Himalayan salt in a brine
I would like to brine a brisket for pastrami but would prefer not to use curing salt. Does himalayan salt in brine make brisket pink as if using curing/pickling salt?
Best Answer
No, not really. There are plenty of curing recipes for pastrami that do not use curing salts and you can use Himalayan for them. It is really just rock salt with some iron oxide (rust) in it. Some people claim an improved taste, others say it is imaginary, but it is a substitute for table salt, not curing salt.
As said, plenty of recipes do not use curing salt, and you can make a pastrami you may really like. But the more vivid pink color will not be there. That color comes specifically from the reaction with the curing salt nitrates and/or nitrites, not the pink coloring added to many of the salts. That coloring is added as a warning that this is not table salt, don't confuse it and use it as table salt. The current popularity of Himalayan is confusing some people and could cause accidents that need to be avoided.
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Quick Answer about "Himalayan salt in a brine"
Can Pink Himalayan Salt be Used For Brining? Himalayan salt is usually pink in color and also available in white color. Of all the salts available in the market, coarse salt is the best for brining, and Pink Himalayan salt is the best coarse salt and adds extra taste to the food.Can I use Himalayan salt for brine?
You will need to use a course salt such as Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, kosher salt or diamond salt (available in Woolworths Australia), but definitely don't use common fine table salt as it has added iodine and an anti-caking agent.Can I substitute Himalayan salt for kosher salt in a brine?
The best kosher salt substitute? Coarse sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. Because of the size of the coarse grains, you can use flaky sea salt as a 1:1 replacement for kosher salt. For more on the similarities and differences between the two, head to Kosher Salt vs Sea Salt.How do you make a Himalayan salt brine?
How to Make Sol\xe9What salt is best for brine?
Morton Coarse Kosher Salt is perfect for brining because the flat, flaky crystals dissolve extremely well in water and create a crystal clear brine.How To Make Himalayan Salt Brine - And Why?
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Answer 2
No. The mild pink colour in Himalayan salt comes from mineral impurities. The pink colour you get from using nitrates is due to a chemical reaction with the meat. As sodium chloride doesn't have any nitrates, it won't create the same reaction.
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