Cured Duck Legs - General Question

[TheProfessorBE]

Dear All,

Over a year ago I started a duck leg curing project. I had raised a flock of ducks in my yard, which I butchered. I never found an awesome usage for the legs, until I started curing and drying them. Sliced thinly, they tasted awesome. The general curing process is as follows: a curing with pink salt (0.7% nitrite content - Colorozo Salt it is called in Belgium). Then drying them in a fridge, and then vacuum sealing. They look like in the picture.

Now, my question is: after vacuum sealing, I keep them in the fridge. They have been in the fridge for I guess over 18 months now. Are they still safe to consume? I am always uncertain about the safety of these types of cured meats, and I would like some advice on the topic. Otherwise, I just throw them away, but that is a shame if it would not be necessary.

I look forward to receiving some expert advice!

Greetings from Belgium!

 

[TNJAKE]

No they aren't safe to eat after 18mo in the fridge

 

[TheProfessorBE]

Why? Parma ham is air dried for 18 months or 24 months I believe? What makes this different?

 

[TNJAKE]

Why? Parma ham is air dried for 18 months or 24 months I believe? What makes this different?

Prosciutto is cured using sodium nitrate is why it has a longer shelf life. If not treated properly it can spoil as well. Your duck was cured using sodium nitrite and will eventually go bad in a matter of weeks. Think bacon and such. It's cured the same way but you can't expect it to last a year and a half in a refrigerator. Will only be good for a few weeks. Atleast that's how I see it. There are some charcuterie masters around here that can likely give you a better run down

 

[indaswamp]

What percentage weight loss dis you dry the duck legs to? And what percentage salt did you use? If you used at least 2.25% salt with nitrite, and dried to minimum of 30% weight loss, the legs should be ok because the water activity is no low enough to inhibit bad bacteria. In the fridge for 18 months- I see no problems at all as long as you meet the above parameters.

 

[indaswamp]

Prosciutto is cured using sodium nitrate is why it has a longer shelf life. If not treated properly it can spoil as well. Your duck was cured using sodium nitrite and will eventually go bad in a matter of weeks. Think bacon and such. It's cured the same way but you can't expect it to last a year and a half in a refrigerator. Will only be good for a few weeks. Atleast that's how I see it. There are some charcuterie masters around here that can likely give you a better run down

Jake, he said he dried the legs. The question now is how much are they dried. The nitrite is there for initial protection while the legs are still wet and can support microbial growth. Once dried sufficiently, the nitrite and nitrate are no longer needed to inhibit growth of bad bacteria as the water loss now does this.