Eating cured but not dried meat

[Katie1010]

Hi all
Total newbie here..
If I dry cured (equilibrium method) a piece of lamb riblett with 3 % sea salt, and 0.25 % curing salt 2 for five days, would this be safe to eat then (the nitrite/nitrate aspect?) . Or does it have to be dried out further for it to be non-toxic re the salts.
Thanks much.

 

[SmokinAl]

If you used cure #2, it needs to be dried to about 35% weight loss under very stringent temp & humidity settings.
This is not something for beginners, it needs to be researched. I recommend getting a book called " The art of making fermented sausages" by Marianski.
Also this is a great site for good info on dry curing.
You can make yourself very sick by not following proper procedures.
Botulism is not something to fool with!
Good luck!
Al

 

[bluebombersfan]

Great video! Thanks for posting.

 

[Katie1010]

If you used cure #2, it needs to be dried to about 35% weight loss under very stringent temp & humidity settings.
This is not something for beginners, it needs to be researched. I recommend getting a book called " The art of making fermented sausages" by Marianski.
Also this is a great site for good info on dry curing.
You can make yourself very sick by not following proper procedures.
Botulism is not something to fool with!
Good luck!
Al

Thanks you much.

 

[Katie1010]

If you used cure #2, it needs to be dried to about 35% weight loss under very stringent temp & humidity settings.
This is not something for beginners, it needs to be researched. I recommend getting a book called " The art of making fermented sausages" by Marianski.
Also this is a great site for good info on dry curing.
You can make yourself very sick by not following proper procedures.
Botulism is not something to fool with!
Good luck!
Al

But in terms of nitrites degrading over time and thus reducing in levels, what would the nitrite issue be after 5 days of curing (and then not drying and reducing further?) And does the drying to 35 % of weight kill the remaining clostridium after curing? (I got the book, thanks, will read it, and will watch the video now).

 

[SmokinAl]

There is no point in using cure #2 if you are not going to dry it further.
Cure #2 contains nitrite & nitrate and is meant for long term curing.
You would want to use cure #1, and smoke or cook the meat.
Heat neutralizes the nitrite/nitrate.
It is not safe to eat after 5 days of curing, without further cooking or drying.
BTW, there are several videos on dry curing all kinds of meats on that site.
With very good explanations & detailed recipes.
Al

 

[Katie1010]

There is no point in using cure #2 if you are not going to dry it further.
Cure #2 contains nitrite & nitrate and is meant for long term curing.
You would want to use cure #1, and smoke or cook the meat.
Heat neutralizes the nitrite/nitrate.
It is not safe to eat after 5 days of curing, without further cooking or drying.
BTW, there are several videos on dry curing all kinds of meats on that site.
With very good explanations & detailed recipes.
Al

Ah ok, thank you, I understand now :)

 

[Marian Starks]

Well explained!

 

[chef jimmyj]

While Cure #2 is intended to protect raw meat over the weeks to months it takes to air dry, the small amount of Nitrate that will be on your meat, is Nowhere near a Toxic amount. If you smoke it with heat, 130°F+, any residual will dissipate. If you eat" these Ribs " as is, there is no worries either but I think they would be better smoked to 145+...JJ

 

[Katie1010]

While Cure #2 is intended to protect raw meat over the weeks to months it takes to dry, the small amount of Nitrate that will be on the meat is Nowhere near a Toxic amount. If you smoke it with heat, 130°F+, any residual with dissipate. ..If you eat" these Ribs " as is, there is no worries either but I think they would be better smoked to 145+...JJ

Thank you. So if I cook it, after a five day cure, with curing salt #2, it will also be fine? I had meant to hang and dry it, but my conditions are not actually allowing that, and I don't want to waste the meat.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Cooking will dissipate most of the residual Nitrite and Nitrate. Think, cured Ham. Have at it and get yourself some Cure #1 for everything that won't be dried from raw...JJ

 

[Katie1010]

Cooking will dissipate most of the residual Nitrite and Nitrate. Think, cured Ham. Have at it and get yourself some Cure #1 for everything that won't be dried from raw...JJ

Thanks :)
Got the cure one :)

 

[SmokinAl]

