Pink Salt-Prague Powder Dilemma

[SheilaAnn]

So this stuff gives me heartburn to beat the band! I am looking to do my first pastrami and want to omit these. Thoughts?

[tbob4]

Can you eat already corned beef without the heartburn?

[CaliforniaDad]

I'm really curious how you've narrowed down Prague powder as the source of your heartburn?

Do all cured meats give you heartburn? Corned beef, pastrami, salami, etc.? You're not going to be able to make pastrami without cured meat, and cured meat involves Prague powder. If you're fine eating these meats, you'll be fine making pastrami with Prague. And, it's probably my favorite recipe on all of AR. Enjoy!

[58limited]

Bacon, sausage, lunch meats, cured hams, hot dogs - most store bought processed meats such as these have Prague powder (sodium nitrite). If you can eat those its probably not the Prague powder causing the heartburn.

Part of the texture, color, and flavor of pastrami comes from the Prague powder. If you omit it you will basically have brisket.

[SheilaAnn]

Should have clarified, it’s the nitrites. I have been "testing" myself for years by way of elimination of certain foods. Ok then, I will just have buck up, buttercup! There’s no way I will go the rest of my life without pastrami. Just like when I want a Vienna beef hot dog or a Polish ham sandwich, I prepare myself!

[CaliforniaDad]

Pop some Pepcid and enjoy!

[dubob]

Pepcid, Mylanta, Tums, et al. Lots of products available to take before, with, and/or after to address the heartburn. The only way I would give up pastrami is if it were life threatening; know what I mean? 😁

[SheilaAnn]

dubob preach!

[bbqLuv]

Uncured ham is actually cured with celery seed. My understanding. Read the labels. LOL, some add celery seed to BBQ rub to help with the smoke ring, Just like a pinch of Pink Salt.
It may be worth checking into.

[SheilaAnn]

bbqLuv "no nitrites except those that naturally occur in celery powder"