Wet cure ratios per 1lb of beef
Ingredients
Directions
Combine cure ingredients and blend well. Marinate meat at least 24 hours, up to a week.
Dry/smoke meat per usual. If using PP#1, jerky is shelf stable up to 1 week, or up to 1 month refrigerated.
Specialty equipment: This process requires a vacuum sealer and Prague Powder #1 curing salt.
The amounts for the salt, sugar and Prague Powder are based on the mass of meat to be cured, and given as ratios per kilogram of meat.
Select a brisket flat with even thickness and minimal hard fat. Trim brisket, removing hard fat, silver skin and extra fat from the fat cap. Leave approximately ¼ in of fat on the fat cap.
Weigh the trimmed brisket and calculate the measures for salt, sugar and Prague Powder. Combine salt, sugar, Prague Powder, garlic and ginger in a bowl. Working on a rimmed baking sheet coat brisket on all sides, using all of the cure. Brisket may need to rest and “tack up” for all of the cure to adhere. Excess cure will be added to the vacuum bag before sealing.
Measure out spices and blitz several seconds in a spice or blade grinder, or coarsely crush in a mortar. Sprinkle spices over the meat on both sides paying more attention to the underside, opposite of the fat cap.
Place meat in a vacuum bag and collect any loose cure or spices remaining on the baking sheet into the bag. Spread excess cure in the bag, ensuring even coverage. Vacuum then seal the bag, and refrigerate up to 10 days. Flip the package over daily and gently massage the liquid to redistribute.
Remove meat from vacuum bag after 7 or 10 days, and rinse in cold water. Meat may be cooked immediately, or resealed and frozen.
Corned beef will be very salty straight from the brine. When braising or boiling, the meat will seek an equilibrium with the cooking liquid. If the cooking method uses unsalted or low salt liquid, soaking may not be necessary. Refer to the recipe for soaking recommendations.
If roasting, smoking or cooking sous vide, the meat should be soaked in cold fresh water for one hour to reduce the salt. For further salt reduction, soak up to 2 hours changing the water every 20 to 30 minutes.
Adapted from Serious Eats: Corned Beef Brisket, Potatoes, Cabbage, and Carrots for St. Patrick’s Day Recipe
This is experimental, use at your own risk. Annotations and observations to follow.
Prepare beef brisket, trimming silver skin and fat. Reduce fat cap to ¼” thickness. Set aside.
Combine water, salt, sugar, Prague Powder and spices in a pot and raise to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes, until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Combine beef brisket and cooled brine in a 2 gallon freezer bag, displacing air. Refrigerate 10 days, flipping daily to distribute cure.
After 10 days, rinse beef well to remove excess cure and spices, discarding brine. Refrigerate meat up to 2 weeks, or prepare as normal.
Tangy maple and sage brine for turkey, up to 14 lb.
Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt. Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved. Cool brine to room temperature. Whisk mustard powder into vinegar and set aside. Prepare a bouquet garni of sage and bay leaves.
Combine ingredients in a non-reactive vessel and top up with ice water.
Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered. Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry. Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.
Apple and maple with herbs and aromatics. For up to 12 lb birds.
Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt. Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved. Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.
Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered. Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry. Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.
Apple and maple with fall spices and aromatics. For up to 12 lb birds.
Raise 2 cups of water to a boil and add salt. Simmer 3 minutes until salt is dissolved. Cool brine to room temperature, and combine remaining ingredients in a non-reactive vessel.
Clean and truss turkey, and add to brine ensuring the turkey is completely covered. Refrigerate covered up to 24 hours. After 24 hours, rinse turkey and pat dry. Refrigerate uncovered overnight allowing skin to dry, allowing for a crispier finish.
Trying some pickled eggs today. Being lazy, I used store bought hard boiled eggs, because I hate peeling them.
First, sanitize a wide mouth, quart sized canning jar. Place the open jar and lid in a large pot and boil at least 5 minutes. Remove and empty the jar, and fill with hard boiled eggs. All 12 eggs should fit easily in the jar with plenty of room for brine. Set aside.
Next, I whipped up a quick brine.
Combine the brine ingredients in a small saucepan and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over eggs packed in the sanitized quart jar. Seal the jar and allow to cool. You may process the jar by boiling for 5 minutes of you plan to keep the eggs for more than a couple weeks. Refrigerate for 48 hours or up to 3 weeks. Flavor will improve with time.