What to substitute for prague powder?

[Butt_Pirate]

I plan on making a curing brine to make a Pastrami/Montreal Smoked brisket. The plan I like the best calls for prague powder but I am without. I imagin I can use readycure salt or mabby even kosher salt as a subsitute in a pinch?

Any thoughts?

Cheers

[Kit_B]

Typically, you can remove the Prague powder & the salt from your recipe & substitute Morton Tender Quick.

But, you should be careful about proportions.

What's your recipe?

[Butt_Pirate]

here is the brine from the rec ipe I plan to use

Ingredients

• 1 (3 to 5-pound) brisket

Brine:

• 1 gallon water
• 6 ounces kosher salt
• 2 ounces Prague powder
• 2 ounces powdered dextrose
• 2.5 ounces plus 4 tablespoons pickling spices, divided

[Butt_Pirate]

I can't seem to find anybody who has Mortons tenderquick local to me.

[Stoke&Smoke]

you might try these folks... http://www.canadacompound.com/

[Sledneck]

Does anybody know if Prague powder has an expiration ? I have a bag upopened that's about 5 years old . As well as a few boxes of buck board bacon cure that are also 5 years old

[thirdeye]

Originally Posted by Butt_Pirate

I can't seem to find anybody who has Mortons tenderquick local to me.

If you order it, be careful to check the shipping costs associated with Tenderquick from Canadian dealers. I have heard some unusual stories about inflated shipping costs. In the US, a 2# bag of TQ costs about $7 or $8, and can be shipped to Canada via First Class mail for another $7.

Originally Posted by Sledneck

Does anybody know if Prague powder has an expiration ? I have a bag upopened that's about 5 years old . As well as a few boxes of buck board bacon cure that are also 5 years old

You should be good to go on the Prague powder. It doesn't have a shelf life, it has a half life. Heheheee. Seriously, as long as it has been kept dry it will last a good long while.

The Buckboard may show signs of age such as caking and some packets will look darker than others. I've talked to Hi Mountain about this and they say the product is still good, it's only the spices / seasonings that have darkened over time.

[SmokinOkie]

Originally Posted by Butt_Pirate

... or mabby even kosher salt as a subsitute in a pinch?

Any thoughts?

Cheers

You can't substitute regular salt (kosher or otherwise) for a recipe that has a cure in it. Cure's have other ingredients such as nitrates or nitrites that "cure" the meat.

[Butt_Pirate]

Originally Posted by SmokinOkie

You can't substitute regular salt (kosher or otherwise) for a recipe that has a cure in it. Cure's have other ingredients such as nitrates or nitrites that "cure" the meat.

But Readycure #1 is also a curing salt so this is fine to substitute? The ingredients on the package say Salt, Sodium Nitrite & Sodium Bicarbonate


Should this be kept refrigerated? The curing salt i mean.