How Long??

[jkc64]

Been searching and can't find the answer so it's time to ask. How long can properly cured ground meat sit at room temp or at 90 to 105 smoker temp before taking on up to the 152 to 160 finish mark? Using cure #1.

John

 

[chef jimmyj]

John this question a has been asked before and even a call to the USDA gave no definitive answer. The answer is Limit time on the Counter as much as possible, 2 hours or less. The reason you will see cold/cool smoke times of 6, 12, 24, 48 hours is there is additional protection from the smoke. Maybe someone else has a Specific, " No more than X hours of cold smoke then heat to an IT of 150*F or you DIE! " But I can't find it...JJ

 

[wade]

Hi John

As Jimmy says, there really can be no definitive answer to this question. At 90F (32C) you are right in the danger zone and so at the point of highest risk. The cure and smoke will help to inhibit the bacteria growth however the "safe" time will depend on many factors. You never know what starting levels of bacteria you have on/in the meat and ground meat is always likely to have higher levels than a slab/joint. This will also depend on where you bought the meat from, how long it was ground before the cure was added and at what temperature it was stored before curing.

If all has gone well with the cure you may then be adding more contamination from your smoker - depending on how clean you keep it and how long it has been since it was last taken up to 150+F etc. Also the background levels of airborne contaminants with also be different depending on where you live and where you have sited your smoker. The strength of the cure, density of smoke and also the humidity within the smoker will also have an effect on the safe smoking/drying times.

With so many variables the only realistic answer is that you should keep it at the mid range temperatures for the minimum time possible. If you are following a recipe from a reputable source then their recommendations would usually be a good place to start. Safe curing and smoking meat is all about knowing the conditions you are having to work under and effectively managing the risks. If in doubt you should always err on the cautious.side.

Wade