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Brining Pork Riblets or Beef

Traditional Newfoundland brining Pork or Beef, it’s also called pickling and salting. This meat is used for cooking with your Jiggs dinner, boiled dinner, Sunday dinner, soups or stews!!

By Bonita Hussey

4.912 ratings
Prep
20 min
Makes
1 .75 kg bucket full
Serves
Family
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Salt pork or beef

About this recipe

Brining pork Riblets or Beef with Bonita’s kitchen
Brining pork Riblets or Beef with Bonita’s kitchen

Hi and welcome to our website!!

If you are looking to make your own salted beef or pork ribs!!! You are in the right place!!

So make yourself a cup of tea and sit back and watch our short video tutorial!!

Turkey soup
Turkey Soup

I will share the link to our cookbook that was released in February 2017, with the recipe for Jiggs Dinner and so much more. https://www.bonitaskitchen.com/cookbook

Cookbook
Bonita’s Kitchen Cookbook

Please continue on with the recipe for Brining Pork Riblets or Beef.

Salt pork or beef
 Brining Pork Riblets or Beef with coarse pickling salt.

Salt cured beef is a product famous in Newfoundland and Labrador and also in the rest of the maritimes. It is small pieces of raw beef or pork ribs, stored in a bucket of heavy brining ” pickling salt” and place in a fridge or cold storage. These small pieces of pork ribs or meat is put in a small bucket or bowl with lid but ” NEVER” in a metal container because it would rust.

Jiggs Dinner
Traditional Newfoundland Jiggs Dinner with homemade salt beef.

Traditional Newfoundland Jiggs Dinner

If you ever had Jiggs dinner before you know it needs a nice helping of salted beef or salted pork ribs, this is what makes the meal. Now their are many people who cook this meal without it but it’s nice to have the choice to have it or not, this is why I wanted to give you access to making it yourself and having it available when you need it.

Salted Pork and Beef
Pork Riblets in pickling salted water.
A Bucket of pork Riblets soaking in salted water and a bowl to keep it in the pickle.
A Bucket of pork Riblets soaking in salted water and a bowl to keep it in the pickle.

I’m not trying to promote having salt in your diet!!

I’m just trying to give you access to one of our cultural foods if you don’t have access to purchases it. Anytime you go to cook this meat you ” Must ” soak it for a few hours or overnight to remove most of the salt in the meat. 

Why make the salt pork riblets?

If you are a Newfoundlander or Labradorian you grownup with this kind of cured meat and it’s something you like to have, especially when you are making a Jiggs Dinner, boiled dinner or Sunday dinner.

I hope you find this video and blog helpful for you if you decide to make the recipe, I also would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my website.

From my kitchen to yours thank you and have a wonderful day.

Welcome to Bonita's kitchen
Enjoy Bonita

The recipeBrining Pork Riblets or Beef

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Before you start

  1. Cut meat into 4-inch to 6-inch slabs.

  2. Sterilize your containers with boiling water and soap, rinse well.

  3. Pack pieces of meat in a sterilized bucket or bowl.

  4. Then in a boiler add 12 cups of warm water start the boiling.

  5. Then 1½ cups of picking salt, let all salt dissolve then remove from heat. Let come to room temperature before using.

  6. The brine must cover every inch of the meat, so if it doesn't, weigh it down with a plate or heavy object like a canning jar of water.

  7. Cover the bucket and store for a week in your fridge or somewhere at 36 °f.

  8. Each week remove meat stir brine and repack meat in bucket.

  9. If the brine is thick or stringy, wash each piece of meat thoroughly, sterilize the bucket or bowl or clean well with soap and hot water…. then make fresh brine.

  10. This recipe takes 6 to 8 weeks to brine meat and sometimes longer if you like it more salt.

  11. Note if you only are going to make a small about you don't need 12 cups of water so divide your ingredients.

  12. Enjoy making your own salt (brine) pork riblets or beef for your next Jiggs dinner, this way you can get all lean meat for salting.

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Brining Pork Riblets or Beef

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    58 messages

    I answered 16 of them myself.

    1. Cathy Giles

      Hi Bonita,
      Have you ever used the pink curing salt powder when making your salt beef or salt riblets? It is made by texturestar. If so, how much do you use ? Would you use it by itself or with the pickling salt that you are using?

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Cathy, Thank you for your message and for stopping by..I’ve never used it, I guess I didn’t have access to it when I did this video. But I have a link here to someone else’s website talking about the benefit of pink curing salt powder and how you can use it with sea salt or pickling salt…They so two different things and one the pink curing salt powder helps prevent bacteria from forming on the meat you are curing. So hopefully it will open for you if it don’t just google sea salt vs pink curing salt powder and the info should pop up. Our video for brining is just for the fridge so it don’t go bad and it is just for a small amount. I hope this helps and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!! Bonita this is the link or site…. (Guide to Using Pink Curing Salt at Home).

