Okay I am completely confused about the amount of cure....

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coffee_junkie

Master of the Pit
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 17, 2009
1,144
18
Helena, MT
So I made 10lbs of andouille last night (all pork). The cure package i had was from a kit that I bought and never used, the cure packet says to use 1/8 Teaspoon/Pound of meet. So for 10 lbs I used 1 1/4Teaspoon. The cure I used was Prague powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite). The kit instructions even say to use 1/8 teaspoon to 1 lb of ground meat. Here is the link to the kits instructions http://www.hicountry.com/spices-dinner-style-polish.html (click on dinner style sausage link for instructions) I used my own ingredients and did not use any game, but this shouldn't affect the amount of cure....right?

My question is that everything I read on here is to use 1/4 teaspoon /LB of meat. Is my sausage safe to smoke and eat? Why would the sausage kit say to use exactly half of what is required?
 
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I don't know about their recipe, but the proper amount of cure #1 is one teaspoon (level) for 5 pounds of meat.
 
From "The Sausage Maker" website:  Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] No. 1, a basic cure used to cure all meats that require cooking, smoking, or canning. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates and other products too numerous to mention. Formerly Prague Powder #1. Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] #1 contains salt and sodium nitrite (6.25%). Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat. 8 oz. of Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] will process approximately 240 lbs. of meat.
 
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You are correct in that the measurement is the maximum amount.  The safety rule is 40° to 140° within four hours without cure, but if you are slow cooking the 1 teaspoon per 5 pounds applies.  Hope this helps.
 
Always follow the instructions on the kit.   They may or may not be using the same ratio of nitrites to salt as in Cure 1.  When I read the link it said the cure was included in the kit. 
 
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Yes AL, the cure did come with the kit but it is just #1 pink cure (6.25% nitrate). I just talked to the guy at High Country and he explainded to me that it is a PPM (parts per million) thing. He recommended that I get throught the danger zone in the correct amount of time. So hopefully I can do that without getting "fat out" I will report back tomorrow.

Next time I will use 1/4TSP per pound for sure.

Thanks for the great replies.
 
If making sausage and using Cure 1 you want 156 ppm of nitrite in the final product.  That corresponds to 4 oz for 100 lbs or 1 oz for 25 lbs   (28.35 g per 25 lbs of meat)

I suggest using weights when appling cures.

28.35 g cure 1  x  0.0625 x 1,000,000

                  11330 gr                                    =    156 ppm

Amount of cure   x   the percentage of nitrite in Cure 1 x 1000000 (for parts per million)

                                          weight of the meat in grams                                                             =    concentration of nitrite in parts per million

for 10 lbs of sausage meat  (4520 grams) how much cure 1 do I add?

You need 156 ppm, you know the weight of the meat 4520 grams and you know the percentage of nitrite in Cure 1   6.25 %

Amount of cure  x  0 .0625  X   1000000

                   4520 grams                              =    156

amout of cure x 0.0625  x 1000000  =  156 x 4520

amount of cure x 0.0625 x 1000000 = 705120

amount of cure x 1000000 = 705120/0.0625

amount of cure x 1000000 =  11,281,920

amount of cure =  11,281,920 / 1,000,000

amount of cure =  11.28 grams

for 4520 grams of meat (10 bs) you use 11.28 grams of cure 1
 
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Sorry I didn't read your post before I made the math post.  I need to weigh what a quarter teaspoon is but I still recommend using a good scale when adding cures.   When doing sausage the amount of cure 1 you add is independent of any other spice or salt.   I always weigh the meat before grinding and adding water or salt.  I use this weight as the amount of meat I am curing to determine the amount of cure 1  that will be needed.   There is some latitude in the final concentration so you don't need to be exact but I still like playing with my scales and stuff.  Makes me look all official and smart when  I pull out the scale when making sausage for people.

It's also easier using weights for spices,  tare the scale to zero, add the amount of cure you need, re tare to zero, add the amount of salt you want, re tare to zero, add pepper, re tare to zero and so forth.

Hope the math helps, at least people may understand where the numbers come from.

Al
 
All that math makes my ears ring...

Here's the amount I use and why...From the link I posted in #6...
 Pure sodium nitrite or potassium nitrite are not recommended for home use. In the United States Federal regulations permit a maximum addition of 0.25 ounce of sodium or potassium nitrite per 100 pounds of ground meat/fat. Since the small amount of nitrites are difficult to weigh out on most available home scales, it is strongly recommended that a commercial premixed cure be used.
CURE #1
Some Other Names:
Pink Salt;
Tinted Cure Mix (TCM);
Tinted Curing Powder (TCP);
Prague powder #1;
InstaCure #1;
Modern cure;
D.Q. powder;
FLP;
L.E.M. cure;
Sure Cure;
Fast Cure;
Speed Cure
This premix is use in meats and sausages that require a short curing time, and will be smoked, cooked or canned. It is a blend of salt and sodium nitrite, and of course it has the curing properties of sodium nitrite. The salt is added as a carrier and to make it easier to measure. In the United States it is dyed pink, so chefs and the home user will not mistake it for salt or sugar. Though it goes by several different brand and generic names, they all have the same formula of 93.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite (1 pound of salt plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite).

