Warren
Curing salts
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Warren
TQ and cure#1 are used for curing bacon, hams and other products that you would eventually cook. The quantities for TQ and cure#1 are different.
Cure#2 is used to cure meat products they will be airdried and consumed without further thermal processing (cooking).
Cure#2 is used to cure meat products they will be airdried and consumed without further thermal processing (cooking).
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Do not be confused. Prague Poweder, Insta Cure and Cure are all generally the same thing. They each come in two versions #1 and #2.
#1 contains 6.25 % Sodium Nitrite and 93.75% salt
#2 contains 6.25% Sodium Nitrite, 4% Potassium Nitrate and 89.75% Salt
Cure #1 is mainly used for bacon and other products that are fried
Cure #2 is used for general curing of products that will be stored for longer and not taken to high temperatures.
The precise composition of Tender Quick is not published but according to Morton contains "salt, the main preserving agent; sugar, both sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, curing agents that also contribute to development of colour and flavor; and propylene glycol to keep the mixture uniform". With regards to its usage it is a case of trust the manufacturers instructions on the packet and the resulting concentrations will work out
Edited to remove a rogue "not" that was not picked up in proof reading. Thanks Warren
#1 contains 6.25 % Sodium Nitrite and 93.75% salt
#2 contains 6.25% Sodium Nitrite, 4% Potassium Nitrate and 89.75% Salt
Cure #1 is mainly used for bacon and other products that are fried
Cure #2 is used for general curing of products that will be stored for longer and not taken to high temperatures.
The precise composition of Tender Quick is not published but according to Morton contains "salt, the main preserving agent; sugar, both sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, curing agents that also contribute to development of colour and flavor; and propylene glycol to keep the mixture uniform". With regards to its usage it is a case of trust the manufacturers instructions on the packet and the resulting concentrations will work out
Edited to remove a rogue "not" that was not picked up in proof reading. Thanks Warren
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phatbac
Master of the Pit
I am looking to make some jerky soon (as soon as my birthday present comes in ---AMNPS!). i was planning to cure strips of London broil in a marinade containing Prague powder #1 and then cold smoke until dry. After reading this it seems like i should use cure #2. Is that right?
i was going to have a small amount of charcoal in the bottom of a WSM 22.5 (snake method) for a little heat with an AMNPS going in the middle for the smoke and hang the jerky on the WSM racks. I just want to make sure i cure the jerky correctly as not to make anyone sick. Another question (and sorry if this is a thread jack) how long will i need to cure/marinade the beef?
thanks!
phatbac (Aaron)
i was going to have a small amount of charcoal in the bottom of a WSM 22.5 (snake method) for a little heat with an AMNPS going in the middle for the smoke and hang the jerky on the WSM racks. I just want to make sure i cure the jerky correctly as not to make anyone sick. Another question (and sorry if this is a thread jack) how long will i need to cure/marinade the beef?
thanks!
phatbac (Aaron)
You don't fry bacon?
Do not be confused. Prague Poweder, Insta Cure and Cure are all generally the same thing. They each come in two versions #1 and #2.
#1 contains 6.25 % Sodium Nitrite and 93.75% salt
#2 contains 6.25% Sodium Nitrite, 4% Potassium Nitrate and 89.75% Salt
Cure #1 is mainly used for bacon and other products that are not fried
Cure #2 is used for general curing of products that will be stored for longer and not taken to high temperatures.
The precise composition of Tender Quick is not published but according to Morton contains "salt, the main preserving agent; sugar, both sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite, curing agents that also contribute to development of colour and flavor; and propylene glycol to keep the mixture uniform". With regards to its usage it is a case of trust the manufacturers instructions on the packet and the resulting concentrations will work out
Warren
I'm not a young pup by no means and in growing up my family sugar cured hams etc. as well as make country pork sausage and all they ever used was just plain old table salt.
Warren
Warren
No problem this forum is about helping all we can and in anyway we can don't see anything about jacking here.
Warren
phatbac
Master of the Pit
thanks! i was about to use #1 i guess i gotta go order some #2 now!
any opinions from anyone on how long it should cure/mariande in a vac pack? i was thinking 3-4 days or should it go longer?
phatbac (Aaron)
You will see some real miss prints in my work I'm not a computer or typing person thank god for spell check.
Thanks Warren - a rogue "not" got past my bank of proof readers. That's what you get for paying below minimum wage I guess
Warren
Plain old salt will do the job nicely in 99.99%* of the cures but it is the last 0.01% where the Botulinum has had the ideal environment to produce its toxin that is the one we are protecting against. The problem with statistics it that they deal with probability and not absolutes. Both my grandparents smoked 20 cigarettes every day and lived well into their 80's. Unfortunately that does not make smoking cigarettes safe.
* Did you know that 76.5% of all statistics are made up on the spur of the moment
Technically, if you are not going to keep it for long you do not actually need to use any cure at all as the salt and dehydration are sufficient. From the commercial smokehouses where I have watched it being made they have both used Cure #2. The recipes I use are are also with Cure #2.
I am happy to bow to Dave's and MuddyDog's experience though
I am happy to bow to Dave's and MuddyDog's experience though
Cure #2 comes in different strengths for the nitrate portion of the mix.... as seen below... Depends on the manufacturer from what I can tell....
....
...The Sausage Maker cure #2 formula...
A cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products such as pepperoni, hard salami, genoa salami, proscuitti hams, dried farmers sausage, capicola and more. These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite and then to nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months. InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat. 4 oz. of Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] will process approximately 120 lbs. of meat.
