How long to marinate?

[chestnutbloom]

Hi, I just started marinating some beef for jerky tonight. The marinade has dry cure 1 in it. How many days can I safely let the meat sit in the fridge? Is 4 and a half days too long? I'm hoping to smoke it on Saturday. Any input is greatly appreciated....  

 

[bigwheel]

Should be fine. I typically marinate corned beef in a curing brine for a week or better..have gone two weeks without any issues. Cant imagine anything going on with jerky which would make it act worse than briskets other than smaller size chunks. Keep us posted how it works out.

 

[chestnutbloom]

Thanks Bigwheel I will. This will be the longest I marinated anything without freezing it. I just wonder how long beef in a marinade will sit before it goes bad in a fridge.... 

 

[bigwheel]

Woops meant to say I "brine" corned beef for two weeks..not marinate..sorry about that. Dont think I would push a marinade past two or three days. Depending on what else is in it..could jack with the texture. Wooster sauce can flat digest a brisket if given enough time.

 

[chestnutbloom]

Unfortunately, I dried the beef out too much this time. Can I assume that since I use cure #1 it's ok if the jerky is a bit "under-done"? I'd rather have it a bit moist than crumbled.... -Rich    

 

[bigwheel]

Aint quite sure what you said on this one..What was it? I do not jack with cures #1 2 3 4 or 5. I use TQ for all curing chores. I am the opposite of math majors but this place seems to be highly blessed or cursed with that genre of folks..so somebody should swing into action quickly. Now while some of yall was sitting around pulling the pud I was out busy selling beef  jerky to the hill billy beer guzzlers..happened to bump into a  like minded person foodie who had the cure to your particuar dielemma of which we is speaking. He say add some marinade and bag suck it..but I pointed him out the Jaccard instant marinator an he agreed it would work best. Just a little re hydration thing..lol. Not quite as anal retentive as the RV forums. They check the viscosity of the oil and stuff. It takes the fun out of everything. He promised to buy one.

 

[sb59]

 
Hi, I just started marinating some beef for jerky tonight. The marinade has dry cure 1 in it. How many days can I safely let the meat sit in the fridge? Is 4 and a half days too long? I'm hoping to smoke it on Saturday. Any input is greatly appreciated....  

Depends on the marinade ingredients. The cure and the fridge will keep the meat from spoiling but any acids in the mix might digest the meat.

 
Unfortunately, I dried the beef out too much this time. Can I assume that since I use cure #1 it's ok if the jerky is a bit "under-done"? I'd rather have it a bit moist than crumbled.... -Rich    

I don't understand if you dried it too much how is it under done? If it's too dry you can rehydrate it. Under done is easier to fix, just dry some more til it's the way you like. The drier you make it the longer it will keep without freezing.

 

[chestnutbloom]

Sorry for the contradiction there! 

  Here is what I meant to ask. I use cure, so on my next batch of jerky is it ok to leave more moisture in it? Thanks - Rich.   

 

[sb59]

Sure, dry to your own taste. But the more moist it is the shorter the time before it starts to mold. probably no more then a few weeks. Best to vac seal and freeze about a weeks worth at a time.

 

[chestnutbloom]

Awesome, thanks for the info!