How to make Cure??

[Bearcarver]

The method I use for solid meat goes by thickness of the meat to be cured.

Take a belly for Bacon:

Lets say it is 2 1/2" thick at the thickest part.

Divide that in half------equals-----1 1/4"

How many 1/4" are there in 1 1/4"--------equals 5

That would be 5 days, but we always add 2 more days to that, so the minumum time to cure that belly is 7 days. I usually add another day or two just for shiggles, but that's just me. You can undercure, but you can't overcure.

There are other things to consider----temp of fridge during cure-----flipping daily----measuring each individual piece for the cure for that piece-----keeping cure that fell off of a piece in that same bag.

You could do a lot of searching, or you can click on "Bacon" in my signature below. I think I covered everything. Any questions, don't be afraid to ask. Many of us use that same method. It is a proven method.

Sausage is different, If you want----click on "Unstuffed Beef Sticks"---also in my signature.

Bear

 

[jerseyhunter]

I have purchased and  used  tenderquick only because that's what the recipes called for. For the most part I use insta cure no1 it lasts forever, I have purchased it by itself and also have packages that came with pre-boxed kits. I just use the opned one first. The only time I ever had to use insta cure 2 is for dry curing or long cures. such as Salami . Your better off buying it, a little goes along way and it lasts. 

 

[Bearcarver]

Make your own TQ. It isn't that hard and I have done it a number of times to try some of the TQ based recipes here.

2 ounces Instacure/Prague Powder #1

8 ounces granulated sugar

16 ounces kosher salt (or pickling salt)

Just in case anyone sees the above post:

Only Morton's makes TQ---Nobody else.

TQ is not just a couple of ingredients thrown together by Joe Smith, John Doe, or anyone else.

If you want to follow a recipe that calls for TQ, you have to buy it--You can't make it.

Bear

 

[tigerregis]

Sorry, but Morton's has a formula. It might not be as secret as Coke's, but it can be duplicated. To my knowledge, it has no proprietary ingredients, so it ends up as a miscible just like #1 and #2. Salt, nitrites/nitrates and maybe some anti-caking agent.

 

[Bearcarver]

Sorry, but Morton's has a formula. It might not be as secret as Coke's, but it can be duplicated. To my knowledge, it has no proprietary ingredients, so it ends up as a miscible just like #1 and #2. Salt, nitrites/nitrates and maybe some anti-caking agent.

That's true, Morton's does have a formula:

Only Morton's can make TQ, unless you have the ability to bond the ingredients accurately the way they do.

All I use for Dry Curing is TQ, so I have researched it to extremes, and I have never seen any instructions on how to make it, and that includes the proper amount of each ingredient, and the way to go about bonding those ingredients.

Until I see that, I will insist that nobody other than Morton's can make Tender Quick.

Bear

 

[tigerregis]

You're correct, it is a registered TM.

 

[daved1]

Here's the cheapest place I've found.  4oz does 25lb of meat.   https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hoosier-...75035&wl11=online&wl12=45453325&wl13=&veh=sem

 

[daved1]

Correction 1oz does 25lb of meat.