Hi all, with St. Patrick’s Day in a month, I’m starting to plan how to make corned beef at home because it’s not a thing in my current country (Croatia). I’ve found this recipe (https://www.thespruceeats.com/homemade-corned-beef-p2-2215829) which calls for one ounce of Prague powder #1 for 5 lbs of brisket.
My problem is that I can’t get Prague powder where I live. Instead, I can buy this: https://kolinje.hr/proizvod/nitritna-sol-1-kg/
My understanding is that Prague powder is 6% nitrite, whereas the nitrite salt I can get in Croatia is 0.6% nitrite. The remainder of both being sodium chloride. Because the nitrite salt has 1/10 the nitrite of Prague powder, for the recipe I linked above, would I simply use ten times the amount of nitrite salt as Prague powder and then reduce the amount of sodium chloride proportionally to keep the ratio the same? Or do I use the same amount despite the differing levels of nitrite. Online the nitrite salt suggests 0.5-0.65% salt per weight of product, which leads to half an ounce of salt, near what the originally recipe calls for, but the amount of nitrite will be less.
Thanks in advance for any help!
by t-zanks
2 Comments
Prague powder is designed to be used at a small amount (0.25%) then the extra salinity is made up for with table salt (~2.0-2.5%). The European style curing salts have a lower nitrite level so that you don’t need to use both, just use the 2.5% of it with no additional table salt and the nitrite level will be correct.
I’d share the Google sheet with you but metadata may be personally identifying.
Make a calculator like this:
https://preview.redd.it/a64m3lqwu5jc1.png?width=758&format=png&auto=webp&s=96693ae620ed6f603d5ea841724b614c79051e58
In cell B8 put =((B4/1000000)*B1)/B6
This calculates PPM as a percentage, and multiplies by the mass to give you the total nitrite needed, then calculates the total amount of nitrite containing salt based on the concentration of the salt.
In cell B9 put =(B1*B2)-(B8-(B8*B6))
This calculates the salt needed, subtracting what the nitrite containing salt already provides.
In cell B10 put =B1*B3
This just simply calculates the sugar.
Edit: grrr I hate technology….