Hi all, since I have been asked a lot of questions in regard to SODIUM NITRATE and SALTPETER,
I must say that as of April 12,2002 nothing has changed. Sodium Nitrate is still the best bet and Saltpeter
is the other one. I have heard from the FDA, the meat industry and the University they have all said the same thing.
A substitute is trying to be found. This is where patience comes in. When I hear something different, I will
let everyone know.
Thanks to Glenn Schmidt and Dr. Martha Stone of Colorado State University, Virlie Walker of the FDA
in Denver, CO and Cody Brown of Allied Kenco Sales in Houston, Texas. Without them, I wouldn't have an answer.
Corned meat originated in the town of London, England in 1725. It was invented by a man named
John Wilson, a chemist. The real secret of producing true corned meat is known only by a very
few people and they guard their secret very carefully. Although some cookbooks and food editors
of magazines from time to time publish recipes for corning meat, these recipes are not even close
to the real one. This is the first time the real authentic recipe for corning meat has ever been
published.
You can corn venison, antelope, moose, bear or beef with this same authentic corning method.
It makes all of these meats simply wonderful eating. People who will not eat wild meats just love
them corned. Corning wild meats takes out all the musky wild flavor that most people do not like
and even the toughest of wild meats becomes as tender as can be.
The canned corned meat called corned beef that you can buy in all our grocery stores is not corned
beef at all but simply a poor a very poor preserved beef made in South America and sold under the
label of corned beef.
In World War 1 this South American so-called corned beef was shipped to our fighting forces in Europe.
They did not like it at all and gave it the nickname of "Corned Willie", meaning goat meat
preserved by soaking it in corn whiskey. The name stuck. In corning beef no corn or corn whiskey of any
kind is ever used.
In stores the fresh corned beef you can buy is never really good. Packing houses invariably take the
brisket of beef which is the cheapest, poorest possible meat and corn it so they can get a high price
for it.
Here are the ingredients to make up to 6 gallons of corning liquids. If this is too
much, cut the recipe in half or if too little, double it.
10 ounces of sugar
2 1/2 ounces of sodium nitrate
3 pounds of salt
3 level teaspoons of pepper
1 level teaspoon of ground cloves
6 bay leaves
12 level teaspoons of mixed pickling spice
If you care for onions, mince one onion 3 inches in diameter
If you care for garlic, mince 4 garlic cloves.
Put the ingredients into a pickle crock or glass jar and add enough water to make a total
of 6 gallons including the ingredients.
The ideal temperature for corning meat is 38 degrees.
During the fall or spring months this is not too difficult to get. In the you can use an unheated
part of your basement for corning meat. During hot summer months it is hard to find a place around
38 degrees. Higher temperatures will not affect the end result of your corning at all but for
every 15 degrees of a higher temperature than about 38 degrees, add one-third more salt. At about
83 degrees for example, add 3 more pounds of salt making a total of 6 pounds of salt used.
Now place your meat into the liquid. If it tends to bob up, put a heavy plate on it
smaller than the inside of the crock to keep it down. Cover well. A good piece of the round is
wonderful corned but you can take poor pieces of meat like the brisket and corn it to make it easier
to eat.
Let the meat remain in the corning liquid for fifteen days. On the fifth and tenth days stir the liquid
well and remove the meat and put it back in a reverse position. After the fifteenth day remove the
meat. Use what you want for immediate use and store the balance in a cool place.
The meat at this stage has a dull unappetizing color but pay no attention to this. When cooked, corned
meat turns a beautiful fresh red meat color that is very, very appetizing.
Cook Corned Meat As Follow:
Place corned meat in a pan with a cover. Add enough cold water to cover the meat. Bring to a boil and remove
the scum from the water. Reduce the heat and simmer for about five hours or until nice and tender.
Season to taste and serve as the main meat dish.
Authentic Irish Corned Beef and Cabbage:
In writing about corned beef it would be a great oversight not to list this world famous recipe. It is
a great recipe and if you have not tried it, you have missed one of the world's finest meals.
Cook the corned beef exactly as previously described but do the following. Use about a three pound piece
of corned beef. For the last hour of cooking the corned beef, add six whole onions about 2 inches in
diameter and six carrots about eight inches long. Three small cabbages about five inches in diameter
or smaller. The smaller cabbages have an entirely different flavor than larger ones. A small cabbage
has a true Brussels sprout flavor which it loses entirely as it gets larger. Large cabbage all have a strong
cabbage flavor, not a Brussels sprout flavor. Nota all of the vegetables are cooked whole.
Serve the meats and vegetables together on a large platter.
This is wonderful eating.
The Icons below will guide you to the other Corned Meat Pages