        Reply
    2. Dave

      Hello Bonita
      We followed your instructions but after 4 weeks in the fridge the pork ribs have a sulphuric smell. We are thinking of changing the brine and putting back into the fridge. Is it normal to get this smell?

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Dave, Thank you for your message…Do the brine have a stringing from it or just a sulphuric smell. Just be careful it’s not spoiled but rinse the pork in cold water and make a new brine then put it back in the fridge. I can’t say it’s normal to have a sulphuric smell because I’ve never had that. Try to change the brine and all the best!! Bonita

        Reply
    3. Mike

      After the 6-8 weeks what do you do with the meat? package and freeze it? vacuum seal it? or keep it in the pickling liquid?

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Mike, Thank you for your message and for stopping by. It could take even longer to brine the beef, but when it’s brined you can leave in the bucket in the fridge until all eaten or vacuum seal them or freezer bags and freeze for longer storage.
        Enjoy to the fullest
        Bonita

        Reply
    4. Karl Meitz

      Hey there! I’ve been reading your website for a long time now and finally got the bravery to go ahead and give you a shout out from Austin Tx! Just wanted to mention keep up the good job!

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Karl, Thank you for stopping by and welcome to our website, never feel you can’t send me a message I love to hear from everyone. I’m so glad you are enjoying our recipes and please message anytime. Stay safe 🙂 Bonita! NL Canada

        Reply
    5. Maye Glancy

      Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I wrote and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog writer but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any tips for first-time blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.

      Reply
    6. Paul

      Hi, I was wondering if I could use my leftover salt meat brine, for moose meat. Thanks

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Paul: Thank you for your message and for stopping by, I don’t recommend doing that but I’ve heard of people doing it. Leftover brine is full of blood from the meat and could not have enough salt to salt your moose meat. You can follow our easy method or you can take your chance on reusing the old brine. Add more salt to our brine if you like more salt, thank you for your message and all the best. 🙂 Bonita

        Reply
    7. Shirley

      I’m hoping you will take time to advise. I’d never heard of brined beef, other than books. Have just bought 2 small pieces, cyrovaced, Chalkers brined beef plate. I asked one of the staff, was told I could cut of slices, & fry a bit to eat. Chalkers website was not too helpful-I avoid deep frying, & there is just me. I could do a small Jiggs dinner, but are there other ideas. Still learning! Thanking you.

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Shirley: Sorry I just seen your message, we love brined beef, but we only use it in a few meals. Jiggs dinner or boiled dinner and you can cook it for one and have leftovers. Stews, soups and if you like to only have boiled salted beef and cabbage is good, you will need to soak it over night in cold water before cooking it one on its own and then with the meal you are cooking it in. Check out of recipe on this website for soups, stews and the jigs dinner. I hope you get to make some tasty with it and enjoy….:) Bonita

        Reply
    8. Mike

      Can I vacuum seal the beef and brine? Would you recommend brisket or chuck roast?

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Mike, Thank you for your message and yes you can vacuum seal salted beef that have been brined, only the beef not the liquid. You can freeze them for longer storage, unless you are going to cook it in a couple of weeks. I’m thinking just pieces of the beef about the size of your palm. I haven’t used brisket but i’m sure it will work. Also you can only vacuum seal the salted beef after it is salted and gone through the stages of brining. I hope this helps and enjoy…:) Bonita

        Reply
    9. Carol

      Hi Bonita,

      I picked beef but didn’t like it at all. I’m thinking it was the cut of beef so I’m going to try it again with a different cut. I also didn’t like the color, it looked grey. Do you add something to make the color look better? I’m about to try your bread recipe now. Thank you for the wonderful recipes.

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Carol: Thank you for your message and for stopping by, after about 4 weeks the beef starts to go grey looking and then it will return to a pink colour as the weeks go on. Just as long as the brine is runny not sticky or stringy. If us rinse the beef off with water and discard the brine and make more. I like brining the pork ribs, also it takes almost 8 weeks before the beef is finished brining. I’m gl;ad you are going to make our bread and enjoy to the fullest, happy easter. 🙂 Bonita

        Reply
    10. Winnie

      Hi Bonita,
      I want to make traditional salt meat with grizzle bones etc. not just slabs of meat. Can you please tell me what cut/s of meat I should purchase to achieve this. Love your site.

