# Stainless Steel for curing



## linguica

Did a search and learned that most members consider SS safe for brining, but not for curing. Can I use a SS steam pan (like the ones found in cafeterias) to cure my sugar, maple syrup, salt, and pink salt pork belly in?


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## fpnmf

>>>>>[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Did a search and learned that most members consider SS safe for brining, but not for curing.[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Where did you search to find that info???[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]Most folks use a food grade plastic bucket...[/color]

[color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]I use 15 pound icing buckets that I got free at the Winn Dixe....for brining and curing..[/color]


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## daveomak

Unless it had a NSF sticker on it, I would think twice about using stainless for curing.... with so many products made in countries without standards you don't know what you are getting....  besides that, stainless comes in many alloys... Hard to tell which is which...  18/10 or 18/8 would be OK but 18/0 is junk in my book.. I could be wrong... Have been before....  Dave


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## linguica

/12/12

This is where i learned it.








Pops6927
OTBS, SMF Premier Member, Resident Meathead, Trusted Authority






 
offline

4,268 Posts. Joined 7/2008
Location: Fort Worth, Tx.
Points: 44

Also, we have brined many pork butts and turkeys in a stainless steel soup pot with no adverse reactions at all.  SS is recommended in a processing plant for brining and transporting brined product also.

*Pops §§ -* *  YAWYE-*




Stroke and ABI Strate


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## fpnmf

Linguica said:


> /12/12
> 
> This is where i learned it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Pops6927
> OTBS, SMF Premier Member, Resident Meathead, Trusted Authority
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> offline
> 
> 4,268 Posts. Joined 7/2008
> Location: Fort Worth, Tx.
> Points: 44
> 
> Also, we have brined many pork butts and turkeys in a stainless steel soup pot with no adverse reactions at all.  SS is recommended in a processing plant for brining and transporting brined product also.
> 
> *Pops §§ -* *  YAWYE-*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Stroke and ABI Strate


I dont see any comment about not for curing tho????


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## linguica

That was the question I was asking: Can SS be used for curing????  It seem the only difference between curing and brining  is the addition of pink salt.

Sorry if the question was not clear.


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## diggingdogfarm

Linguica said:


> Can I use a SS steam pan (like the ones found in cafeterias) to cure my sugar, maple syrup, salt, and pink salt pork belly in?



Yes.


~Martin


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## linguica

Thanks Martin.  As usual, a definitive answer. All my pans are stamped with NSF logo. I'm back to the kitchen right now. In a  week or so will come pictures of brown sugar and maple cured bacon.

Add that to my wife's Special French toast and Lord if you have to take me PLEASE wait till after breakfast.
 

PS That's French toast made in a waffle iron. It holds more syrup that way.


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## smokinhusker

Thanks for the question and the answer! I make my french toast on my G Foreman grill.


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## roller

I like food grade plastic...


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## linguica

Zip lock bags are probably the easiest and neatest to use. It's just that I've made a lot of gravlox and am used to using SS pans. I then semi-cold smoke with apple wood until the outside surface just starts to look cooked.


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## dward51

Been using square cat food buckets (about 3.5 gallon size) that I picked up from the recycling center about 15 years ago.  I just take a turkey roasting bag and use it as a disposable liner.  Makes for an easy cleanup and never have to worry about any contamination of the plastic being an issue.  Another plus with the turkey bag is you can get all the air out before tying it off.  I like to stock up at the after thanksgiving markdown sale when they are 1/2 price.


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## diggingdogfarm

dward51 said:


> ....turkey roasting bag.... Another plus with the turkey bag is you can get all the air out before tying it off.  I like to stock up at the after thanksgiving markdown sale when they are 1/2 price.



Yes, I like using those if I'm brining something big, it is easy to get the air out...and they're tough!
If you have an institutional 'paper goods' distributor in your area with cash-and-carry, see if you can get the bags there, they come several to a box for use in restaurants and the like, they're significantly cheaper than the ones at the grocery store.


~Martin


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## stovebolt

I do my brining in the plastic bags used for ice (10 lb size). I have a friend who bags and sells his own ice at his liquor store and he buys these bags in large quantities so cheaply that he gives me large lots for free. I put the bags in a small ss stock pot in case it leaks but none have yet.

Clean-up is a cinch. I can put ice outside the bag to cool it quicker and it won't dilute my brine.

Chuck


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