While Cure #2 is intended to protect raw meat over the weeks to months it takes to air dry, the small amount of Nitrate that will be on your meat, is Nowhere near a Toxic amount. If you smoke it with heat, 130°F+, any residual will dissipate. If you eat as is, there is no worries either..JJ

I'm confused JJ.
It I cure a piece of meat for 5 days with cure#2, you are saying it's safe to eat as is without cooking further?
That doesn't seem right to me, but you are the expert.
Please explain, I would like to know the answer to this question & the reasoning behind it!
Thank you in advance.
Al

 

[chef jimmyj]

" Rib Tips " cured 5 days with 3% Salt, most folks use 2%, and the proper amount of Nitrite. Should kill or have inhibited bacteria growth. Think Gravlax or Lox. Two to three days in salt, sugar, with or without, cure, and you eat it. No cooking or smoking required. Further Drying would just preserve it from Spoilage Bacteria souring the meat, like a Coppa or Prosciutto.
I do agree while I intended my words to be specific to this post of Rib Tips. Someone could think I meant Any Meat and assume 5 day cured Chicken or Sausage would be fine too. I personally could not picture the OP eating Raw Ribs out of the refer but I could see how other folks could get the wrong idea...

I edited the above posts to clarify with...
If you eat" these Ribs " as is, there is no worries either but I think they would be better smoked to 145+...JJ

 

[Katie1010]

Now I'm confused again too :).
So I can eat these ribs raw now (after five days curing in curing salt2) , but not sausage or chicken - what is the rule then re what one can and can't eat raw after five days curing? And does this just refer to the bacteria, or also to the nitrites/nitrates dissipating enough? I did 0.25 % per rib, so very tiny amounts. But to what amount would they have disappeared after five days? Because eating a whole bunch of the ribs would still add up if there were enough left? Sorry re all the questions :)

 

[chef jimmyj]

Now I'm confused again too :).
So I can eat these ribs raw now (after five days curing in curing salt2) , but not sausage or chicken - what is the rule then re what one can and can't eat raw after five days curing?Intact meat, no injection, not Ground, not Enhanced with X% Broth and not Punctured to add flavorings, ONLY have Surface Bacteria. Because of the mechanical processing and very common Enhancement of commercial Chicken, it is included with above. Now, rub that down with A LOT of Salt, 3% and Cure #1 or 2 and what does not die is inhibited from growing, aka is Safe for Healthy Individuals to eat. As I pointed out, this is the case with Gravlax and Lox. And does this just refer to the bacteria, or also to the nitrites/nitrates dissipating enough? You already, or should I say only applied a Safe Amount of Cure from the begining. One day, 5 days or 6 months, Safe is Safe. I did 0.25 % per rib, so very tiny amounts. .25% on 1 Rib, a 3 pound Rack of Ribs or an Entire 30 pound Lamb, is Safe Amount because you went by .25% by Weight. But to what amount would they have disappeared after five days? I have no idea and don't really need to know! It's already a Safe to consume amount. Because eating a whole bunch of the ribs would still add up if there were enough left? From a report by the Minnesota Extension of the USDA, Food Science Department...
To obtain 22 milligrams of sodium nitrite per kilogram of body
weight (a lethal dose), a 154-pound adult would have to consume,
at once, 18.57 pounds of cured meat product containing 200 ppm
sodium nitrite (because nitrite is rapidly converted to nitric oxide
during the curing process, the 18.57 pound figure should be
tripled at least). Even if a person could eat that amount of cured
meat, salt, not nitrite, probably would be the toxic factor.
Sorry re all the questions.
Don't be sorry! You are here to Learn how to make Safe and Tasty Food. I and the collective membership of SMF are here to TEACH and Show Off a bit. Ask away...JJ :)

Expand to see individual questions answered...JJ

 

[Katie1010]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate you sharing all your knowledge.
One more question then, please :)
If I use cure #1, is the amount still 0.25 % by weight (and then 3 % salt? )

 

[chef jimmyj]

Yes, Cure #1 & 2 are measured the same. 3% Salt is the equivalent of Sea Water. A bit salty for many of us. 2% is the most popular amount around here...JJ

 

[SmokinAl]

Thanks for explaining that so well JJ!
Al

 

[Katie1010]

Yes, Cure #1 & 2 are measured the same. 3% Salt is the equivalent of Sea Water. A bit salty for many of us. 2% is the most popular amount around here...JJ

thank you