Curing time in sausage

[skhunter]

I have been making snack stix and various other smoked sausage and have always used cure  #1. I mix stuff and put into the smoker immediately and smoke to 155 IT. I seen people say that you must wait 24 hours before smoking to let the cure work.

Have I been doing it wrong?

 

[bkleinsmid]

As a newbie, I have the same question. I have tried both ways and I don't see much difference.

I'm sure there will be some pro's that will have some answers......

Brad

 

[daveomak]

I have been making snack stix and various other smoked sausage and have always used cure  #1. I mix stuff and put into the smoker immediately and smoke to 155 IT. I seen people say that you must wait 24 hours before smoking to let the cure work.

Have I been doing it wrong?

Adding cure to ground meat, it works pretty fast.... BUT... to be on the safe side, I let mine sit in the refer for 24 hours just to be sure.. OR if the smoker is cool.... down around 40 ish degrees, you can hang it in there..... Temp should be 38 degrees for cure to work properly... It won't work if the meat is frozen for example...

 

[crazymoon]

Some kits that you buy say to mix stuff and smoke with no mention of a 24 hr cure.I have done it both ways BUT as Dave says better to be safe and wait

 

[daveomak]

Some kits that you buy say to mix stuff and smoke with no mention of a 24 hr cure.I have done it both ways BUT as Dave says better to be safe and wait

CM, afternoon..... That's true about recipes you find elsewhere... They sometimes omit important details, or have typo errors in recipes, OR they plain don't have a clue how to cure properly.... Many U-Tube "experts" do a recipe once, and make a film....
Soooooo, It's important to learn all you can about curing from SEVERAL sources.... USDA and the FDA are good places to start..... Universities also....

Dave

 

[chef willie]

This topic has been kicked around before...many here stuff and do the overnight rest in the fridge for the cure to work and, often as not, to help the casings dry out some. I read somewhere that the minimum time for cure #1 to work it's magic is 4 hours. This was confirmed by another couple members having seen the same info. So, I play it safe and rest cured, stuffed sausages overnight...Willie

 

[bama bbq]

I rest in the fridge to get an early start on smoke day. ...and it's the way I was taught.

 

[bama bbq]

Dup

 

[boykjo]

4 hrs or more and your good to go

 

[skhunter]

Does it make a difference is you dissolve the cure in water. I usually add about 3 cups of water to 15 lbs of meat.

 

[JckDanls 07]

naaaa... dissolved or not. 4hrs minimum for ground meat for me... over night with seasoning mixed in as well works best, for me ....