can cure go bad

[charcoal junkie]

I was wondering if a cure can lose its potency? I have some Fast Cure made by Reichert Spice Co.
Ingredients are as follows: salt 6.25% sodium nitrite 17 ppm red #3 and less than 1.0% glycerine.
Directions say use 4oz of cure to ea h 100 lbs of meat. When I used it the meat didn't get as red as the meat I have curing with TC.

 

[chef jimmyj]

I will add a question. I have heard that Cure added to meat will dissipate in 3-4 Days...So how is it we Cure Bacon 2-3 Weeks?...JJ

 

[diggingdogfarm]

If sealed and stored in a cool dry place it would take a long time for it to lose it's potency, if at all.
It's difficult to make a judgement by looks because the myoglobin level of the meat may have been vastly different (which affects the color) and as you probably know there's more cure in MTQ, 156 ppm nitrite and 156 ppm nitrate when used one level tablespoon per pound of meat.

How fast the cure converts in the meat depends on a lot of different things, regardless, it's said to take a some time before it reduces to a very low level.



~Martin