montreal smoke meat

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Sodium Nitrate is used in the curing process to prevent botulism poisoning, particularly for long aged meats like country hams.Its commercial use is prohibited by the FDA in smoked and cooked meats, non-smoked and cooked meats, sausages or bacon and is restricted to 200ppm in dry cured uncooked products. Usage for home curing should not exceed 0.1g per 500g of meat.

During the curing process Sodium Nitrate is converted into Sodium Nitrite by microorganisms present on the meat. Sodium Nitrite provides the characteristic flavor and red color associated with curing.
 
Several things!
If their Cure#1 is 6.75% nitrite, it's the only Cure#1 in the USA that's not 6.25% nitrite....which would REALLY suck because there's so much written as far as instructions and proper amounts go for Cure#1 that's 6.25% nitrite.
Even so they're incorrect in saying "Prague Powder #1 aka Insta Cure #1, pink curing salt, or Sel Rose is composed of 6.75% Sodium Nitrite."...that's simply not the case, because almost all, if not all, Cure#1 in the USA and Canada is 6.25% nitrite as I said above.
There's wrong information in their recommendations for sodium nitrate's use and a few other things.


~Martin
 
Several things!
If their Cure#1 is 6.75% nitrite, it's the only Cure#1 in the USA that's not 6.25% nitrite....which would REALLY suck because there's so much written as far as instructions and proper amounts go for Cure#1 that's 6.25% nitrite.
Even so they're incorrect in saying "Prague Powder #1 aka Insta Cure #1, pink curing salt, or Sel Rose is composed of 6.75% Sodium Nitrite."...that's simply not the case, because almost all, if not all, Cure#1 in the USA and Canada is 6.25% nitrite as I said above.
There's wrong information in their recommendations for sodium nitrate's use and a few other things.


~Martin
You are absolutely correct, they did a typo and said 6.75 instead of 6.25 and 93.25 Sodium Chloride instead of 93.75.  You said several things.  What else is incorrect?  The most important information is the usage directions of 1.1g per 500g of meat.  Is that inaccurate as well?
 
Several things!

If their Cure#1 is 6.75% nitrite, it's the only Cure#1 in the USA that's not 6.25% nitrite....which would REALLY suck because there's so much written as far as instructions and proper amounts go for Cure#1 that's 6.25% nitrite.

Even so they're incorrect in saying "Prague Powder #1 aka Insta Cure #1, pink curing salt, or Sel Rose is composed of 6.75% Sodium Nitrite."...that's simply not the case, because almost all, if not all, Cure#1 in the USA and Canada is 6.25% nitrite as I said above.

There's wrong information in their recommendations for sodium nitrate's use and a few other things.



~Martin
You are absolutely correct, they did a typo and said 6.75 instead of 6.25 and 93.25 Sodium Chloride instead of 93.75.  You said several things.  What else is incorrect?  The most important information is the usage directions of 1.1g per 500g of meat.  Is that inaccurate as well?

Depends on what you're curing....156ppm nitrite is fine for sausage and most short term dry curing. (The rule of thumb, one level teaspoon of Cure#1 per 5 lbs of meat equates to ~156ppm nitrite.)
The amounts of nitrite are different for an immersion brine depending on what method you use.

There's a calculator on my website that makes finding the proper amount very easy......
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124590/universal-cure-calculator

There's a lot wrong with the information in their sodium nitrate description, but I don't think that it's appropriate to detail the particulars here because it's unrelated to this thread and it could confuse folks.


~Martin
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: zarqy
Depends on what you're curing....156ppm nitrite is fine for sausage and most short term dry curing. (The rule of thumb, one level teaspoon of Cure#1 per 5 lbs of meat equates to 156ppm nitrite.)
The amounts of nitrite are for and immersion brine depending on what method you use.

There's a calculator on my website that makes finding the proper amount very easy......
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/124590/universal-cure-calculator

There's a lot wrong with the information in their sodium nitrate description, but I don't think that it's appropriate to detail the particulars here because it's unrelated to this thread and it could confuse folks.


~Martin
Thanks for the link. I used your awesome little calculator (bookmarked!) and it says for 12 lbs of meat (5.443Kg) that 13.50g of Cure#1 is to be used.  This is a bit shy of 1TB (I just weighed 1 TB and I got 19g)

This was the whole point of what I was trying to say in the first place.  The Montreal Smoked Meat recipe calls for 4TB!!!  That' 4 times as much as needed.
 
 
Here is a recipe for Montereal Smoked Meat that was posted on the Big Green Egg site, don't know how close it is to Schwartz's, but looks to be tasty non the less...

[h1]ultimate montreal smoked meat recipe[/h1]

biggreenmatt  Posts: 45

July 2011  in EggHead Forum

This recipe is lengthy but not difficult. It takes two weeks to make. Stick through it and you'll get a final at-home product that's on par with Schwartz's, Smoke Meat Pete or any other of the holy smoke meat temples you'll find on the island of Montreal. Really- it's that good.

