Old fashion jerky help

[jerky nut]

Yes I understand what you are saying Digging Dog but their is some confusion here also maybe I can clear up or maybe I'm wrong wouldn't be the first time.  If you put 1 tea spoon of cure # 1 into five pounds of ground meat you have 156 ppm of nitrite in your product.  because you mixed it into the meat.

 Now take 1 tea spoon of cure #1 and put it on  5 lb bacon as a dry rub your ppm will reflect the number of days you allowed it to cure. The longer you let it cure the closer to 156 ppm you will get but you will never get to 156 ppm because all of the nitrite will not penetrate the meat, you will loose some to fat not allowing transfer, you will loose some to moisture coming out of the meat and dripping off taking Nitrite with it.   This is the reason for 4 times the amount of cure.  Even though it's 625 ppm laying on the surface by the time it makes it way into the meat and the curing process is finished you should be around 156 ppm

 I am in no way trying to harm or poison any one here. The use of nitrite is a safety concern to all of us I am just trying to interpret the guidelines laid out by the USDA. and this is my opinion.

 Dry cured  is the application of cure to the outside area of the product to be cured, ( no matter how long it is to be cured) it is the process. 

 Bitong can be as thick as a slab of bacon we are taking Biltong not jerky.

 Maybe some one here can get pops to give his opinion on this conversation.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

jerky nut,
It doesn't work that way.
Read the entire manual.
You're breaking several rules.
There's absolutely NO reason to apply more than 156ppm nitrite to jerky.


~Martin

 

[jerky nut]

 I'm not breaking any rules!  This recipie is for BILTONG! not jerky. I didn't formulate the recipe Stanley Marianski did.  I read the entire manual can you please explain to me how it works then?

 

[jerky nut]

This is my resource for the term Dry Cured.

USDA cover.png

• jerky nut
• Jan 1, 2014

Untitled.png

• jerky nut
• Jan 1, 2014

 Also here is a very good read on the subject.  http://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-making/curing/methods#dry-curing

 

[blacktuskjerky]

For example. Health Canada requires by law that our commercial jerky products have 200PPM of nitrite added, if we are to use these products. With PPMs over 500 you would need to add Erythorbate or lots of lemon juice to try and make sure that it converts over. I don't know, food for thought, but it's always better to use less nitrite than more. It's really strong stuff!

Happy New Years Smokers!!

 

[jerky nut]

If I were making Jerky yes I would use 1 teaspoon of cure #1 in my brine per 5 lbs of meat.  but this is biltong.

biltong8.jpg

• jerky nut
• Jan 1, 2014

Bitong!  whole muscle meat cured using a dry cured method then air dried for 4 days or until desired hardness, then sliced into bite size pieces. This is not jerky.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Dried from 4 hours to 4 days.
The Marianski books are not without errors...I've pointed some of them out in various threads,
If you'd read the entire process inspector's handbook you'd know that there is a specific limit on residual nitrite in a finished product (that applies to any finished product.).
That in itself is proof that you can not just add a bunch of nitirte and expect it to be fine.
You have to stay within the limits.

 

[daveomak]

If I were making Jerky yes I would use 1 teaspoon of cure #1 in my brine per 5 lbs of meat.  but this is biltong.

biltong8.jpg

• jerky nut
• Jan 1, 2014

Bitong!  whole muscle meat cured using a dry cured method then air dried for 4 days or until desired hardness, then sliced into bite size pieces. This is not jerky.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Did you make that biltong....... Looks good......

 

[jerky nut]

No, I never tried Biltong. I agree it does look good. I just found this photo the other week.  Digging Dog Farm, yes that book has several mistakes just like 4 hours or four days as you mentioned, we both know you will not get a product that dry in under 4 days even using a biltong box.  Also their is no way to test the true PPM of nitrite in a product ( little guys like us) that is why everything is so questionable.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Also their is no way to test the true PPM of nitrite in a product ( little guys like us) that is why everything is so questionable.

That's why it's essential to use a sensible amount of cure.




~Martin

 

[jerky nut]

While trying to stay above the minimum of 120ppm ( keep refrigerated products)  especially for a product that is air dried at room temperature. 

