Corned beef reciepe, I need to know what to substitute....

[hunter3553]

What should I substitute for the Salt peter in the following recipe:

Ingredients
2 quarts water
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons saltpeter
1 cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
8 whole cloves
8 whole allspice berries
12 whole juniper berries
2 bay leaves, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 pounds ice
1 (4 to 5 pound) beef brisket, trimmed
1 small onion, quartered
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped

Directions
Place the water into a large 6 to 8 quart stockpot along with salt, sugar, saltpeter, cinnamon stick, mustard seeds, peppercorns, cloves, allspice, juniper berries, bay leaves and ginger. Cook over high heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the ice. Stir until the ice has melted. If necessary, place the brine into the refrigerator until it reaches a temperature of 45 degrees F. Once it has cooled, place the brisket in a 2-gallon zip top bag and add the brine. Seal and lay flat inside a container, cover and place in the refrigerator for 10 days. Check daily to make sure the beef is completely submerged and stir the brine.

After 10 days, remove from the brine and rinse well under cool water. Place the brisket into a pot just large enough to hold the meat, add the onion, carrot and celery and cover with water by 1-inch. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and gently simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat is fork tender. Remove from the pot and thinly slice across the grain.

Any ideas are appreciated.

[DanMcG]

I cure mine with Cure #1. I've never used the salt petre and I know Maynard Davies mentions to boil it when adding to the brine, but I've always been told not to boil #1 or #2. so if you do substitute ya might want to see what others say about heating before ya do.
Let us know where you're at (cure strengths are different around the world) and what you have available to use for a cure and someone will help ya out.
Most of us go with a pumped and brined recipe because it takes a lot of the guess work out of knowing if you got enough pick up of cure.
Wonder if Phil has any hair left? Brines are not his favorite subject

[wheels]

Hi all

Welcome hunter3553

I think that a bit of what you typed is missing and that what you are asking is for a replacement for saltpetre. (I know this because hunter PM'd me earlier, but I was on my way out so I suggested he posted it here.)

I'm guessing that hunter3553 is in the US?

You're correct Dan, these brine cures are a bitch to calculate, particularly when they have things like 2 pints of ice in them! But, hey ho, I'll have a good go at it tomorrow.

hunter3553, where abouts are you in the world? It will make a difference to the cures available to you. (hence the question - I'm not just being nosey!)?

Phil

[hunter3553]

Wheels is correct, I'm looking to replace the salt peter in this recipe. I can get #1 or #2 no problem. I'm also open to any other techniques or recipes. I want to corn it so I can make my own pastrami. And ya I'm from the US. Thanks in advance.

Micah

[wheels]

OK

I've made some assumptions, I've treated the ice as 2pt and the saltpetre as 28gm.

A direct swap like for like of the saltpetre would need around 450gm of cure #1 and, according to my calculations, would produce a product with nearly 15 times the commercially permitted level of nitrite in the US!

Given that, I wonder whether you want to look for a different recipe?

Phil

[hunter3553]

lol yeah i think i'll look elsewhere for a recipe.