Adapting wet brine (curing) recipe for vacuum tumbler

[Kayko]

Hi,

I posted a question a while ago, but wasn’t able to get much feedback. If I want to adapt a wet brine curing recipe for pastrami/brisket to using a vacuum tumbler, what would I change?

With a wet brine, I have the salt, spices, sodium nitrite (pink powder), and enough water to submerge the meat. But with the vacuum tumbler, I don’t need that much liquid, right? I just don’t know how much to reduce water, and whether spices and nitrite need to change.

Thanks!

[Idaho Smokey]

I am probably not going to be much help but here goes. I do the EQ method of curing bacon. This is all done by weight. When you do a wet brine you weigh the pork belly and what ever amount of water you are using. The calculator figures out how much sugar, salt, and pink salt to add to the combined weight of meat and water. I use the dry brine and the calculator figures out the amount of salt, sugar, and pink salt for just the weight of the meat. I tend to be cautious when using the pink salt because getting to much of it can make you sick. The answer to your question is yes you will have to change the amount of cure you use, but I have no idea by how much.

[mdseaside]

I use a vacuum often. I use the same proportions of the spices as a regular wet brine I just make less of it. Maybe 1/2 or 1/3. I have only done things like chicken wings or breasts cut down into quarters. Never done large portions of meat but I think you only need less liquid mixed at the same proportion.

[Kayko]

Thanks guys. I originally used the curing calculator off amazingribs.com, and my recipe has been working well for me. But I’d like to speed up the process (and increase production), so I’m looking at vacuum tumblers. But coming across information online has been challenging. Vacuum tumbler sales people don’t have recipes to reference either.