BRADLEY SMOKER | "Taste the Great Outdoors"

Smoking Techniques => Curing => Topic started by: JZ on November 13, 2012, 10:27:24 AM

Title: Corned Beef
Post by: JZ on November 13, 2012, 10:27:24 AM
After a successful pastrami I figured I would have a go at some corned beef so here goes. First the meat, which is half of an outside round roast.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/JZ-bucket/Sausage/e274.jpg)
Then the brine, I used brown sugar instead of white thus the color. This smells great. Injected a 10% brine which was a lot.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/JZ-bucket/Sausage/e275.jpg)
Then into a container and pour the remaining brine over top of it. Then into the fridge for a few days. The recipe books I have say to fridge it for 3 to 4 days but I've seen posts by others that went for 10 days to 3 weeks. I think I will go 10 days.
(http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t310/JZ-bucket/Sausage/e276.jpg)
In case someone notices the meat floating, I added a plate after the pic to hold the meat down. :)
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: SiFumar on November 14, 2012, 02:32:18 PM
Great start!
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: ratherbboating on November 14, 2012, 03:04:39 PM
What are you brimming it with? 
Looks good.
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: JZ on November 14, 2012, 03:40:50 PM
I used this brine from Ruhlmans book :Charcuterie - The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing".

    4 liters water
    450 grams kosher salt
    100 grams sugar
    25 grams pink salt (5 tsp)
    3 garlic cloves, minced
    2 tablespoons/20 grams Pickling Spice

I omitted the garlic and sub'd brown sugar for the white. I bought pickling spice instead of making my own because I did not have some of the ingredients.
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: Keymaster on November 14, 2012, 06:33:15 PM
Lookin Good JZ!!!
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: Habanero Smoker on November 15, 2012, 03:10:49 AM
You don't have to brine it that long; especially if you are injecting. Five days should be all the time you need. When I see long brining times, I believe they are based on modified old recipes that used saltpeter to cure the meat, but were rewritten for cure #1. Sodium nitrite is a fast cure, and you really don't need those lengthy cure times.
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: JZ on November 15, 2012, 09:14:25 AM
Maybe I'll just go 5 days then for this first try. The good news would be that I get to eat it sooner. ;D
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: Caribou on November 15, 2012, 12:29:30 PM
Ooooo!
This is going to be good :)
You've got me wanting to make a beef pastrami, too.
Carolyn
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: JZ on November 15, 2012, 12:43:55 PM
QuoteYou've got me wanting to make a beef pastrami, too.
Carolyn

Is your elk pastrami already gone? :o
Title: Re: Corned Beef
Post by: Caribou on November 15, 2012, 01:59:12 PM
The un-frozen part is!! ;D
I do have some in the freezer, I froze half of it.
But I have a couple smaller briskets in my freezer too begging to become pastrami ;)
Carolyn