 

[grouse]

would the drying time be affected if you cold smoked it at 80-90 degrees. 

 

[jerky nut]

Grouse I'm sure it would. you just air dry this meat at room temp so hanging in a cold smoker at 80 - 90 degrees would be the same but with the addition of smoke.   That's a good reason why I never tried it yet because it doesn't call for smoke.  I can't comprehend a dried meat product without a great smoky flavor.

 

[grouse]

The reason i ask is. My last batch of jerky that i posted up  had about 10 pieces that were 1/2-3/4 of an inch thick.  My friend who i was smoking the meat for just through the end pieces in the bags he wanted me to process.  

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/154066/venison-jerky-in-the-smoker

I smoked them at 90* for 24 hours for my thinner jerky.  and about 32 for his, which were 3/8" thick, not the 3/16th I prefer.   Anywho, the thicker pieces of his turned out just like your photo. 

 

[jerky nut]

yep that's pretty much how I make my dried beef for chipped beef and toast.  Looks the same way.

 

[grouse]

I turned his 1/2-3/4 inch pieces into a stew.  Looking back after reading these several threads about biltong,  I am curious if how it would have turned out.  

I may have to try a run. and see. 

 

[pops6927]

 
Yes I understand what you are saying Digging Dog but their is some confusion here also maybe I can clear up or maybe I'm wrong wouldn't be the first time.  If you put 1 tea spoon of cure # 1 into five pounds of ground meat you have 156 ppm of nitrite in your product.  because you mixed it into the meat.

 Now take 1 tea spoon of cure #1 and put it on  5 lb bacon as a dry rub your ppm will reflect the number of days you allowed it to cure. The longer you let it cure the closer to 156 ppm you will get but you will never get to 156 ppm because all of the nitrite will not penetrate the meat, you will loose some to fat not allowing transfer, you will loose some to moisture coming out of the meat and dripping off taking Nitrite with it.   This is the reason for 4 times the amount of cure.  Even though it's 625 ppm laying on the surface by the time it makes it way into the meat and the curing process is finished you should be around 156 ppm

 I am in no way trying to harm or poison any one here. The use of nitrite is a safety concern to all of us I am just trying to interpret the guidelines laid out by the USDA. and this is my opinion.

 Dry cured  is the application of cure to the outside area of the product to be cured, ( no matter how long it is to be cured) it is the process. 

 Bitong can be as thick as a slab of bacon we are taking Biltong not jerky.

 Maybe some one here can get pops to give his opinion on this conversation.

I apologize, but I'm a wet-curing guy.  You may want to get Bearcarver involved as he is much more informed on correct dry curing procedures.

 

[blacktuskjerky]

I just asked a South African guy that makes Biltong here in BC commercially. He says he uses 1-1.5 tsp per 5# of meat. He also mentioned that the cure works from the outside in, so it's ok to use a little. It can cure up to 7 days without issue.

Hope that helps guys!

 

[jerky nut]

Thanks any ways Pops.

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I apologize, but I'm a wet-curing guy.  You may want to get Bearcarver involved as he is much more informed on correct dry curing procedures.

I'm a little late for this party, but I'll give my two cents:

First of all, I usually use Tender Quick, however no matter which cure you use, you should not go over the recommended amount (from the manufacturer).

That would be 1 TBS of TQ per pound of whole meat, and 1 tsp of Cure #1 per 5 pounds of meat.

If there is a problem getting the product cured to the center, you should extend the curing time----Not increase the amount of cure.

To use more cure because some will not get into the meat, and some will drip off, and some will be left in the curing container (bag), would be to say that you know how much cure will be lost by these occurrences, and you are replacing that amount.

If you want to make sure you used enough curing time, after the curing time is up, cut a slice into the thickest point of the meat, and look at the internal color. If it is pink all the way to center, the cure got to the center. If there is a grayish brown color in the middle, the cure did not get to center. However if you used the amounts of cure I mentioned above, your problem is "not long enough in cure". Extend the curing time---Don't increase the amount of cure. 

Bear