link to the info. 

http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing
 
I have only ever used pops brine which I provided the link to. Lots of us on this website use that one. It struck me kind of hard that your brine is using 4 times as much cure number 1. After reading that great article by the way, thanks. I see that 4 oz is the max. Interested to see the results. His full strength brine is 1 oz per gallon.
 
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Thanks.  I also checked the label on the curing salt and it did recommend a 24lb/100gallon mix for a 10% pump for injection which would translate to about 3/4 lb, or 12 oz, per 3 gallons.  Adding a bit more water to the brine just to be safe.  Thanks again for the follow-up.  
 
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Thanks.  I also checked the label on the curing salt and it did recommend a 24lb/100gallon mix for a 10% pump for injection which would translate to about 3/4 lb, or 12 oz, per gallon.  Adding a bit more water to the brine just to be safe.  Thanks again for the follow-up.  
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/making-bacon

Full Strength Curing Brine

1 Gallon clean, cold, potable water

1 cup plain (non-iodized) regular table salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 oz. (heaping tablespoon) of cure #1 curing salt
 
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Hi JJP

A quick calculation of your brine strength...

14 ozs of cure = 396 grams

3 US gallons = 11.35 litres

At 6.25% Nitrite the amount in the cure = 396 x 0.0625 = 24.75 grams of Nitrite in 11.35 litres = 2.152 grams per litre
 
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Hi JJP

A quick calculation of your brine strength...

14 ozs of cure = 396 grams
3 US gallons = 11.35 litres

At 6.25% Nitrite the amount in the cure = 396 x 0.0625 = 24.75 grams of Nitrite in 11.35 litres = 2.152 grams per litre

2.152 grams = 2152 mg per litre = 2152 Ppm

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...prague-salt-1-or-2-for-curing/40#post_1278883

As the maximum permitted ingoing Nitrite Ppm in the bacon brine is 120 Ppm your brine is nearly 20 times too strong (17.93 x)

Sorry, but that's not the correct way to calculate an immersion brine with 10% pick-up and we need to know ALL the ingredients (and their weights) that went into the brine.
 
Yes - That is why I immediately retracted it after posting. You must have replied within the minute I took to take it off. I realised I had not taken the weight of everything into account
 
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Who came with this 10% pickup ratio? I saw it in a lot of places. If that's how much nitrite the meat picks up how do weak brines like pop's still work?
 
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