Questions concerning curing meats

SciAggie

Ok, I've been thinking - and that's dangerous. I've about got the bread thing figured out to suit me.
(gratuitous pic)

I have cabbage turning into saurkraut on the counter in my kitchen. It will be ready in two more weeks. 
Hmmm - bread (check), saurkraut (check). If I only had some pastrami I could make a good sammich...

I have a select packer brisket in the freezer. I'm thinking it's a good candidate for curing and smoking for pastrami. I've never cured meat before but it seems straightforward enough.
I also haven't cured bacon before. Well, heck fire - if I'm going to cure brisket, why not cure some pork belly at the same time. If I do that I could fire up the offset and smoke them both together. 

Does anyone see any problem with this plan? My kids will be home for Christmas and this might be a nice treat.

theyolksonyou

Haven't wet cured bacon before, but it's possible. Give it a go. What's the worst thing that can happen?

SciAggie

theyolksonyou said:

Haven't wet cured bacon before, but it's possible. Give it a go. What's the worst thing that can happen?

Lol, I guess I wasn't clear. I was just thinking since they both cure for about 5-7 days I could "babysit" them together in a spare refrigerator. Then I could smoke them at the same time. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

They are both very easy and very rewarding. You couldn't pick 2 better things to start with. 

NPHuskerFL

Yes

bgebrent

You may want to smoke them separately as the smoke profile for each is usually different.  For example, I used hickory and oak on the pastrami I did recently.  I prefer fruitwood on my bacon.  I also smoke bacon at a lower temp.  As Blake states, it can be done.  Just consider the smoke profile you're after.

SciAggie

@bgebrent Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I'm needing. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SciAggie said:

@bgebrent Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I'm needing. 

I cold smoke bacon with an a maze n smoker anyway. I don't like hot smoked bacon as much. I use apple on bacon and oak on beef

SciAggie

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SciAggie said:

@bgebrent Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I'm needing. 

I cold smoke bacon with an a maze n smoker anyway. I don't like hot smoked bacon as much. I use apple on bacon and oak on beef

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a rookie and have no clue...

The Cen-Tex Smoker

SciAggie said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SciAggie said:

@bgebrent Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I'm needing. 

I cold smoke bacon with an a maze n smoker anyway. I don't like hot smoked bacon as much. I use apple on bacon and oak on beef

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a rookie and have no clue...

Just get an AMS (they are like $30) and put it in your cold egg. Clean it out so it does not ignite any lump and let it roll overnight. I use Trager applewood pellets and really like the flavor they give.

SciAggie

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SciAggie said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

SciAggie said:

@bgebrent Thanks. That's the sort of feedback I'm needing. 

I cold smoke bacon with an a maze n smoker anyway. I don't like hot smoked bacon as much. I use apple on bacon and oak on beef

Thanks for the feedback. I'm a rookie and have no clue...

Just get an AMS (they are like $30) and put it in your cold egg. Clean it out so it does not ignite any lump and let it roll overnight. I use Trager applewood pellets and really like the flavor they give.

I just put one in my cart on Amazon. Sent an email to my meat guy asking about pricing on pork belly, prime brisket, bone-in leg of lamb, and prime ribeyes. 
Let the wallet destruction begin...

gmac

Great starts. I've done lots of bacon. It's time to start getting into some harder stuff. Just cut up a pig and have a lot of trimmings. But dry curing and fermenting will be fun. Enjoy the bacon and pastrami. 

SciAggie

Ok y'all - I'm confused about the pink salt. I bought the Charcuterie book by Ruhlman. When he calls for pink salt, is that the Prauge #1 or is it something else? @The Cen-Tex Smoker @bgebrent @gmac

bgebrent

It's this.


Pm me if needed.  Ruhlman's is the "bible" for me.

SciAggie

@bgebrent Thanks

bgebrent

SciAggie said:

@bgebrent Thanks

Of course my friend.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Pink salt for your purposes is Prague #1

SciAggie

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

Pink salt is Prague #1

Thanks. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

Not sure where you live but They do sell it in bulk at Central market. If you don't have one of those nearby, you can buy on Amazon or Modernistpantry.com. I'll gladly send you some if you don't want to buy a big pack from either of those places. Academy sells it this time of year too (deer season) in the seasonal jerky/sausage making aisle. It's super cheap there. 

The Cen-Tex Smoker

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/bolner-fiesta-4-oz-curing-salt

This is so cheap- get it at academy if you can. 

SciAggie

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/bolner-fiesta-4-oz-curing-salt

This is so cheap- get it at academy if you can. 

I go to Academy in Abilene all the time. Thanks for the help.

jtcBoynton

SciAggie said:

Ok y'all - I'm confused about the pink salt. I bought the Charcuterie book by Ruhlman. When he calls for pink salt, is that the Prauge #1 or is it something else? @The Cen-Tex Smoker @bgebrent @gmac

Though it goes by several different brand and generic names, they all have the same formula of 93.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite (1 pound of salt plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite).  

CURE #1

Some Other Names:

Pink Salt;

Tinted Cure Mix (TCM);

Tinted Curing Powder (TCP);

Prague powder #1;

InstaCure #1;

Modern cure;

D.Q. powder;

FLP;

L.E.M. cure;

Sure Cure.           

Check the label to make sure it is 6.25% nitrite.  Check Ruhlman to make sure he is referring to the same nitrite levels.

There are other cures such as the Cure #2, Readycure, and Tender Quick.  These are NOT the same as the cure #1.

SciAggie

jtcBoynton said:

SciAggie said:

Ok y'all - I'm confused about the pink salt. I bought the Charcuterie book by Ruhlman. When he calls for pink salt, is that the Prauge #1 or is it something else? @The Cen-Tex Smoker @bgebrent @gmac

Though it goes by several different brand and generic names, they all have the same formula of 93.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite (1 pound of salt plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite).  

CURE #1

Some Other Names:

Pink Salt;

Tinted Cure Mix (TCM);

Tinted Curing Powder (TCP);

Prague powder #1;

InstaCure #1;

Modern cure;

D.Q. powder;

FLP;

L.E.M. cure;

Sure Cure.           

Check the label to make sure it is 6.25% nitrite.  Check Ruhlman to make sure he is referring to the same nitrite levels.

There are other cures such as the Cure #2, Readycure, and Tender Quick.  These are NOT the same as the cure #1.

Thanks for the clarafication. 

jtcBoynton

SciAggie said:

The Cen-Tex Smoker said:

http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/bolner-fiesta-4-oz-curing-salt

This is so cheap- get it at academy if you can. 

I go to Academy in Abilene all the time. Thanks for the help.

The Fiesta Cure is not the same as Cure #1. According to the folks at Fiesta, it uses nitrate. Cure #1 uses nitrite. 

If someone has some of this you may let us know how it is actually labeled. I suspect the nitrate info may be a typo by the ad people.

jtcBoynton

Just an update on the Fiesta cure.  I have seen additional info that lists the ingredients. As suspected it is actually sodium nitrite at 6.25%. So this is another version of Cure #1.  The other info from Fiesta appears to have been written by someone that doesn't know the difference between nitrite and nitrate. Or maybe an auto spell check that wasn't noticed.