Recipe for Curing Spare Ribs
Ingredients
Directions
Make the brine
In a large container, mix 5 pounds of salt, 1 pound of Freeze-Em-Pickle, and 2 pounds of sugar with 5 gallons of cold water to create the brine.
Cure the ribs
Rub the spare ribs with half of the salt, Freeze-Em-Pickle, and sugar mixture.
Place the rubbed spare ribs in the brine and cure for 10 to 12 days at a temperature between 36°F and 43°F.
Ensure the temperature remains consistent during the curing process.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
What each ingredient does
- Common salt
- Draws moisture out of the meat and seasons it, helping the cure take hold.
- Best granulated sugar
- Balances the harshness of the salt and adds a mild sweetness to the cured meat.
The step that matters
Holding the cure temperature. The ribs must stay between 36°F and 43°F for the full 10 to 12 days. Cold slows spoilage bacteria while the salt and sugar work through the meat, and warm spells can let unwanted microbes grow.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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