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Winnie: Thank you for your message and for stopping by, that is very interesting. I’ve never pickled grizzle bones before, but I’m sure if you asked your butcher at your local grocery store they would recommend something for you. You can get a roast with the bone on or maybe short cut beef ribs, they have bone and grizzle on there. I hope this helps and enjoy 🙂 Bonita

        Reply
      2. Doreen

        Use plate brisket. They have the small white soft bones. Not regular brisket but Plate brisket. A butcher will know what that is

        Reply
        1. Bonita

          Hi Doreen: Thank you for sharing that with us, its always nice to have the right cut of beef to use for this recipe. I like making the ribs more then the beef but they bought are equally as tasty when made. Enjoy Bonita

          Reply
    11. Jen Bevin

      Love your site Bonita.. refer to you often when I want to recreate a taste of home! Hugs.. keep up the great work!

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Jen: Thank you so much for your lovely message, we are so glad you are enjoying our site. I’m so glad to help and this recipe is lovely, the cost of this beef now is on real. Enjoy and have a lovely day. 🙂 Bonita

        Reply
    12. Smithc975

      Your weblog is 1 of a kind, i really like the way you organize the topics. bbadkbggcefecdeg

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Thank you so much, I’m not a blogger but I’m trying to make my website a little more interesting and clear. Thank you for your message and for visiting my website. 🙂 Bonita

        Reply
        1. Cynthia

          Hi Bonita,
          What are your choice cuts of beef when making salt beef? By the way I really enjoy your site:)

          Cheers,
          Cynthia

          Reply
          1. Bonita

            Hi Cynthia: Thank you so much for your message and for visiting our channel, I’m so glad you enjoy our channel. I always pick the lean beef and the pork ribs. Pick what you would like to eat and with less amount of fat, thats the problem we are finding when buying the buckets of salted beef here in NL they are mystery buckets with more fat then beef. I hope this helps and enjoy 🙂 Bonita

            Reply
    13. Deb legge

      When you talk about beef ribs, are they short ribs…with or without the bone? And the pork are spareribs? Thanks.

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi DEb: Thank you for your message and for visiting my website, what’s so good about making your own salt beef or pork you can use whatever you like. If you like the short ribs that’s ok, beef roast cut in small pieces or pork ribs. Just follow the video on the method and keep in your fridge at all time until pickling is finished and all beef as been eaten. It takes about five the six weeks for the brining to be complete. Thanks and enjoy Bonita

        Reply
      2. Ed Hynes

        I’m living in Texas now long way from home and I’ve done this already cause I cannot get salt meat here so I tried your way and it’s perfect , you saved me cause watching fb showing jiggs dinner all the time was killing me , thank you and for your raisin tea buns as well , is there a way to make the tea buns higher ??

        Reply
        1. Bonita

          Hi Ed thank you for your message and for stopping by, welcome. I’m so glad you are enjoying our channel, thank you for making the salt beef. It takes 6 to 8 weeks brining and maybe longer to be a little more salty, keep it in the fridge all the time and check it weekly. If you like the tea buns to be higher make them bigger, just don’t roll them out just pinch off the size you like and place them on the cookie sheet 2 and 1/2 inches apart. Maybe the baking time could be 5 minutes more but you set the timer for the regular time first and check them. I hope this helps and stay safe and message any time. 🙂 Bonita

          Reply
    14. Les

      I’m trying this recipe now. Just wondering how long it should cure and if the meat will be red? Mine is slightly grey?

      Thanks!

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Les: Thank you for your message, this needs to be in for at less 6 weeks and it will go back to a pinkish red. The salt whiten the meat first, that is normal. You may even be able to try it earlier but usually 6 to eight weeks, but keep it in the fridge all that time. I hope this helps. Bonita

        Reply
    15. Kent

      Hi There !
      I`ve been craving a good ” boiled dinner “. My Mom would use a pork cottage roll for the meat part and not beef. I can`t wait to try a roast of pork that I just bought today. Thanks for making it so clear and easy to understand. Oh! And a little ” peas pudding ” with it as well . 🙂

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Kent: haha your message made me smile, I’m glad you found our website and that you are going to make this recipe. When I lived away years ago I would crave a good old boiled dinner and I never had access to salt beef or pork. Somehow cooking the meal without it is not the same. So! my years of not having access to things I loved and enjoyed bought me to sharing my recipes and old Traditional Newfoundland recipe with everyone. If you can’t buy it then we just need to make it and have our own stock available for when we do want it. Enjoy and thank you so much for your message. Bonita 🙂

        Reply
    16. Maxwell Smith

      Do you cook pork ribs in a jigs dinner

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Maxwell: Thank you for your message and for visiting my website, we use pork riblets or beef for making this recipe whatever type you would like to make.Yes after the pork riblets are pickled you would soak them for a few hours and then cook them first in the boiler for hour or so and taste the pot water if its not salty then add your veggies.Continue cooking until cooked, you can also look at my Jiggs Dinner recipe i have on this site to follow. Enjoy Bonita

        Reply
        1. Kiel Lukaniuk

          Hi Donna, what is the best cut of beef to use for salt beef?

