One teaspoon short of cure #1

[novasbc]

So, I did 100 lbs of venison/pork sausage. Fifty pounds of fresh sausage of various sorts, and fifty of sausage with cure (from recipes in the Rytek book).

After I get to the end, packaging my salami, I realize I miscounted the number of five pound increments I use when I add the meat to my mixing container. I ended up with thirty pounds of meat instead of 25, and only 5 tsp of cure #1 (as well as being short on the other ingredients).

Do I have any option to save this batch, or is it best to forgive and forget this incident?

It seems pretty critical to get the amount of cure right from what I read, but not sure where that danger zone lies. Can I smoke it, and then just treat it as fresh sausage, and vacuum pack and freeze?

Thanks!

 

[wade]

Hi Mark

Based upon 1 tsp cure weighing 5 g and 1 pound = 454 g. With the 25 pounds of meat and 5 tsp cure you would have ended up with a maximum of 135 ppm Nitrite and with the 30 pounds of meat you would have ended up with a maximum of 113 ppm Nitrite. I say maximum as you do not say what else you have added to the mix. Nitrite is effective over quite a concentration range and so the 113 ppm would usually be fine.

My concern though is that you say that you are making this into a "salami". You do not give any information as to your process but if you are planning on air drying the salami then you would usually use Cure#2, which also contains Nitrate. Whether the cure#1 is appropriate in your recipe though I cannot say for certain without more information as it is also down to the other ingredients. If you were using a lactobacillus culture in the salami mix to lower the pH then the addition of Nitrate is not so important.

 

[novasbc]

This is a smoked salami, "Kosher Style Salami", from "Great sausage Recipes & Meat Curing" by Rytek Kutas, 4th edition, page 215.

I write all the recipes I use into my OneNote notebook, and keep notes from each go-around.  So as not to copy & paste his whole recipe, it did call for 2/3 cup salt

 
Smoking

Preheat smoker to 130 degrees F and keep salami in the smoker for at least 1 hour with dampers wide open, no smoke.  After this period, allow the dampers to remain about 1/4 open and apply heavy smoke, increasing the temperature to 140 degrees F, and maintain for another hour.  Raise the temperature to 140 degrees F and maintain for another hour.  Raise the temperature to 140 degrees Fahrenheit and maintain for another hour.  Raise the temperature to 160 degrees F for 1 hour and then raise to 170 degrees F, cutting off the smoke.

Keep the salami in the smoker until the internal temperature reaches 152 degrees F.  Remove from the smoker and shower with cold tap water until the internal temperature is reduced to 110 degrees F.

Allow to hang at room temperature until the salami is dry or until desired bloom is obtained.  Keep salami out of drafts while drying.  Place in refrigerator overnight before using.

I got my Christmas present early from my wife, a MES 40" digital/bluetooth, that I have done the mailbox mod on, and wanted to break it in.

My big wood burning smoker is great for hot smokes, but is very difficult to control for temperatures on cured meats.