Curing Help

[cstallings]

I apologize if this is somewhere else, but I could not find exactly what I was looking for.  I want to make venison sausage from the deer I take each year.  What type of cure is best for this?  Cure #1, Morton Tender Quick, etc?  Maybe whatever is the easiest to use.  Some places say Morton TC is a substitute for Cure # 1 and others say it is not.  I’m just a little confused.  Also, where is the best place to purchase?

Thanks for you help.

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Cure #1 is best.
Cure #1 is not a substitute for Morton Tender Quick, they're entirely different products.
Butcher & Packer is a good place to buy Cure #1 (DQ Curing Salt).
http://www.butcher-packer.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=237_12


~Martin

 

[daveomak]

cstallings, morning and welcome to the forum....  When you have an opportunity, please go to "Roll Call" and introduce yourself for a proper welcome... Your area of residence will further help us help you in the future when answering certain questions..... 

Below is an explanation of types of cures.....     Dave

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts

 

[cstallings]

Thanks.  One more question.  It states 4oz to 100 lbs of meat.  So each oz will cure 25lbs of meat and there are 6 tsp in 1 oz.  25/6=4.17 tells me 1 teaspoon will cure 4.17lbs of meat.  I've read that 1 teaspoon will cure 5lbs of meat, but this calculation shows 4.17lbs.  I've heard you had to be exact with curing.  Does the curing measurements vary by brand if it is all cure # 1?  I didn't think it would as I thought the make up was all the same?

Thanks

 

[daveomak]

How many pounds of venison are you planning on making into sausage ???   

 

[cstallings]

How many pounds of venison are you planning on making into sausage ???   

I thought I would try 4-5 lbs to start with.  I don't have an exact size...but nothing big.  I usually package my ground meat in 1.5lbs bags, but I may need to modify that going forward.  I can make however much I need to in order to make the cure and other ingredients easier to measure...i can always make some jerky out of the excess.

 

[daveomak]

Good idea.... make several 5# packages that you can experiment with as far as seasonings go... That will make life easy... Just a note, the amounts listed for cure are maximums allowable.. An amount of cure for 5#  will work just fine in 5 1/2#.... 10% over on the meat or under on the cure is still very safe....     Dave

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Thanks.  One more question.  It states 4oz to 100 lbs of meat.  So each oz will cure 25lbs of meat and there are 6 tsp in 1 oz.  25/6=4.17 tells me 1 teaspoon will cure 4.17lbs of meat.  I've read that 1 teaspoon will cure 5lbs of meat, but this calculation shows 4.17lbs.  I've heard you had to be exact with curing.  Does the curing measurements vary by brand if it is all cure # 1?  I didn't think it would as I thought the make up was all the same?

Thanks

The best way to do it is to use an accurate gram scale.
156ppm nitrite is the maximum recommended safe amount in ground meat.
That equates to 0.25% Cure #1.

Example:

1 kilo (1000 g.) ground meat X 0.25%= 2.5 g. Cure #1

or use the following calculator.....

http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

HTH


~Martin

 

[cstallings]

Perfect.  Thanks for every ones help!