          Reply
          1. Bonita

            Hi Kiel: I always say what works for you, if you like a piece of beef that got fat on it thats fine. But I like with only a little amount of fat and more beef, and the ribs I use the big cut of pork ribs not the baby back. Thank you for your question and for stopping by, I hope this helps and enjoy. Bonita

            Reply
    17. Steve payne

      Thanks my love. I’m going to try this soon. We miss you up here in the knife. Steve Payne.

      Reply
      1. Bonita

        Hi Steve: Thank you so much for your message and for visiting my website. We will always keep Yellowknife and our knife friends close to our hearts, we visited yellowknife last summer for three days. Our boys and their wives and families live in Alberta so on our way to visit them we took the long way around. 🙂 I’m glad you found me on the web and you are going to make this recipe. I would have loved to have known about this when i lived in yellowknife because the salt beef and pork is so expensive. This way you get to make your with less fat then what you buy in the store. Enjoy 🙂 Bonita ( Raymond said to say hi!)

        Reply
        1. Donna

          Hi just wondering how long can you keep a bucket of salt riblets that is not open go ?

          Reply
          1. Bonita

            Hi Donna: Thank you for your message and for visiting my website, just as long as your salt ribs are in the pickle and in the fridge it is good until all eaten. But if you are only eating it every so often and the pickle is starting to get thick and stringy; you will need the change the pickle or remove the beef and freeze in freezer bags to use as needed. I hope this helps you and have a lovely day, Bonita

            Reply
            1. Violet

              What kind of beef is best I like fat

            2. Bonita

              Hi Violet: Thank you for your message and for visiting our channel, if you like fat on the beef use a sirloin roast or blade roast with marbling ( fat ) you can also ask your butcher what roast got some fat on it. I hope this helps and enjoy. 🙂 Bonita

          2. Gina

            Hello,
            Could I just pack my pork ribs in 100% salt? I can no longer get salted spare ribs in pails at the grocery store.

            Reply
            1. Bonita

              Hi Gina, Thank you for your message and for stopping by, it is totally up to you if you wish to just pack the pork ribs with salt. But you still need to make sure its working and it’s kept in a cool place so it don’t spoil during the brining stage. Follow our video and method check after a couple of weeks and then change the brining water if needed. It is indeed very hard to find good salt pork or beef and its very expensive as well. I hope this helps and please follow up and let it brine for 6 to 8 weeks before trying it. Bonita

          3. Sandi L.

            If I want to make salt pork with boneless pork shoulder or butt meat how many pounds would I use for your recipe here.

            Thank you Bonita

            Reply
            1. Bonita

              Hi Sandi. Thank you for your message and for stopping by…This is the way our elders made it years ago. This is only for a single batch of salted or brining so use about 2 or 3 pound roast cut in average pieces.
              Make sure you keep the brining bucket or container in the fridge at all times.
              Enjoy to the fullest
              Bonita

        2. Lloyd Clarke

          Hi, im wondering how long the ribs will last in the fridge. I followed you recipe and also added sodium Nitrate.
          The last batch of ribs Look great, but they’ve been in the fridge. Must be three maybe four months. I think they should be good, but I thought I would ask.
          Thanks
          Lloyd Clarke

          Reply
          1. Bonita

            Hi Lloyd, Thank you for your message and for stopping by. I’m glad you made our brining recipe. That’s good you added the sodium Nitrate that would make it last longer. Just as long it’s in the fridge it should be good. But with that said you can remove it from the brine and vacuum seal it or put in a freezer bag and freeze it to keep longer. The brine should be runny not sticky or stringy in the bucket, thats a good way to check it. I hope this helps. Bonita

            Reply
      2. Joanne

        How long do you leave the beef in the brine before it’s ready

        Reply
        1. Bonita

          I replied to your other message, enjoy and take care. Bonita

          Reply
          1. Tom

            Jigs dinner is awsome! Born in grand Bank newfoundland,grew up on it. now live in nova scotia. We do ours same way still. But we use the deer meet and do up 5 gal pails. It turns out perfect!

            Reply
            1. Bonita

              Hi Tom: Thank you for your message and for sharing your story with us, deer meat some lovely for the salted beef I’m sure its lovely. Have a wonderful day 🙂 Bonita

      3. Joanne

        How long do you leave the beef in the brine before it’s ready to eat

        Reply
        1. Bonita

          Hi Joanne: Thank you for your message and for visiting our channel, it takes 6 to 8 weeks and after you can continue brining it but you will be able to cook some. The first lot won’t be real salty but the longer it salts the salter it will be. Keep in the fridge at all times, and if you like after its fully salted you can freeze the beef in freezer bags and keep in the freezer up to 4 months, follow the video to have more info. Enjoy Bonita

          Reply
      4. Sandi L.

        Thank you for this recipe Bonita. I like your the best, it doesn’t call for Prague powder which can be scary to use.

        Reply

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