Cured and smoked sausage question

[alblancher]

Dry curing with tenderquick is not the same as including a bit of cure 1 in fresh sausage.  I agree 100 percent dry curing a product does change the taste considerably. To the better, that's why I cure sausage and bacon for days or weeks and seldom make fresh sausage unless it's a sage type breakfast sausage like ShooterRick's recipe.

 

[bbally]

 I can't answer it but I was wondering how others would hold the raw cured sausage for lets say 3 weeks? In the frig in a plastic bag? .

 First Why?

It is possible but you have to move to Cure #2 and you are going to need to modify the recipe by adding fermento or some other slow fermentation control method.  This would basically change the fresh cured sausage into a longer hard sausage.

But to just take a straight Cure 1 recipe or Tenderquick recipe and try this would not be advised unless you already have met the medical deductible on your health insurance policy, cause you are going to probably need medical treatment.

 

[Bearcarver]

Dry curing with tenderquick is not the same as including a bit of cure 1 in fresh sausage.  I agree 100 percent dry curing a product does change the taste considerably. To the better, that's why I cure sausage and bacon for days or weeks and seldom make fresh sausage unless it's a sage type breakfast sausage like ShooterRick's recipe.

Thanks Al,
#1  I'm glad you agree with that part.

#2  The OP did not specify whether he used TQ or Cure #1 in his sausage.

#3 The part I highlighted in Red, in your post did not specify Cure # 1 either, in fact it said:

 The slight taste change caused by the salt and or cure is a minor determinant in his decision making.

I disagree with the words "taste change caused by salt and cure" and "minor determinant".

I would agree that there would be very little or no taste change at all with cure #1 by itself, but not with TQ, or with Cure #1 mixed with the things you normally mix with it, that are already in TQ.

As for the other (holding cured meat for 3 weeks, before smoking), until I find where I read this is a "NO-NO", I will defer to "bbally" and his post.

Not arguing with you Al, just clarifying my thoughts and statements,

Bear

 

[alblancher]

I luv ya Bear,  Bear, that's my wife's nickname for me you know.

No argument at all, normally it's a misunderstanding on exactly what the situation is.    At no time was dry curing mentioned in the original post either but we both agree dry curing does change the taste profile of a product.   My stance is that a bit of Cure 1 (I have never used Tender quick) in a fresh sausage is very hard to find because the other spices cover the taste of the Nitrates.  I believe Tender quick is mostly salt so I would say that in fresh sausage the taste of the nitrates is hidden by all the salt in Tender quick.   With time, the nitrates change the texture, flavor and color of the meat. 

The original poster talked about curing and then immediately freezing.   If you are saying that the sausage will continue to cure when in the freezer then I have to agree with you 100 percent because you are basically curing the sausage for a couple of weeks and would expect to see a profile change.  

I don't know if Cures continue to work when the product is frozen, maybe that is what this thread is actually about.

Al

AKA  HugaBear

 

[Bearcarver]

I luv ya Bear,  Bear, that's my wife's nickname for me you know.

No argument at all, normally it's a misunderstanding on exactly what the situation is.    At no time was dry curing mentioned in the original post either but we both agree dry curing does change the taste profile of a product.   My stance is that a bit of Cure 1 (I have never used Tender quick) in a fresh sausage is very hard to find because the other spices cover the taste of the Nitrates.  I believe Tender quick is mostly salt so I would say that in fresh sausage the taste of the nitrates is hidden by all the salt in Tender quick.   With time, the nitrates change the texture, flavor and color of the meat. 

The original poster talked about curing and then immediately freezing.   If you are saying that the sausage will continue to cure when in the freezer then I have to agree with you 100 percent because you are basically curing the sausage for a couple of weeks and would expect to see a profile change.  

I don't know if Cures continue to work when the product is frozen, maybe that is what this thread is actually about.

Al

AKA  HugaBear

LOL---Hugabear??

Then we seem to agree with most if not all. 

I'm thinking the cure might dissipate and be rendered useless, but that's just a wild guess, until I find what I had read about not waiting too long between mixing cure into ground meat & smoking it.

Thanks Huggy Bear,

Bear

 

[bbally]

You could also add Acsorbate to the mix.  I don't know how many are into cure accelerants but Acsorbate is your friend when you are in a hurry.

Nitrite stops reacting within the mixture at about 28 F give or take depending on salt content and a ph levels.

 

[alblancher]

Thanks for clearing that up bbally.  Is it correct to deduce that the salt is the culprit when freezing cured meats for an extended period of time?

Al

 

[bmudd14474]

great discussion guys.

 

[Bearcarver]

great discussion guys.

LOL---Huggy Bear & I and the rest of the guys know how to discuss, without arguing. 

We try to set good examples.

Bear

 

[alblancher]

I will never live this down,

I enjoyed the discussion also. 

Al

 

[Bearcarver]

I will never live this down,

I enjoyed the discussion also. 

Al

Nah--I'll stop now--I had my fun.

But I can't guarantee others won't bring it up.

You're still one of my favorite info type guys.

Bear 

 

[bbally]

Thanks for clearing that up bbally.  Is it correct to deduce that the salt is the culprit when freezing cured meats for an extended period of time?

Al

Huggy, partially... it is a combination of air, salt, nitrite and the fat in most cured meats.

 

[alblancher]

Oh man,

She has a lot of other nicknames for me that aren't nearly so lovable,  want to hear them to?

 

[bbally]

Oh man,

She has a lot of other nicknames for me that aren't nearly so lovable,  want to hear them to?

 No sir, took mine 23 years to convince me a###ole was a term of endearment.  Once I believed it and signed on to the idea I found life eaier.

 

[DanMcG]

 First Why?

It is possible but you have to move to Cure #2 and you are going to need to modify the recipe by adding fermento or some other slow fermentation control method.  This would basically change the fresh cured sausage into a longer hard sausage.

But to just take a straight Cure 1 recipe or Tenderquick recipe and try this would not be advised unless you already have met the medical deductible on your health insurance policy, cause you are going to probably need medical treatment.

Thanks Bob, this was my point..... If I mixed and stuffed some cured sausage and couldn't smoke/cook  them in a few days, then I'd freeze them till I could
 

 

[Bearcarver]

Oh man,

She has a lot of other nicknames for me that aren't nearly so lovable,  want to hear them to?

No thanks, I'm fine.

I was going to give you a funny answer, but it wouldn't top bbally's reply, so I'll just say, "I'm fine with that one".

Bear