Recipe Brining Meat

[Dive Bar Casanova]

There is a cut of meat that gained popularity here in California called Tri Tip.
It's a cut of Sirloin that as the story goes was first done by in the 1950s by a local butcher named Bob Schutz who perfected the tri-tip. If you can "perfect" a tri tip.

I found them on sale at a local grocer @$2.99 a lb trimmed. Not trimmed the way I trim, but a good portion of fat and gristle removed.

I decided this time to brine them and make a Pastrami. It turned out fantastic.

Brine:
6 US quarts of water
1 and a half cups of Kosher Salt
1 and a half cups of Brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon pickling spice
8 cloves crushed garlic
1 tablespoon mustard seeds.
*1 cautious tablespoon of Prague powder. (read below) if you want to keep the color after cooking. Don't use Prague powder unless you have read up on it and understand proper use.

Heat and stir until all ingredients are dissolved.
Chill to low 30'sF.

Needle the meat. I use this kitchen tool:

Marinate the meat in the brine solution in the refer for 4 days turning over every day.

Remove from brine after 4th day.
Rinse and dry the meat on the 5th day and allow to chill in refer over night.


Roll the meat and coat with a little correnander and lots of cracked peppercorns.
I set the smoker the 225F with a few chunks of pecan and and regular charcoal and slow smoked for 1 and a half hours. Tri tip cooks fast. Internal temp 195F.

Rest the meat for 45 minutes, slice and serve. Some people let it rest overnight.

With Prague powder in the brine:

Without Prague powder in the brine:

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Not to be confused with nor used in lieu of Himalayan pink nor any other pink salt:

Prague powder is mostly nitrate to both help preserve and give a good color to the meat being brined.
Has to be used sparingly and to strict standards or it can cause illness or worse. Read up and be dialed in on its correct use before considering it.
BBQ shops around these parts sell everything except Prague powder.
I usually don't use it.

Morton's has gained a following but I'm just now learning it uses:

 

[Morning Glory]

I decided this time to brine them and make a Pastrami. It turned out fantastic.

Very impressive @Dive Bar Casanova!

I'd always thought that the pink colour was natural - like rare meat. Is it really necessary to use the Prague Powder?

 

[medtran49]

It's dyed pink so that it's not mistakenly used as regular salt. As he wrote, it can cause illness, even death, if not used correctly. The biggest reason to use is to prevent the growth of the C. botulinum bacteria when curing/fermenting meats for long periods.

In this particular use, not necessary, it just makes the meat more attractive. We've used cure #1 and cure #2 when curing meats like my "sort of gammon," bacon, corned beef, sausages, etc.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

With most American barbecue in white meats the pink is usually the smoke ring. Not unusual for a customer to complain their meat is too rare yet it’s full cooked through.
My non-brined Tri tip has a red ring when it’s well done from the smoke ring.

No ya don’t need Prague powder for my recipe. Some businesses around the US brine much thicker cuts like Briskets for much longer periods of time and they want the meat to look good because they are selling it plus it’s preservative properties.

I use pecan which is a self pollinating hickory. Hickory proper is not self pollinating thus the tale goes its sweeter thus a stronger sugar smoke that the pros want.
I’m an armchair YouTube amateur.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

It's dyed pink so that it's not mistakenly used as regular salt. As he wrote, it can cause illness, even death, if not used correctly. The biggest reason to use is to prevent the growth of the C. botulinum bacteria when curing/fermenting meats for long periods.

In this particular use, not necessary, it just makes the meat more attractive. We've used cure #1 and cure #2 when curing meats like my "sort of gammon," bacon, corned beef, sausages, etc.

One of our kids blinded sided us a few weeks back asking us to not feed him nitrated foods anymore.
Picked up some info on the internet and it had an impression on him.
I got the Prague powder just to try it out. It’s cheap.
I have it locked in my gun cabinet so no mistakes when the kids are salting up their popcorn watching Netflix.

In Los Angeles a great Pastrami Deli, Brent’s smokes their brined pastrami to the point it looks like a crispy fireplace log.
Brent’s bought out the Dive Bar next door and took sledge hammers to the interior and some talk they may now expand their crowded dining room.

 

[rascal]

I'm on a murican site so I'm familiar with Tri tip and where it is on the beast. I like a Reuben sammich so I just buy my meat either pre cooked or I cook it. Our equivalent of corned beef. Great with mustard sauce. Great winter food.

Russ

 

[CraigC]

Tri tip wasn't available here until a few years ago. the first time I saw it on a show, they cooked it on a Santa Maria grill. I've smoked a few of them, but did a dry rub.

I just put the cure on a 5# piece of pork belly yesterday. It will cure for 7 days and then smoked to become bacon. The cure used 1/4 C Kosher salt, 1/4 C dark brown sugar, 2 tsp pink salt #1 and 1/4 C pure maple syrup.

 

[Morning Glory]

I just put the cure on a 5# piece of pork belly yesterday. It will cure for 7 days and then smoked to become bacon.

I'm jealous!