I put a trimmed packer in the brine yesterday, for a 3 week soak. The brine had 5 qts water, 1 cup salt and just shy of a cup insta-cure; plus many spices.
My concern is that the brine had a very salty taste. But I have read other instructions that said the salt content should be enough to float an egg...mine won't.
I don't want to wind up with salty pastrami.
When done with the soak I'll run it through an over night soak in fresh water and see what happens.

Well whut you got there is two cups of salt. Not counting the sorta trace amounts of the Trite family in the TQ. Now whut a person needs to do on that deal is just sub out the salt for a cup o sugar. Brown or white both works. That put it back in balance twixt the ying and yang. Now the float an egg brine is real old timey and the version I made for years called for salt peter which I think is now considered some kinda deadly pizzen. Anyway it seems like it took over 3 cups of salt to float the egg. Only way you could eat that stuff was simmered in water. Real similar to country ham saltiness. It was great once it got boiled and got the salt out of it.

bigwheel

I used basically the same recipe but 2 cups of Tenderquick and no salt with a 2 week soak with 2 flats. And only an hour fresh water soak and it didn't come out salty at all, but I was worried. Needlessly it turned out.

Well color me surprised. I shore woulda thought it would have been salty too. Glad it turned it out good. I will mark that bit of knowledge down in whut is left of my memory banks. Thanks.

bigwheel

That pastrami about done Rag?

Mine is going on the smoker today

It's been about 3 weeks in the brine, and ready. After this Nor'easter passes, I'll fire up the WSM.

I rinsed the meat yesterday and gave it an overnight soak in fresh water. Used the Witt Dog seasoning rub and placed on the WSM at 11 am. Maintained 230* to 240* till 4:30 pm with small apple wood chunks. Internal temp of 170*.
It turned out very good and not salty as I feared. Made some sammies on rye with mustard, swiss cheese and pastrami, after 45 seconds in the MW. Dill pickles and coleslaw filled out the deal.
Photos weren't as good as could be.

http://pbckt.com/s4.lAw

Great job Rag. You making me Reuben hongry over here.

bigwheel