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I'm seeing lots of different ideas on what temperature is safe to hot smoke pork loin after cold smoking 4 days. I want to make sure its safe and good.
As mentioned in your other thread, if you used Tenderquick at the same rates as specified for Cure #2, then your pork is essentially uncured. If you then cold smoked it for 4 days, it is probably ruined and not safe to consume.
As mentioned in your other thread, if you used Tenderquick at the same rates as specified for Cure #2, then your pork is essentially uncured. If you then cold smoked it for 4 days, it is probably ruined and not safe to consume.
ok, so .3% of 13.5 lbs is about 18 grams. Is that how much TQ you used?
If so, then you essentially have uncured pork. Left in the fridge for 11 days is not good, although the salt probably prevented spoilage. Then you kept it at room temperature for 4 days while you cold smoked.
At this point, I would not eat it.
Start over and make sure you fully understand the process before you proceed,
ok, so .3% of 13.5 lbs is about 18 grams. Is that how much TQ you used?
If so, then you essentially have uncured pork. Left in the fridge for 11 days is not good, although the salt probably prevented spoilage. Then you kept it at room temperature for 4 days while you cold smoked.
At this point, I would not eat it.
Start over and make sure you fully understand the process before you proceed,
Cold smoking at 52-71° F (12-22° C), from 1-14 days, applying thin smoke with occasional breaks in between, is one of the oldest preservation methods. We cannot produce cold smoke if the outside temperature is 90° F (32° C), unless we can cool it down, which is what some industrial smokers do. Cold smoking is a drying process whose purpose is to remove moisture thus preserving a product.
You will find that different sources provide different temperatures for cold smoking. In European countries where most of the cold smoking is done, the upper temperature is accepted as 86° F (30° C). The majority of Russian, Polish and German meat technology books call for 71° F (22° C), some books ask for 77° F (25° C). Fish starts to cook at 85° F (29.4° C) and if you want to make delicious cold smoked salmon that is smoked for a long time, obviously you can not exceed 86° F (30° C). Cold smoking assures us of total smoke penetration inside of the meat. The loss of moisture also is uniform in all areas and the total weight loss falls within 5-20% depending largely on the smoking time. Cold smoking is not a continuous process, it is stopped (no smoke) a few times to allow fresh air into the smoker.
In XVIII century brick built smokehouses a fire was started every morning. It smoldered as long as it could and if it stopped, it would be restarted again the following morning.
Cold smoked meats prevent or slow down the spoilage of fats, which increases their shelf life. The product is drier and saltier with a more pronounced smoky flavor and very long shelf life. The color varies from yellow to dark brown on the surface and dark red inside. Cold smoked products are not submitted to the cooking process. If you want to cold smoke your meats, bear in mind that with the exception of people living in areas with a cold climate like Alaska, it will have to be done in the winter months just as it was done 500 years ago.