cure - how much? how long?

[laveen1]

I want to cold smoke a small (1 lb) piece of salmon for 5 or 6 hours, then cook it to a temp of 125. The salmon is at the most 3/4" thick - mostly 1/2" or less.

If I use a "cure calculator" (such as DIGGIN DOG's, I come up with: water + cure #1 + 2% salt + 1% sugar brine. Should a 24 hour cure make it safe to smoke at 75 degrees for 6 hours?

The calculator result is: 4 lbs water + 1 lb salmon + 6 g cure #1 + 41 g salt + 23 g sugar. If I brine for 24 hours the fish is a little too salty.
 

Could I safely reduce the salt percentage?
Could it safely be brined for less time?

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I have seen various recipes that only cure for a few hours.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

I would ditch the water and just go with a dry mix
Use the calculator, with 156 ppm nitrite.
2% salt is what I use, but you could cut it back a bit.
I cure filets for a couple days so the salt and cure equalizes well.

~Martin

 

[laveen1]

I think that's what your calculator defaults to (BTW - that's a really neat piece of software). The last salmon I dry cured came out so salty it was inedible. (I probably used way too much cure. - I did not use your calculator.)

I'll try the next one dry, using ONLY your calculator's results. Is there a formula for days to cure? What happens if it cures a day or two longer?

What part of the cure makes the meat "safe" for cold smoking? Nitrite? Salt?

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Not really a reliable formula for days to cure fish, it's just learned from experience.
Leaving it to cure a couple days extra shouldn't be a problem because you're using a calculated amount of salt, but it's essential that all your weights be very accurate.
The nitrite is the safety net in cold smoking.


~Martin

 

[laveen1]

THANK YOU. I really appreciate your advice. I'll try to make time for pictures with the next smoke.

 

[daveomak]

Laveen, morning....  I have been using the same recipe as DDF for a long time....  I add a small, very small amount of spices to the cure mix for flavor....  be sure to rinse the fish, do not soak, and dry under a fan to form a pelicle before smoking....  that will seal in the moisture and make for a very good smoke.....  Dave

 

[laveen1]

Hi Dave: The last piece I smoked was not as moist as most of my prior pieces. I'm thinking that may be because I wrapped it after curing and drying, and put it back in the fridge for a couple of days before smoking it. That probably broke down the pellicle, allowing the smoking process to draw out moisture. (Does that sound right?) Ed

 

[daveomak]

Ed, morning....  Yep.... sounds like you re dissolved the pellicle ......   Well, you and I both learned something....  probably a few others also.....  Thanks for sharing your experience....  that is how we learn on this forum.... even if the experiences are not good ones....  

Dave