# Grey colour in cottage rolls



## ramman123 (Dec 13, 2016)

Hello 
So I bought some pork shoulder butts and put them in a brine for 7 days. I injected them a bit in the deepest areas. 

Brine is 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup of kosher salt 1 tbsp of BSA cure #64 (same as cure #1 I believe) per gallon and spices.

There is some greyish areas inside after they are cooked. 

What's the cause ? And what's the best way to resolve it ?

Thanks for looking !


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## bdc3 (Dec 13, 2016)

Just had the same problem in some pastrami I did. It is a lack of cure. As we decided on my thread it need to be in the brine longer. I did 12 days on mine and one gray area. I plan to go 15 days on my next try.


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## bdc3 (Dec 13, 2016)

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/255429/venison-pastrami
Here is the threat and the discussion on the picture with the gray spot. Like c farmer said needs more time in the cure.


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## ramman123 (Dec 13, 2016)

So more time in the brine will turn the grey back to normal flesh colour ?
My assumption was the brine never made it in initially so it went grey.
Interesting


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## wild west (Dec 13, 2016)

ramman123 said:


> So more time in the brine will turn the grey back to normal flesh colour ?
> My assumption was the brine never made it in initially so it went grey.
> Interesting


You can't rescue it by reintroducing it to brine because it's already cooked..... if that's what you are asking. I'm not sure of the  safety concerns of the product at this point but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable  will comment. I think BDC3 was just pointing out that it should have sat in the brine longer initially which by your comment you already know


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## ramman123 (Dec 15, 2016)

Hi
Yup once cooked , I know Brining is out.
I left a couple in the brine after I pulled and ate mmmmmm ! The first one.
I'll pull the others today and see what happens.

Thanks


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## crankybuzzard (Dec 15, 2016)

I always recommend injecting the curing brine into the center of the loins or butts in several places prior to placing the whole mass into the curing container.  This provides the cure the opportunity to cure from the inside out as well.

I do this with my mini hams from pork loin and haven't had an under cured situation problem yet.


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## daveomak (Dec 15, 2016)

ramman123 said:


> Hello
> So I bought some pork shoulder butts and put them in a brine for 7 days. I injected them a bit in the deepest areas.
> 
> Brine is 1 cup dark brown sugar 1 cup of kosher salt 1 tbsp of BSA cure #64 (same as cure #1 I believe) per gallon and spices.
> ...


Ramman, morning....  The general rule for brine curing is 7 days per inch of thickness...  If the meat is 2" thick, and submerged in the curing brine, a minimum of 7 days and injecting the brine would be a good start...  The temp should be ~38 deg. F... 3 deg. C...  Personally, I leave 2" thick meat in the cure for 14 days... 

BSA #64 is 6.4% nitrite and salt...

Below is another example of "Lack of time and injection"













Cured Ham Fail Clarissa.jpg



__ daveomak
__ Dec 15, 2016


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## ramman123 (Dec 15, 2016)

Hi Daveomak
Great info. Thanks 
I did inject but maybe not enough spots.


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## ramman123 (Dec 24, 2016)

IMG_20161224_182245.jpg



__ ramman123
__ Dec 24, 2016






Well I left the other cottage rolls in the brine for a extra week. We had one for dinner tonight. No grey in it. 
I should have taken a photo before the feeding frenzy , but here is the left overs ! 

Not bad for $2.00 a lb and that's Canadian dollar ! Lol

Anyway a very basic brine just like Pops but with BSA 64 cure , dark brown sugar, kosher salt and basic pickling spice , juniper berries,cloves ECT.

Very tasty indeed !

Thanks


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