First shot at Pastrami...Need Advice

[Mulla]

OK...I picked up a brisket to try out the Pastrami recipe that jhurlbur had on the recipe site and it has been wet aging for the past 2 weeks in its cryo-vacced bag.  I took a look at the recipe and there are a few questions that I have regarding differences between this recipe and the ingredients that I was able to get.

1) It asks for 3oz of pink curing salt.  The pink curing salt that I got said 1oz for 25lbs of meat.  Should I use .5 oz (12lb brisket) or use what the recipe asked for? 

2) The brisket that I got was a full 12lbs untrimmed.  After trimming should I split the point from the flat or just rock the whole thing?

3) I assume the curing time depends on the amount of curing salt and/or the size of brisket.  Assuming that I don't split the brisket and use the full 3oz of curing salt should I expect to only have to cure for 5 days?

Thanks guys for the help!!!

[ArnieM]

Hi Mulla and welcome to the forum.

I'm new at this stuff myself so can't give much useful advice.  Personally, I'd separate the flat and point.  I'm using MTQ as the primary curing agent.  I don't yet know if I'm going to end up with corned beef or go for 'part 2' and do pastrami.

Here's a thread I started a few days ago.  You might find something helpful there. 

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=12998.0

There are a lot of people here with a bunch of experience.  I'm sure they'll chime in.

[KevinG]

Because each manufacturer of cure may use different amounts of salt, you should always use the manufacturers recommendation.

[Mulla]

Thanks Arnie, I saw your post and thread yesterday and that's when I saw that my ingredients were a bit different from yours and the archived recipe.  I find it hard to believe that the brisket will completely cure in only 5 days especially since it is 12lbs.  I was think more like 1-2 weeks.  Am I missing something?

--Mulla

[ArnieM]

Mulla,

Again, I can speak from my vast lack of experience  ;D

I believe the curing time is more related to the thickness rather than the weight, assuming of course there's enough cure in there.  That's one reason I'd separate the flat and point.  The point is usually a little 'thicker' and may need an extra day.

OK, I'm out of novice advice.  Where are you guys?  Pens, 10.5, CRG, squirt?  C'mon!

[squirtthecat]

OK, I'm out of novice advice.  Where are you guys?  Pens, 10.5, CRG, squirt?  C'mon!

Sorry!  Never cured anything yet...   I start my Pastrami from corned beef in a bag.

[FLBentRider]

Depending on the thickness, it should cure in 7 days or so.

As far as the cure - pink salt is the cure itself, and is usually mixed in a "cure mix" (containing cure#1(pink salt) salts, and sugar) like the one from Charcuterie or the commercial product Mortons Tender Quick.

Cure mix is usually 1TB per pound.

I'll review my notes when I get home and update this thread unless Habs gets to it first.

[KyNola]

Mulla,
I wouldn't think of putting 3 ounces of pink salt on 12 pounds of meat.  That is way too much.  You're correct, pink salt is 1 ounce per 25 pounds of meat.

KyNola

[Habanero Smoker]

The one ounce for 25 pounds of meat only pertains to sausage and using a dry cure. Jhurlbur recipe calls for a wet brine also know as a pickle. Do not get the two method confused. That calls for a certain proportion of  cure #1 and salt to a certain volume of water. So I would follow the recipe as directed; since it will probably take the full volume of brine to cover the brisket.

Also if you have a whole brisket I would separate the point from the flat and cure them separately, or just cure the flat for pastrami.

[KevinG]

Which recipe is he using?

[KyNola]

Good catch Habs.  Didn't realize it was a wet brine/pickle.

My apologies Mulla.  Habs knows what he's talking about, especially when it comes to pastrami.

KyNola

[Habanero Smoker]

Which recipe is he using?

Pastrami Recipe

[KevinG]

Aahaa, that makes a difference.

[Mulla]

Awesome.  Now we are starting to get somewhere.  Thanks for all the advice. 

Is there a sure fire way of knowing when is the right amount of time to leave it to cure?  The recipe says 5 days but is for a smaller cut.  Is the concensus that it should go for 7 days?  What happens if I go for like 10-12 days?

--Mulla

[FLBentRider]

The meat will start to firm up as it cures.

Cure it until there are no soft spots.

It will get saltier as you cure it longer.