Safe to Eat? Pastrami

[PinkSaltPastrami]

I've been dry curing this for exactly 16 days, wedged in a ziplock very tightly. Cure is 2% brown sugar, 1.8% salt, and .0025% pink salt #1. Meat weight was 1214g.

When I took it out of the ziplock there was a bunch of what looked like slime, and then smelling the meat it has a slightly sour smell. I noticed also there's some parts that are very dark brown and some parts that are much lighter pink. Is this all in the range of acceptable or should I toss it?

 

[bigfurmn]

When in doubt, toss it out. Better to start over then go to the hospital. That being said I have no real answer but if it doesn't smell right.

 

[chopsaw]

some parts that are very dark brown and some parts that are much lighter pink.

That's normal for cured meats . Pink is where it was touching the bag or something , and air didn't get to it . The brown is oxidation . Perfectly normal for curing meats in a bag .

As far as the rest , without being there I hate to venture a guess .
My gut says it's probably ok , but you'll have to decide that .
I suggest you rinse it off , and let it sit and see if the smell goes away .

Someone else will be buy to check your numbers . Don't toss it just yet .

 

[SmokinEdge]

Just to clarify that you actually used .25% cure #1 and not .0025%????

Cure is 2% brown sugar, 1.8% salt, and .0025% pink salt #1. Meat weight was 1214g.

Your salt is in a good range, the sugar is a bit higher than what most usually use which shouldn’t be a problem other than if fridge temps were in the 40’s then that sugar can encourage bacteria that will give off smell. As said rinse it off let it set and see if it smells better.

You can also, after rinsing off, insert a wooden skewer into the meat and then give it a sniff, that will let you know if it’s sour inside.

Please confirm cure #1 percentage and fridge temperature.

 

[hoity toit]

Rinse it and cook/smoke up to 165/170. I think you are ok. Did you flip and turn every day during the cure? How thick is it.. Figure 1/4" per day for the cure to be good. What you are seeing is probably just blood coagulation. My 2 cents worth opinion.

HT

 

[PinkSaltPastrami]

Just to clarify that you actually used .25% cure #1 and not .0025%????



Your salt is in a good range, the sugar is a bit higher than what most usually use which shouldn’t be a problem other than if fridge temps were in the 40’s then that sugar can encourage bacteria that will give off smell. As said rinse it off let it set and see if it smells better.

You can also, after rinsing off, insert a wooden skewer into the meat and then give it a sniff, that will let you know if it’s sour inside.

Please confirm cure #1 percentage and fridge temperature.

Sorry, .25% Cure #1. I put .0025 because that's what I multiplied the total weight of the meat to get the amount of grams of cure #1 I would need. Fridge temp says 39.

Stuck a wooden chopstick in the middle, doesn't smell sour but there's some kind of smell that I can't exactly describe very faintly sour/funky.

Does dry curing increase the risk of botulism since the cure isn't as evenly dispersed like a wet brine?

 

[SmokinEdge]

I don’t believe you are at any risk of botulism. The nitrite specifically solves that problem.
I also think the funk you smell is from the higher sugar percentage, especially if any of it was brown sugar. Fridge temp at 39 is pretty close to where things can get funky with sugar. I’m not there obviously but from your all in sodium of 1.8% plus .25% cure #1 your salt is 2.05% that’s good. I’d fry test and taste.