Stainless steel for brining and curing?

[volscrazy65]

My wife has a stainless stock pot that would work great.  What do you guys think?

 

[stout]

we normally brine in either a 2.5 gallon ziplock bag in a bowl
or in a large pot that is stainless steel.. never had a problem with it at all

the one we use are from a set that actually was my mothers ..it says nicromium surgical steel made by a company called healthcraft

several years back we use to keep a crisper drawer in the fridge empty and clean and we would brine right in there.. 

but now our kiddo is older so we have to keep a bit more food in the fridge.. so he can keep eating us out of house and home

 

[volscrazy65]

Thanks stout.  I definitely know what you mean about a son eating you out of house and home. 

Another question.  Do you put something on the meat to keep it fully submerged or turn it a few times while in the brine?  I'm guessing the meat will float and stick out of the brine. 

 

[stout]

Thanks stout.  I definitely know what you mean about a son eating you out of house and home. 

Another question.  Do you put something on the meat to keep it fully submerged or turn it a few times while in the brine?  I'm guessing the meat will float and stick out of the brine.

this is one of the reasons we like the bag... you can carefully squeeze out almost all the air.

in the pot we just flip it once in a while

 

[Airchair]

Hi John,
For all of our brining we use a stainless steal stock pot. It fits in out fridge and I just put a plate on top of the meat. Clean up is a headache compared to using plastic bag but I feel better not putting another plastic bag in the environment.

 

[jcboxlot]

Flip if you have time or care too.  You'll know by look if it needs a flip. (meat sticking out above water)  Stainless is fine to use.............or use whatever container you can fit in your fridge.  I have a side x side so not all pots and pans fit depending on how much other crap you have in the fridge. 

 

[old sarge]

While I am not a briner we do use stainless steel when marinating meats for Asian cooking. Never had a problem. And it is non-reactive. The reference to Health Craft cookware grabbed my attention.  It is wAterless.  We have used waterless (we add a little water) for over 40 years and it is rugged equipment. Great cookware but a tad pricey. But I am off topic so will close.

 

[volscrazy65]

While I am not a briner we do use stainless steel when marinating meats for Asian cooking. Never had a problem. And it is non-reactive. The reference to Health Craft cookware grabbed my attention.  It is wAterless.  We have used waterless (we add a little water) for over 40 years and it is rugged equipment. Great cookware but a tad pricey. But I am off topic so will close.

I've never heard of Health Craft but after a quick google search, I'm impressed.  I was surprised to see they make induction cook tops.  The range we have now has an induction cook top and it is one of the coolest things you've ever seen.  Hotter and more consistent than gas or electric.  If you ever need a new cook top, I'd highly recommend taking a look at induction. 

 

[old sarge]

Besides Health Craft, there is 360 cookware and Vita Craft. We have  the 360 line and a single element induction burner, just in case.  Otherwise we use gas.  But I am impressed with induction.  Just not enough yet to replace our stove. But as I said, I went off topic. My point was that stainless steel being non-reactive (grade dependent) is safe. Some stainless steel alloys are more resistant to salt than others.  That being the case, alternatives such as big ziplock bags and even large glass containers are great alternatives.

 

[G man]

I'm confused a bit here....I was led to believe you shouldn't marinate/brine in stainless steel.....Perhaps I"m confusing stainless with something else???

 

[drains]

I could be wrong but I think it's aluminum that reacts with anything acidic.

 

[SconnieQ]

Stainless is probably fine for short brines, but maybe with enough time, there could be some issues, or metallic taste. I use either food-safe Cambro containers (I have several shapes and sizes), or glass. Whether stainless is safe or not, I just prefer to go with what I know. Meat is expensive. Food safe containers are a worthwhile investment in the long run.

 

[LarryD]

From a quick google search:

Ceramics and stainless steel are considered non-reactive. ... Aluminum, copper, iron, and steel (not 'stainless') are all reactive. They conduct heat very efficiently, and therefore, do a great job of cooking our food evenly. However, these metals are reactive with acidic and alkaline foods.

Stainless steel gets used in lots of food/beverage manufacturing, so it's likely safe.  There might be a particular grade you'd want though.  Of course, our smokers are also made of stainless steel and they don't get destroyed, either.

 

[BillH]

We use 5 liter Rubbermaid food service storage containers made of polycarbonate.
They hold 2 chickens or a large pork butt and fit in the refrigerator very well.

 

[AlinMA]

If your using Stainless Steel for Brining look for 316 grade Stainless. Although more expensive than the alternative (430) the higher Nickel content is the difference in both performance and cost. If you are unsure of the grade of stainless check it with a magnet. 430 grade is ferritic and will react to the magnet.

The following is a description I grabbed online
Grade 304 is mentioned but it is not "food grade"

Grade 316 stainless is an austenitic stainless steel alloy with a high chromium and nickel content. Like many steel alloys, it has a continuous use temperature several times higher than most food making processes will ever require (more than 800°C, or 1472°F).
What makes the grade 316 alloy an ideal food grade steel sheet material is the fact that it has a high resistance to acids, alkalis, and chlorides (such as salt). Other austenitic stainless steels, such as grade 304 SS, can experience severe pitting corrosion when exposed to salt, which is often present in food products.
316 makes for great food grade stainless steel containers for nearly any food application.