I've been having issues with my pastrami being too salty. So I'm preparing a 10lb whole packer and decided to buy a refractometer. My brine measured about 6% salinity which seems to be the going recipe. So after 12 days I submerged the brisket in 1.5 gallons of pure water for 12 hours overnight. This morning the water measured 0.5%. So my question is, is the remedy of soaking in pure water after brining a myth? I estimate that the amount of NaCl is about 1/12 that leached into the distilled water. Anyone care to weigh in?
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Not for me. Using the calculator for the cure and desalinating for 8hrs (changing the water half-way through) it reduces the sodium to a much more acceptable level. -
OK Thanks!Comment
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Yep. I usually desalinate for a day and change the water every 12 hours or so. It makes a massive difference to saltiness, but I have never measured so I can’t comment on your numbers.Comment
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I just desalinate overnight, without a water change, then put the pastrami rub on and let it sit for another day for that rub to set and stick real good before I smoke the pastrami.
I'm doing a SV finish to two hunks of pastrami right now - 195F for 4 hours in vacuum seal packages right out of the freezer. I had smoked to 170, vacuum sealed and then forgotten about it for the past 6 months...Comment
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That sounds great! The rub just went on (no salt) after 20 hour water bath with 1 change. Smoke tomorrow.Comment
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