www.sausagemaking.org

Help!
I have a 2.2kG piece of brisket all ready to soak in brine. I am intending to use this recipe http://reluctanthousedad.com/2013/10/15 ... salt-beef/
Which suggests 300g salt per kilo.
I was all set and ready to go and then read the instructions on the front of the bag of 4001 all purpose curing salt purchased from Sausagemaking.org (website suggests that "small" will treat 2KG meat...). The label on the bag says USAGE RATE 1.5% (15G per 1KG meat). My interpretation is that I only need 35g for 2.2KG brisket - this seems very wrong to me????
This is a tiny fraction of the recipe - am I misunderstanding something?
Can anyone put me on the right track

Firstly, welcome.

At this point, I'd like to let you know that whilst the forum is provided and funded by sausagemaking.org, that is the only real link. There's no-one here who represents the shop and no-one has any access to any information about the products other than that which is available to all.

That said, I'll try and help as best I can.

Carohep wrote:Help!
I have a 2.2kG piece of brisket all ready to soak in brine. I am intending to use this recipe http://reluctanthousedad.com/2013/10/15 ... salt-beef/
Which suggests 300g salt per kilo.

The recipe doesn't use curing salt?

Carohep wrote:(website suggests that "small" will treat 2KG meat...)

Can you point me in the direction of where it says that? I can't see it at http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/A ... _Salt.html

Carohep wrote:I was all set and ready to go and then read the instructions on the front of the bag of 4001 all purpose curing salt purchased from Sausagemaking.org (website suggests that "small" will treat 2KG meat...). The label on the bag says USAGE RATE 1.5% (15G per 1KG meat). My interpretation is that I only need 35g for 2.2KG brisket - this seems very wrong to me????

It's confusing to me also. The only references I can find to a curing salt 4001 refer to Supersalz cure compound. The spec for that lists the nitrite level in it at 0.6%, with a usage rate of 30gm/kg. This would give a level in (dry-cured) meat of 180mg/kg. As the EU maximum in most things is 150mg/kg I guess they've allowed a 'bit for luck', or for some not being utilised by the meat. My preference would be to use it at 25gm/kg. That is, if it is that product.

Of course, a brine cure is a different kettle of fish. The dynamics are such that it's not only the amount of cure, but the ratio of the brine to meat that affects the take-up of the curing salts.

For 2.2kg meat in a brine made with 2 litres of water cured for 7 days, I'd be happy that 150gm of the All Purpose Cure would be safe regardless of whether the usage rate for dry cured products is 15 grams, or 30 grams per kg.

So, you may want to try it by replacing 150gm of the salt in the recipe with AP curing salt. Hopefully, 7 days will be long enough for the meat to be coloured throughout. If it's not, the recipe will need adjustment; it's not just a case of leaving it longer.

I hope this helps.

Please let us know the outcome either way. It may help someone in a similar situation.

Phil

Thank you for the prompt and helpful reply Phil,
I had been looking at http://www.sausagemaking.org/acatalog/P ... Cures.html - the salt beef cure and thought that was what I had bought. I can see now that you directed me to a different but crucially the right place.
I had thought that the all purpose curing salt would just simply replace the salt in the recipe. I will now try your suggestion. Yes, of course I will let you know the outcome. Fingers crossed it will be a good result.
Best wishes
Caroline

Welcome to the forum.