Corned beef

[Northern_Hunting_Mom]

Saltpetre is a nitrate. Cure #1 uses a nitrite with regular salt to help prevent an overdose. A nitrate is best for long and slow curing, slow as in months like dried sausages that are hung at room temperature. Nitrate slowly converts to nitrite. Saltpetre curing requires a longer curing time than Cure #1 so the nitrate can convert to nitrite and thus be safer to eat. I remember reading that saltpetre (nitrate curing) is best for dry curing that takes months or wet curing that takes 4 weeks or longer. An additional curing agent on top of coarse salt can shorten curing time and adds further bacterial prevention. Due to the shortened curing time and needing less coarse salt, the salty taste can be reduced. Thinner cuts of meat can be cured with just coarse salt and sugar (which has curing properties as well but adding salt greatly helps). Thicker cuts are greatly helped with additional curing agents, injecting helps this too.

Wet curing is different from a brine. It takes almost daily checking of flipping meat and absolutely making sure the meat is completely submerged.

[Habanero Smoker]

As mentioned saltpeter is a nitrate; potassium nitrate. Nitrates have no curing properties and must convert to nitrites before any curing can begin. Thus it will take a longer curing time. In your case the 14 days should be sufficient, using it in a wet brine.

Here is a link that explains the difference in the major commercial curing salts. Where measurements are given; those measurements are based on the amounts you use for sausage making.
Curing Salts

For some great information on brining, the below link just about covers everything:
Making Brine

[Thompsoncentre]

Thanks everyone, that's a lot,of useful info!
So what if I left it in longer then 14 days? I wont be able to smoke it during the week so it will have to be on the weekend so what if I went 21 days? Or when I take it out of the brine how long can I keep in fridge before I smoke?

[Habanero Smoker]

If you are using the saltpeter, you could brine for 21 days, but the longer you brine the saltier it will become.

If you are using cure #1, you should keep your brining times as close to 3 - 4 days as you can, but if you have to go longer; I would not brine over 10 day; 14 maximum if using cure #1.

The better choice would be to delay the start of the curing process, so that the end of the cure time is much closer to the time you are able to smoke/cook.

Either way you cure, after removing from the brine you should not refrigerate over 7 days before smoke/cooking.

[Thompsoncentre]

Oh really? So I could smoke it this weekend then? I put in brine Monday. So if I smoked Sunday that would be 6 days. And yes I used cure #1

[Habanero Smoker]

With the size and thickness of your cut, your corned beef will be cured in that time. It should only take 3 - 4 days to fully cure, so 6 days it will definitely be cured. If you are unsure, a good indicator (but not foolproof) is that you can test for firmness. The meat should fell like the your thumb pad when you make  a tight fist.

[Thompsoncentre]

Wish you lived closer I would deffinetly be buying you a case of beer!
Thanks for your help!

[Thompsoncentre]

I'm going to use your rub recipe as well. In your instructions it says to get smoker up to 220. I will be surprised if I can get mine to go as high as 200 haha. It's going to be a long smoke! But I'm sure will be worth it. I put a deer roast in as well so it will be cool to ca pare the finish product. I'm taking pictures so hope I can figure out how to post them when all finished.

[Habanero Smoker]

A case of beer!!!!! I wish you lived closer too. :) ;D

If you can get the smoker to 200°F, that shouldn't take too long, or after the smoke has been applied you can finish it in your kitchen oven.

[Thompsoncentre]

So I took meat out to stir the bucket, both roasts are 50% grey'ish and 50% red. So I'm assuming there 50% corned!

[Grouperman941]

So I took meat out to stir the bucket, both roasts are 50% grey'ish and 50% red. So I'm assuming there 50% corned!

A lot of time, the outside will be gray but the inside is bright red. Won't know until you cut it.

[Habanero Smoker]

Grouperman941 is correct about the outside color. I for the longest time also  though you could tell by cutting into the meat, but only learned years later that the color does not set until the meat reaches around 140°F.

[Thompsoncentre]

Yes that's exactly how it is, the deer roast has a slice down the middle so I can spread it open and the imside is completely red. But it's still got 2 days to go

[Thompsoncentre]

So I'm pulling it out today and putting the rub on and letting sit over night. So if the inside of the roast is still red that's fine correct?

[Thompsoncentre]

Cancell that! I just took out of brine and u can tell there done! Wow they look awesome they almost lost there greyish and it's all a consistent colour! Can't wait for tommarow!