jerky Cure

[john prochaska]

I know this sounds like a complete newbie question and it probably is.

But I usually make jerky and leave out the cure. I figured I would try it this time around.

Problem is I really dont see much information out there on how and when to use the cure.

I bought some quick cure ingredients are salt sugar .65 nitrite. Now do I just add this to the marinade

or am I supposed to mix it with water and soak. I am assuming its about 1 ts per lb but I just cant find much information

on this surprisingly. Thanks for any advice.

 

[wild west]

I'm not sure what cure you have but normal cure #1 contains 6.25% nitrite and is used at a rate of 1tsp per 5 lbs of meat. You can dissolve it in a little liquid and add it to your marinade( can use the liquid from your marinade). It's important to know the nitrite content of the cure you are useing.

 

[daveomak]

If you use the quick cure....  do not add more than 2% by weight of the meat...  That will be all the salt you should need...  adding soy sauce or other salty liquids "may" make the meat too salty...   remember, when the jerky is done, it will have lost about 50% of it's weight in moisture making the quick cure addition at 2%, the meat will now have approx. 4% salt...   The nitrite addition to the meat will be at ~ 130 Ppm nitrite which is in the ballpark for a safe amount of nitrite... 

If you add any rub or seasoning to the meat, make sure it is salt free....

If that doesn't work for you, use cure #1 at 1 tsp. per 5#'s of meat...  the salt in that is 0.25% leaving room for salty seasonings or liquids...