Cure #1 can be used as a dry brine (dry cure) or in a wet brine (pickle). It provides the same curing properties of sodium nitrite, and is considered a quick cure, because it starts curing immediately upon contact with the meat. As mentioned earlier, this type of cure is used for curing meats for a short period of time that will be cooked, smoked, or canned. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates, sausages and other products too numerous to mention.

NOTE: This is not interchangeable with cure #2, or any of the Morton brand name cures. Also do not mistake this for recipes calling for sodium nitrite, which means pure sodium nitrite.
Use as directed, more is not better and it can be toxic. To ensure that the cure is distributed more evenly in your sausage, mix it with the liquid that your recipe calls for, or mix it with the meat prior to grinding.

Use as follows:

Cure per pound of ground meat/fat:
Amount of Meat/FatAmount of Cure
Vol.Wt.
1 lb.1/4 tsp..05 oz.
2 lbs.3/8 tsp..08 oz.
3 lbs.1/2 tsp..10 oz.
4 lbs.3/4 tsp..15 oz.
5 lbs.1 tsp..20 oz.
10 lbs.2 tsp..40 oz.
15 lbs.1 Tbsp..60 oz.
20 lbs.1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp..80 oz.
25 lbs.1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.1.00 oz.
50 lbs.3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.2.00 oz.
100 lbs.6 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.4.00 oz.
tsp. = teaspoon; Tbsp.= Tablespoon;
oz.= ounce


Although cure #1 has salt in the mix, when using it in sausage making additional salt needs to be added.
 
 
Thanks guys,

So reading Alblanchers post, it seems to me that if I put 1 1/4 tsp, instead of 2 tsp, I should be okay.....because there is some "latitude" there. I cooked a sampler and the meat turned that nice pink color. I will however try to get through the danger zone 40-140 within 4 hours.
 
I just wrote out a long post explaining why you're ok with what ya got , but I lost it while tring to submit it...

I'll try to post it again . if it's going to be cooked you're good to go.
 
You want to cure a small pork butt 5 lbs(2260 grams) with a dry cure.  The limits for nitrite for a dry cure is 625ppm  You want the butt to have a salt concentration of 5%

Amt Cure 1 x 0.0625 x 1,000,000

                 2260                                      =   625ppm

Amt Cure 1 x 0.0625 x 1000,000                 =   625 x 2260   or  1,412,500

Amt Cure 1 x 0.0625                    =  1.4125

Amt Cure 1   =  1.4125 / 0.0625

Amt Cure 1   =   22.6 grams

How much salt do you add to the cure for 5% salt in the butt?

2260 x  .05 =  113 gr salt

amt of salt in cure 1      22.6 x .9375  =  21.2 grams

113 -   21.2 =  91.8 grams of salt needed to be added to the cure 1 to make the dry cure
 
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So I made 10lbs of andouille last night (all pork). The cure package i had was from a kit that I bought and never used, the cure packet says to use 1/8 Teaspoon/Pound of meet. So for 10 lbs I used 1 1/4Teaspoon. The cure I used was Prague powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite). The kit instructions even say to use 1/8 teaspoon to 1 lb of ground meat. Here is the link to the kits instructions http://www.hicountry.com/spices-dinner-style-polish.html (click on dinner style sausage link for instructions) I used my own ingredients and did not use any game, but this shouldn't affect the amount of cure....right?

My question is that everything I read on here is to use 1/4 teaspoon /LB of meat. Is my sausage safe to smoke and eat? Why would the sausage kit say to use exactly half of what is required?
The cure I used was Prague powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite). The kit instructions even say to use 1/8 teaspoon to 1 lb of ground meat.
My question is that everything I read on here is to use 1/4 teaspoon /LB of meat.


coffee-junkie, Good afternoon. You did exactlyt what was correct. You followed the manufactureres label as to proper use of their product. That is the only way to do things. That is the right way to do things. Only the manufacturer knows what his intent is. If in doubt, call or write the manufacturer and explain your concerns on the packaging. I have done this myself to get things clarified.

Now.............this is a great place to get information. There are many experienced, knowledgable and professional people on this site that have valuable and vast knowledge on the subject "smoking and curing meats" that we all have come to love.

Every now and then some "misrepresented information" will happen on a thread. NOT intentional.

Sometimes someone will not fully understand what was said, intended or typographical error etc. Whether it be the way it was stated or the way it was interpreted or the way the keys are pressed on the keyboard....for what ever reason things can get confused and errors occur.

Keep following the manufacturers directions and all will be well.

Dave
 
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First of always follow the instructions and use the package that come with the box.

I do not think it is instacur #1 it is there blend for their product.  If you used instacure # 1 You must use that measurement.

Did you use the packet that came with the product ??

If so you are fine.

Karl
 
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