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zxcvbob zxcvbob is offline
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Default Curing with Tenderquick, or nitrites and nitrates

Kent wrote:
> I posted a similar question on alt.food.barbecue. It may be more
> appropriate for this NG., Curing, to reduce botulism etc. is an important
> part of low temperature smoking.
> Have any of you cured with nitrites or nitrates in your brine, or
> cure? I have done a dry rub with Morton's Tenderquick[.5% sodium nitrite and
> nitrate], with limited success as it only cures the surface.
> The FDA says that your finished cured meat shouldn't have more than 200
> parts per million to avoid the evil cancer from emerging.
> If any have used Tenderquick, what is your recipe for the brine. How much
> Tenderquick do you use per quart of cure and how did you arrive at it?
> Mortons does not post any of this on their site. Obviously they should.
> Thanks,
> Kent
>
>



What are you curing? Salt/nitrite/nitrate rubbed on the surface of the
meat does not just cure the outside, it slowly penetrates the whole
piece of meat thru osmosis, but I don't remember the rate of absorption.
(I think it's one inch per week.) Many years ago, my dad an I
butchered a hog every winter and we cured the hams, bacon, and jowls by
rubbing them with Morton Sugar Cure and curing them in the bottom of the
refrigerator for a couple of weeks. In retrospect, Tenderquick would
have worked better for the bacon and jowls.

I've used Tenderquick to cure salami. I just used it in place of salt.
I have an unopened 2# bag of Prague Powder that I'll start using when
the bag of Tenderquick is finally used up.

Best regards,
Bob