Cure #1 2%

[blucmal]

Another question about cure #1 2%. Is selling it at 2% rather than 6.25 just a marketing thing to sell your more of the "other ingredients" in the cure. Or is there a legit reason? Can I just use 6.25% and use less of it? Or do I need a bag of 6.25% and one of 2% for different sausages?

 

[chef jimmyj]

You can't substitute One for One a 2% cure mix with Cure #1. Cure #1 at 6.25% Nitrite is commonly used at .25% per weight of meat. The package will have use instructions to achieve this. I suspect if you have some Cure Mix or Sausage Seasoning Mix, at 2% Nitrite, there are instructures for proper use as well...JJ

 

[blucmal]

You can't substitute One for One a 2% cure mix with Cure #1. Cure #1 at 6.25% Nitrite is commonly used at .25% per weight of meat. The package will have use instructions to achieve this. I suspect if you have some Cure Mix or Sausage Seasoning Mix, at 2% Nitrite, there are instructures for proper use as well...JJ

I realised I couldnt exchange 1:1 but if you use 2% nitrate mix wouldnt that would mean you would need more of it. Here is the product https://www.smokedandcured.com.au/cure-1-2-500g-jerky-kransky-etc/
As far as I can tell its just cure #1 but at 2% 98% normal salt, instead of industry standard 6.25%. I feel this will just confuse me everything I read elsewhere tells me to use 6.25% and their recipes reflects this. Same price per volume as 6.25% seems like a money grab to me..I think I will stick to cure #1 6.25%, which is what I have been using for bacon and candian bacon..

 

[daveomak]

Cure#1 (6.25% nitrite)... = 28.38 grams nitrite per pound of salt (454 grams)
cure#1 (2% nitrite) ..... = 9.08 grams nitrite per pound of salt (454 grams)

If you use the 2% nitrite at the rate the package tells you, 3 grams per Kg of meat,
9.08 / 454 = 0.02 grams nitrite per gram of cure
0.02 at 3 grams per Kg = 0.06 grams per Kg which is 60 Ppm nitrite...

I don't know what the minimum nitrite level to kill botulism is...
The USDA/FDA recommends a MAXIMUM amount and the MINIMUM is an obscure value...

Their declaration that their product cures meat FASTER is BS.... Curing time is directly related to molecule size and penetration rate of that molecule to fully cure the meat... I think it a gimmick to sell curing salt...

To obtain 156 Ppm, in meat, using the 2% cure, you need to add 7.8 grams of that cure to 1 Kg of meat (2.2 pounds) ... When you calculate the salt you just put in the meat, that's = 3.47% salt.... I can't eat meat that salty..... I'm in the 1.5 to 1.8% salty meat camp...

That amount of salt is even a bit much for dried cured products... Minimum salt content for dried cured meats runs about 2.8-3% salt... for bacteria control....

Using the FDA guidelines, at least you have room to adjust the salt amounts to make the meat edible...
I'm thinking..... Some dude in a 3 piece suit came up with a marketing gimmick..

 

[thirdeye]

I've seen some 'jerky cures' that were lower in nitrite concentration than Cure #1, and if you look at Tender Quick it has 0.5% nitrite, and 0.5% nitrate. The Misty Gully Cure instructions do mention their cure is for short term items like jerky or fish, so maybe it's just a convenient product if folks don't want to go through the calculations when using Cure #1?

 

[daveomak]

When using cure#1, use at the rate of 1 gram per pound of stuff... ~140 Ppm.....

 

[chef jimmyj]

I don't think it's a Scam but you should use Recipes written for a 2% mix. The Salt level will be better than messing with substitution, per Dave's calculations. Nitrite is effective over a range from around 80 to 200 ppm. THE USDA says studies show as low as 40 ppm will color the meat but has little effect at controlling Pathogens. Can we assume anything over 40 ppm will do the complete job? I can't remember the source, it was a University Article, but 80 ppm was cited as a the minimum for Pathogen control. So that's what I suggest...JJ