lets talk plastic (or not)

[qapla]

... So, pickles in a 5 gallon, says to me same 5 gallon pail would be OK for brining a chicken or pork.

I have some pickle buckets that are 6 gallons - a bit taller is nice when it comes to covering something with brine/marinade and ice (I put the food and liquid in a bag in the bucket. :clap2:

 

[Wayne]

If there is any doubt in your mind then try to find an alternative. I does not matter whether or not the plastic is harmful if you have already been "snake bit" by the article. It is better to live knowing you acted on the safe side than to worry or in some cases grieve because of your inaction. My father use to take a drug called Naldicon for hay fever until he got a letter from his doctor that said it was taken off the market because it caused a type of cancer. This upset him at the time, but when he developed leukemia ten years later he always wondered (and eventually brooded) about whether or not the drug caused the problem.

 

[BlueHowler]

I've read that just breathing oxygen and swallowing saliva causes more deaths than storing food in plastic.

I do not have solid scientific facts to support that statement but I do believe it as fact.

 

[FamilyManBBQ]

How about hookin, a brother up with a couple of those smoothie buckets Chris...;0)

JD, no problem bro!! Just let me know how many you need! :becky:

 

[wannchef]

Local in store bakeries get their flour in food grade 5 gallon buckets. What I do is buy some pastry flour from them and I get the buckets. :-D bonus. By the way for you bakers out there. It's just about the only place you can get pastry flour. Unless you want brown colored whole wheat. King Arthur sells it.

 

[grillzilla10]

I bought a 5 gallon gott water cooler at Sam's club for $20, THe only thing that I use it for is brining of fowl. I wash it before and after each use. The reason why is I dont have an extra frig to put it in so I use the blue freezer blocks to control my temps. No I dont use ice it messes up my brine recipie the blocks do a good job keeping the fowl cold .I use 3 or4 during the brine and after each use I wash them.

 

[Smiter Q]

This makes me wonder (and have been) about OVEN ROASTING BAGS. I do not use them in the oven. Always concerns me about heating food in the oven in a plastic bag. Any thoughts on that? As I understand it, it is not good to use plastic in the mcrowave.. never mind something at 350F for an hour or more.

 

[CarolinaQue]

This makes me wonder (and have been) about OVEN ROASTING BAGS. I do not use them in the oven. Always concerns me about heating food in the oven in a plastic bag. Any thoughts on that? As I understand it, it is not good to use plastic in the mcrowave.. never mind something at 350F for an hour or more.

It's the type of plastic that is used to make those. It's a polymer base which is food grade, think silicone. They are just fine to use.

One thing that I see that concerns me with things used to brine is when I hear people saying that they use trash bags to line buckets and coolers with to make for easier clean up!!! Never use trash bags as a holding source of raw foods. They are treated with odar inhibiting chemicals that are very harmful and will leach into the brine!!!

As far as using buckets from places like HD and Lowe's for brining, I have. There really aren't many other options where I live as there isn't a restaurant supply store very close. But what I do do is clean the bucket after use and then soak it with a food sanitation safe water and bleach solution. If a brine can find a nook or crany to fit into, that water and bleach will also and sanitize it!!! I then rewash and rinse the bucket before storage.

But, I also dry age my own beef at home...guess I'm just a rebel that way!!!

 

[MOS95B]

This makes me wonder (and have been) about OVEN ROASTING BAGS. I do not use them in the oven. Always concerns me about heating food in the oven in a plastic bag. Any thoughts on that? As I understand it, it is not good to use plastic in the mcrowave.. never mind something at 350F for an hour or more.

I only used those bags once, because the food came out nasty - Nothing to do with the plastics, just the fact that it was "roasted" in a bag. No texture to it.. blech....

Personally, if I am going to use a plastic bucket/jar for an overnight project, I don't get too excited. A few drops of chlorine bleach in a few quarts of water does wonders for killing nasties. Organic or not. For long term storage/projects, it's glass only for me.

 

[pAT_13]

I have read that it is not only the plastic in the pail but also the mold release compound used when it was formed. Link is http://www.survivalblog.com/2010/06/letter_re_which_food_storage_b.html

This is correct, many brewers have tried to use the HD buckets and find an oily film on top of their beer only to dump the batch because they were trying to save a few dollors.

Also, any scratches in the food grade buckets can harbor infections too.

 

[timmy7649]

thats why i dont brine and i inject. lol. its been a interesting thred. i have learned alot. thanks guys

 

[Divemaster]

Food cooked over charcoal causes cancer in California.

Good thing I live in Illinois then...

 

[Crüe-B-Cüe]

Also, if you have a Firehouse Subs around you, they sell their pickle buckets.

 

[smokedinvt]

thats why i dont brine and i inject. lol. its been a interesting thred. i have learned alot. thanks guys

Yeah, no kidding this has been an interesting thread.... "Who'da thunk it...."