....Michlitch or Spokane Spice co......
AddThis Button END [h5]Cure, Prague Powder, (InstaCure #2) 1 lb pkg[/h5][h6]SKU: 200-0802[/h6] [h5]$9.99[/h5]
A cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products.
These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. InstaCure No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite then nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months.
InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%). One 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat.
4 ounces of InstaCure #2 will process approximately 100 lbs. of meat. (package is 1 lb)
[h1]Salt Cures-- Allied Kenco Sales[/h1]
Old recipes called for and old timers used salt petre or salt peter. This potassium based product is no longer available for general use and has been replaced by sodium based products - sodium nitrite (Cure 1) or sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate (Cure 2).
These cures are also known as:
...Morton's products and their ingredients.....
...Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure....
... No sodium nitrite .....
...Sugar Cure...
...Tender Quick...
...The Sausage Maker cure #2 formula...
A cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products such as pepperoni, hard salami, genoa salami, proscuitti hams, dried farmers sausage, capicola and more. These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite and then to nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months. InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%).
Use 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat. 4 oz. of Insta Cure[emoji]8482[/emoji] will process approximately 120 lbs. of meat.
....Michlitch or Spokane Spice co......
AddThis Button END [h5]Cure, Prague Powder, (InstaCure #2) 1 lb pkg[/h5][h6]SKU: 200-0802[/h6] [h5]$9.99[/h5]
A cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products.
These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. InstaCure No. 2 can be compared to the time release capsules used for colds--the sodium nitrate breaks down to sodium nitrite then nitric oxide to cure the meat over an extended period of time. Some meats require curing for up to 6 months.
InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%). One 1 level teaspoon per 5 lbs. of meat.
4 ounces of InstaCure #2 will process approximately 100 lbs. of meat. (package is 1 lb)
[h1]Salt Cures-- Allied Kenco Sales[/h1]
Old recipes called for and old timers used salt petre or salt peter. This potassium based product is no longer available for general use and has been replaced by sodium based products - sodium nitrite (Cure 1) or sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate (Cure 2).
These cures are also known as:
| Curing salt | Tinted curing powder (TCP) | Prague powder 1 or 2 | Modern cure |
| Tinted curing mixture (TCM) | FLP | Insta-cure 1 or 2 | Pink curing salt |
- Cure # 1 is a basic cure that is used to cure all meats that require cooking, smoking, and canning. This would include poultry, fish, hams, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates, and many other products. Use when smoking or processing products at low temperatures. It is dyed pink so that it won't be mistaken for ordinary salt. It consists of 93.75% table salt and 6.25% sodium nitrate.
- Cure # 2 is cure specifically formulated to be used for making dry cured products, such as pepperoni, hard salami, geonoa salami, proscuitti hams and dried farmers sausage. These are products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. Cure #2 is sodium nitrate with a salt carrier. This cure acts as a time release, breaking down into sodium nitrite, then nitric oxide thus allowing for the much longer curing times required for these products, which can be up to 6 months. Dry curing meat or sausage properly cannot be done with Cure #1 which contains sodium nitrite only and dissipates too quickly.
Tip - Use 1 oz. per 25 lb. of ground meat. For smaller batches use 1 LEVEL TEASPOON per 5 lb. of meat. When adding cure # 1 as an ingredient for brines follow a recipe.
...Morton's products and their ingredients.....
...Smoke Flavored Sugar Cure....
... No sodium nitrite .....
...Sugar Cure...
...Tender Quick...
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CURES - Cures are used in sausage products for color and flavor development as well as retarding the development of bacteria in the low temperature environment of smoked meats.
Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple - lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don't use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures.
Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.
Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat. When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.
Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word "cure" refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate.
The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple - lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don't use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures.
Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.
Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat. When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.
phatbac
Master of the Pit
ok i was planning on putting a cure (#1 or #2) in with some teriyaki and a few other spices and vacuum sealed for a couple days. then i was going to smoke at 150-160 degree if i can keep my wsm that low and let it hang in there with AMNPS hickory pellets for 6-8 hours or until i get the desired dryness. I went ahead and ordered half # of #2 and i have about that much #1 so i can use either i just want to make sure i use the correct cure as not to make anyone sick.
thanks for everyone's feedback this i my first time making jerky.
Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)
thanks for everyone's feedback this i my first time making jerky.
Happy Smoking,
phatbac (Aaron)
scubohuntr
Fire Starter
I never use cure of any kind in my jerky. If I was sundrying it, maybe I would. In a smoker or dehydrator it dries out fast enough that it isn't really a concern. Biltong generally doesn't use cure, and it is much thicker pieces than normal jerky.
One thing most folks haven't mentioned is that cure #2 is mostly for fermented products, where the curing process goes on for an extended period (weeks). The nitrate breaks down into nitrite to replace the nitrite that is broken down into nitric oxide.
One thing most folks haven't mentioned is that cure #2 is mostly for fermented products, where the curing process goes on for an extended period (weeks). The nitrate breaks down into nitrite to replace the nitrite that is broken down into nitric oxide.
A lot of good information above and different techniques. One important thing to remember though is to always purchase your cure from a reputable supplier. A year or so ago I purchased some Cure #1 and Cure #2 from Ebay and when I had them lab tested neither of them contained what was on the label. In fact the cure #1 did not contain any Nitrite at all.
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There is no benefit in using cure$2 as you describe it. Why add an unnecessary chemical (sodium nitrate) ? Cure#1 is sufficient.
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