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Why nitrite brining is safe, and a new brining calculator

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    Why nitrite brining is safe, and a new brining calculator

    I just posted a short article on the science of nitrite brining.

    invention, future, greg blonder,cBBQ, food science, genuineideas, toys, genes, darwin, growth of internet, venture capital, deep time


    It explains why the USDA sets the nitrite level around 150 ppm, and how much wiggle room you have around their recommendation.

    I've also written a new java brining calculator.

    invention, future, greg blonder,cBBQ, food science, genuineideas, toys, genes, darwin, growth of internet, venture capital, deep time


    This calculator follows the "keep it simple, stupid" school of thought. As my article describes, the actual safe nitrite level depends on many factors, including fat content, pH, meat thickness, and so. Originally, I tried to correct for these factors in the calculator, but the extra "accuracy" only made things more complex. And since there are a range of acceptable nitrite levels that are effective and safe, decided to go with KISS.

    Interested in your comments and questions....

    Thanks

    (10 lbs of belly brining in fridge right now, 5 days away from reincarnation as bacon)

    #2
    I likes, especially since you have a weight attachment for the powder.

    Comment


    • EdF
      EdF commented
      Editing a comment
      Dry or wet, docblonder ?

    #3
    Works both ways. If you put in 0 liquid, it calculates the right amount for dry brining.

    Comment


    • EdF
      EdF commented
      Editing a comment
      Thanks!

    #4
    I like the new calculator. When I open the page, it is not displaying the ppm until I move the slider or adjust something else. Even then it seems like a long time before it shows up. I am on Google Chrome.

    Comment


    • mgaretz
      mgaretz commented
      Editing a comment
      Just tried it in MS Edge. Same thing, but seems to be faster. If I click and hold or drag the slider in Edge, I get a tooltip with the ppm value. That doesn't happen in Chrome. Firefox works like Chrome.

    • docblonder
      docblonder commented
      Editing a comment
      Not sure why the calc is slow, but the ppm is initially missing by design. We wanted to be sure users filled in every value with intent, rather than accidentally use a default value.

    #5
    Thank you Doctor Blonder for that comprehensive, yet easy to understand article. Thank you also for the calculator!

    Comment


      #6
      Thanks for that. For those who might care, I recommend the book "The Dose Makes The Poison" by Frank and Ottoboni. Didja know that too much Vitamin D will kill you?

      Comment


      • Willy
        Willy commented
        Editing a comment
        @jerod broussard: What does solubility have to do with it?

      • Zman23
        Zman23 commented
        Editing a comment
        Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble. Your body does not process and remove them as rapidly as it does the water soluble vitamins. There are toxic levels for them.

      • DogFaced PonySoldier
        DogFaced PonySoldier commented
        Editing a comment
        Anything in sufficient amounts will kill you. I tell my patients, one of the most inert substances on Earth is silica, or plain ol' sand.... eat enough of that, and it will kill you, too!

      #7
      Zman23 The reason I posted my comment/question about solubility of toxins being relevant is because many, many toxins have bad effects regardless of the agent in which they are soluble. Perhaps most relevant to this discussion is the fact that too much water, and I'm not talking about drowning, is toxic. (http://www.medicaldaily.com/water-in...-person-312958) People have actually died from consuming too much water. Salt is definitely water soluble, yet too much salt can also kill a person.

      The book I recommended above is quite interesting. It led me from a moderate "concern" about non-organic foods to what I believe is a saner position. Almost everything is toxic if one consumes too much. I'm with the Doc, bring on the pastrami!

      Comment


        #8
        Thanks for your continued work on this subject, Docblonder! I've enjoyed making bacon, Canadian bacon, and hams from the AR site, and know how difficult it is to balance the nitrite PPM's to a safe level while making a tasty product. Your efforts are appreciated.

        Comment


          #9
          Willy My comment was strictly related to vitamins as that was what Jerod was responding to you about. Yes, you can experience toxicity on water soluble vitamins, it just takes a lot more because your body removes them faster. And yes, there is a chance of drinking so much water that you undergo water intoxication. I do understand your point and by no means was I suggesting you cannot consume dangerous levels of water soluble vitamins. Thank you for the other information.

          Comment


            #10
            Great article, shared on Facebook. And love the calculator!

            Comment


              #11
              Thanks for the article and the calculator. How about adding the amount of regular salt to put in the water for the brine?

              Comment


              • docblonder
                docblonder commented
                Editing a comment
                Tricky, depends on the recipe. For pastrami, the salt from the Prague powder is strong enough, but for bacon, I match the Prague with an equal amount of table salt.

              #12
              Thanks for the great resource!!!

              Comment


                #13
                RE: Salt: Thanks docblonder; interesting. I don't think I've ever used that little salt. The corned beef recipe calls for a LOT more salt than Prague, but of course, it, and pre-corned beef, gets soaked to remove some salt. For bacon, the original recipe here had salt of 2-3 times the Prague, in only a 1/4 C of water. That tasted good to me, but I like salt. For the new recipes, I've had to salt the finished product. More importantly, I thought the extra salt in the cure liquid was an essential part of the cure and safety process, and there is so little Prague (and thus salt), usually.

                Comment


                  #14
                  Great job following the "KISS" principle!!! Almost always the best way!

                  Comment


                    #15
                    Thanks docblonder, I am going to brine some belly right now!

                    Comment

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