Didn't make up the recipe: I'm just spreading the gospel.

MONTREAL SMOKED MEAT

Cure a 12 lb double-brisket (fat-cap on) by adding the following spice mixture generously to both sides:

1/2 c Readycure (1% nitrate) + 1/4 c kosher salt OR  4 tb instacure (6% nitrate "pink salt") + 1.5 c kosher salt
1/2 lb cracked black pepper
1/4 lb sugar
1/4 lb cracked coriander
3 tb bay leaf powder
3 tb cloves

Place brisket in an XXL ziploc bag and let cure for 10 days in the fridge, flipping the brisket twice daily.

On day 11, thoroughly rinse off the cure and then soak in cold for at least 3 hours, changing the water every half-hour to get out most of the salt. Dry. Cover top of brisket with 2:1 mixture of cracked pepper to cracked coriander seed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

On day 12, smoke over maple chunks for 4 hours at 250. After 4 hours, completely foil the brisket and return to smoker (or oven) to cook for another 5 hours. At this point the smoke meat will be fantastic, but not 100% tender. Resist eating it now. Let come to room temperature and refrigerate overnight.

On day 13, gently steam the brisket for 3 hours just prior to service. Odds are that you won't have a steamer big enough- I improvised by putting water in a foil turkey roasting pan, throwing a baking rack on top and then covering it with a second pan.

To carve, cut against the grain and on the bias very thinly, using a VERY SHARP slicing knife (the knife actually makes a difference). Serve stacked on fresh seeded rye bread with mustard.

RIDICULOUSLY GOOD.
You can try this one also - http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/...e/schwartzs-procedure-for-smoking-meat/12167/
 
Last edited:
I hope that folks are reading the following information that I relayed in regards to the biggreanmatt recipe.....

"The Readycure and Insta Cure both contain sodium nitrite, not sodium nitrate.

If it's Canada Conpound's Readycure it is used at a rate of 2% when applied dry, since I don't know for sure how much a 1/2 cup of it weighs, I can't say if that's a correct amount or not.
It really should be weighed to use it properly.

Instacure is 6.25% sodium nitrite,, in the recipe he's using 5 to 6 times what should be used. One level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat is the correct amount."


It really should be changed in all instances in this thread because the amounts are WAY off.



~Martin
 
Last edited:
I have been explain instacure#1 is for meat that require cooking

instacure#2 is for air dry meat no cooking

                                                                          michel
 
instacure#1 for any type of meat that require cooking

instacure#2 for air dry not cook

                                                          michel
 
  • Like
Reactions: zarqy
I'm 5 hours into cooking this and I've reached internal temp of 165 already.  Should I take it off or should I continue for the full 9 hours as the recipe calls for.  (Reason i ask is some recipes say to cook to 165 and steam to 180)
 
MONTREAL SMOKED MEAT

Cure a 12 lb double-brisket (fat-cap on) by adding the following spice mixture generously to both sides:

4 tb instacure (6% nitrate "pink salt") + 1.5 c kosher salt
I have so far followed this recipe to a tee (yes I know we already addressed that it's 4x too much Instacure)  but my question is about the 1.5c of kosher salt.  Was that too much as well?   I'm thinking I must have been because I just cut off a small piece once I hit internal temp of 165 and it was so salty I gagged.  Is it the salt or is it that it hasn't been steamed yet?  Really hoping it's the latter.  I can deal with the time and effort going to waste, but $65 for a piece of meat that ends up being an inedible salt lick isn't okay with me.
 
got my brisket rubbed down and in the fridge last night.  now the wait begins.  i will be watching this thread closely.  Zarqy did you rinse changing water? you said you followed to at tee so you probably did.

keep the updates coming
 
Could the error have been that it should be 4 tsp instacure?

I'm watching also, I wanna make some of this!!

Thanks all!

ralphed
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by bagbeard  
 
got my brisket rubbed down and in the fridge last night.  now the wait begins.  i will be watching this thread closely.  Zarqy did you rinse changing water? you said you followed to at tee so you probably did.

Yes, I rinsed for 3 hours, changing every 30 mins.  They allowed the meat to rest in the fridge over night as the recipe called for.  

P.S. I did end up leaving to cool for the prescribed number of hours, allowed it to cool on the counter and the put it in the fridge.  I took another sample after it cooled and I'm pleased to say it's not too salty anymore.  

Currently I'm 30 mins into the 3 hour steaming process.  Getting excited!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted by ralphed  
 

Could the error have been that it should be 4 tsp instacure?

When I made it I followed the recipe with the incorrect amount of Insta-cure.  When I make this again I will (and you should too) only use 1 tsp per 5 lbs of meat.
 
Last edited:
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky