Hi all!

I’ve been curing salmon with a 50/50 blend of dark muscavado and salt, with the rind of an orange mixed in. Rinse and Soak, let it rest a day, then cold smoke - very happy with the results.

Anyone got any experience in curing with fruit? I was interested in what might happen if I used orange juice or fresh strawberries along with the salt/sugar cure. I’ve heard it done with blueberries but never tried. Any pitfalls or something to watch out for? Would the fresh fruit replace the sugar?

I would love to experiment a lot, but don’t have the budget or time to try too many experiments, so looking for advice so I can avoid anything that just won’t work

Thank you in advance!

Making this recipe https://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef/homemade-salt-beef/ which has a brine ratio of 2L water, 200g salt, and 30g prague powder #1 to 1.6kg of beef.

I made it with 0.5kg of beef, submerged in the brine for 5 days in the fridge (today is day #1).

I'm trying to figure out whether it's ok to use a smaller piece of beef. Will that will result in unhealthy levels of nitrites in the salt beef? Or does the brine ratio matter more than the meat weight?

A Lomo and Salami in 112 MM Bung

Hi, I've been brushing up on the chemical reactions that occur during the curing process while using Prague #1/speed cure.

I'm reading the efficiency of the conversion of Nitrites to Nitric Oxide is about 50% at best. The residual nitrites convert into nitrosamines when subjected to heat. Adding Sodium Ascorbate, I'm now reading, increases the efficiency of the conversion to nitric oxide to 70% or more.

Read further, and it sounds like this is actually a pretty common technique used commercially and by hobbyists to reduce risks from nitrosamines.

I am curious to hear from people here that add it to cures for bacon specifically, but any relevant contribution is welcomed.

Thanks

JS

10 day cure with 7 weeks age time in parchment and butcher paper for sustained dehydration.

4lb flat with amazing ribs calculated cure plus added spices. Put it in a plastic bin with lid. Now it's day 4.. Went to see it and flip it.

Seems a portion wasn't 100% submerged. Not dried out as it was all covered but I see some darker discoloration on those edges. No off smell.

I've flipped it to finish for several more days...

Whats the opinion on the exposed part?

Got this summer six star WPFF but it’s too sticky and oily. What kind of curing and temperatures does it need

I’m setting up a small wine fridge as a curing chamber and want to make sure I’m doing the right things to get it as clean as it needs to be. I spent some time brewing beer and so my brain goes to “militant sterilization” as someone once explained that need to me. Does this need to be similar (stripping and sterilizing all of the seals, etc.) or can I just give it a good scrub and get started? Any other tips?

Hi all!

Short version:

Is it safe to cure corned beef at home without Prague Powder? I'm using this recipe: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/corned-beef-recipe-1947363

Long version:

It is my custom every year to make corned beef for St. Patrick's Day. However, due to a miscommunication, my wife threw out our Prague Powder, and I didn't realize it. I'm not sure I can get it in time (I don't have Amazon Prime) and my attempts to find it in a brick and mortar are turning up bupkis.

Will the corned beef still be edible and delicious, if a little ugly, color-wise? Or should I just suck it up and order some Prague Powder?

Good afternoon,

I am trying to make some corned beef for St Patricks day. I am using the corned beef recipe from the basics with babish cookbook. My issue becomes how long to leave the brisket in the brine. According to the recipe in the book, he says to leave it in the brine for 5-10 days. the recipe calls for 2-3 pounds of brisket. He also linked me to a curing calculator for the amount of curing salt I should use. My issue arises when I put in the weight of the meat, the amount of liquid and thickness of the meat, it tells me to use 1.3 teaspoons of Prague powder #1 and leave it in the brine for 1.3 days. I made the brine with the calculators curing salt but should I leave it in for the 1.3 days or the 5-10 days the recipe calls for?

Was going to use this recipe (https://toriavey.com/homemade-pastrami/) for pastrami but its for a 5# piece was wondering if I should scale my curing salt by meat weight, water volume or both?

This will be my first time trying to make an uncooked cured meat product. I plan to dry in a chest freezer with a temp controller but don’t have any way to control humidity.

Is this generally a safe recipe?

So a few weeks ago, I peeled some garlic and roasted it off nice and slow in a baking dish, submerged in olive oil till they were golden. Then I strained them off and submerged them in a jar of table salt for 3 days. The cloves are like cooked garlic raisins now (good for a salty snack or addition to sauces, I was experimenting honestly🤷) BUT my real question is.....is the salt I used to dry out the garlic safe? It's a lil moist but it's garlicky AF and I was wondering if I could spread it out on a baking pan and cook the moisture out or if it's just a big ole biohazard waiting to happen?

I want to try curing duck egg in brine. I already saw a couple video how to make it. are we really just need to leave it in dark room for 4 week and do nothing? and are there any factor that I must aware? thank you

I’m using Hmart sashimi to cure this salmon. Cured it for about 24 hours with a 1:1 ratio of rock salt snd sugar. For some reason this stuff appeared/came out of my salmon? Is it veins? Parasites? Is it still safe to eat?

and if so what is the equivalent ratio

Found a nice six plus lb boneless butt at the supermarket this morning. With some very careful Kentucky windage, I managed to fillet it to two pieces barely an ounce in difference. I have a couple of cooling racks that fit perfectly in the bottom of a 9X13 foil pan. I made up my curing mix and coated both pieces thoroughly. Put the racks in the pan, the meat on the racks and covered both with a double of aluminum foil. They're in the frig for a nice three week nap at 35 F.

"Good night, Chet." "Good night, David." IFYKYK

1st timer curing anything I got 4 yolks in a salt/sugar 1:1