(Chemistry lesson, courtesy of McGee: nitrate (NO3) is converted to nitrite (NO2), which then reacts to form nitric oxide (NO), which bonds to myoglobin in the meat, which turns it pink and prevents oxidation. It's a little more difficult than picking it up at your local grocery store, of course. I would check online, or at specialty stores. It is definitely possible to buy (food-grade!) saltpeter. You would have better luck finding a recipe that was meant to use Tender Quick, though. I've heard that you can replace the salt in your recipe with Tender Quick, and drop the saltpeter, and have a success. Tender Quick is not a direct substitute because it contains mostly salt. Saltpeter can be replaced by a smaller amount of nitrite to get the same curing effect (most commercial cured meats do this), though a prolonged cure that converts nitrate into nitrite can develop more flavor. Bacteria convert nitrate into nitrite, which is the real preservative. Saltpeter is potassium nitrate, which does not directly cure meats.
So, is there anything that can be used in place of the sodium nitrate, if used in the proper quantities does its absence or presence have any effect on the flavor of the corned beef, and is there any good place to get it? It was terribly salty and actually made my tongue numb.
The cooked brisket turned out beautifully pink and almost inedible. The last time I made corned beef I tried to use Morton Tender Quick. I like my corned beef pink (the gray color is somewhat unappetizing), but more than that I'm concerned about the flavor of the corned beef. Sodium nitrate in the brine gives cooked corned beef its classic reddish color (without it corned beef comes out gray), and it kills botulism spores. From what I've been able to find out saltpeter is never used anymore nor available to the home cook, and sodium nitrate is not commonly available. Many recipes for making your own corned beef still refer to the use of saltpeter (potassium nitrate) or sodium nitrate. I realize there is another question about corned beef from scratch, but the answers don't really cover my question.
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