Prague #1 vs Morton's tenderquick ??

[DanMcG]

For my dry cures I always use about 1.1 gram's of #1 per pound of meat.

So for a 5 pound loin I'd have

5.5 -6 grams cure #1

30 grams of salt

20-30 grams of sugar 

The spices are up to you, I'd go with 2-5% of the total weight.

This will give ya about 160ppm of nitrite, with 120ppm being the minimum allowed and 625ppm being the max for dry cured meat, stated by the USDA.

But If you're going to fry it with high temps like American bacon the max is 200ppm and no nitrates are allowed like you'd find in TQ

Ok I babble on, let me find a injection brine recipe for CB.

Injected/Brined CB;

1/2 gallon of water

110 grams  salt

75 grams maple syrup

24 grams of cure #1

Add spice the brine as you'd like,   anywhere from 10-20 grams per gallon.

Inject this mix into the loin to increase the total weight of the meat  by 10%.

This will give ya about 70 ppm which is very low, so you'll want to refrig it and freeze it after a few days.

Let me know if I can help ya out with anything more.

Dan

 

[solaryellow]

Nope. Sodium Nitrate is cure #2.

No Sodium Nitrate in Cure #1 ?

I thought there was, but I never used it.

Bear

 

[Bearcarver]

Nope. Sodium Nitrate is cure #2.

CURE #1 Some Other Names:  Pink Salt;  Tinted Cure Mix (TCM);  Tinted Curing Powder (TCP);  Prague powder #1;  InstaCure #1;  Modern cure;  D.Q. powder;  FLP;  L.E.M. cure; Sure Cure; Fast Cure

This premix is use in meats and sausages that require a short curing time, and will be smoked, cooked or canned. It is a blend of salt and sodium nitrite, and of course it has the curing properties of sodium nitrite. The salt is added as a carrier and to make it easier to measure. In the United States it is dyed pink, so chefs and the home user will not mistake it for salt or sugar. Though it goes by several different brand and generic names, they all have the same formula of 93.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite (1 pound of salt plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite).  Cure #1 can be used as a dry brine (dry cure) or in a wet brine (pickle). It provides the same curing properties of sodium nitrite, and is considered a quick cure, because it starts curing immediately upon contact with the meat. As mentioned earlier, this type of cure is used for curing meats for a short period of time that will be cooked, smoked, or canned. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates, sausages and other products too numerous to mention.

Looks to me like there is Sodium Nitrite in Cure #1, but no Sodium "Nitrate".

Interesting, so far I have only used TQ, but I will eventually use some of the others.

Another thing that confuses me is how does one find out exactly what is in Tender Quick. Where did you get that?

Thanks,

Bear

 

[squirrel]

Dan,

I finally get it, the lightbulb went off! LOL!

I should not exceed the 1 tsp. per five pounds, and 1 tsp. of salt weighs approx. 6 grams and since I have a 6 lb. loin I should use 6.83 grams of #1, 36 grams of salt and 30-35 grams of sugar. I need to wrap my head around the amount of time to allow it to cure now.

My head hurts.

I think I want to go light on the spices for my first one and then build from there. I do like the idea of the cracked black pepper, garlic and onion.

 

[solaryellow]

It has been over a year since I did the research about what goes into TQ and I don't feel I can accurately recall the exact ingredients. I have never used TQ but I have looked at it when visiting Gander Mountain or Bass Pro Shop. I wore Google out one night doing a bunch of searching about TQ and also discovered quite a few proven TQ replacement recipes. It all started with a late night chat conversation with RonP about doing brines and his use of TQ.
 

CURE #1 Some Other Names:  Pink Salt;  Tinted Cure Mix (TCM);  Tinted Curing Powder (TCP);  Prague powder #1;  InstaCure #1;  Modern cure;  D.Q. powder;  FLP;  L.E.M. cure; Sure Cure; Fast Cure

This premix is use in meats and sausages that require a short curing time, and will be smoked, cooked or canned. It is a blend of salt and sodium nitrite, and of course it has the curing properties of sodium nitrite. The salt is added as a carrier and to make it easier to measure. In the United States it is dyed pink, so chefs and the home user will not mistake it for salt or sugar. Though it goes by several different brand and generic names, they all have the same formula of 93.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite (1 pound of salt plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite).  Cure #1 can be used as a dry brine (dry cure) or in a wet brine (pickle). It provides the same curing properties of sodium nitrite, and is considered a quick cure, because it starts curing immediately upon contact with the meat. As mentioned earlier, this type of cure is used for curing meats for a short period of time that will be cooked, smoked, or canned. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, pates, sausages and other products too numerous to mention.

Looks to me like there is Sodium Nitrite in Cure #1, but no Sodium "Nitrate".

Interesting, so far I have only used TQ, but I will eventually use some of the others.

Another thing that confuses me is how does one find out exactly what is in Tender Quick. Where did you get that?

Thanks,

Bear

 

[solaryellow]

Unless you are doing a brine. If you are brining you adjust the amount of cure for the brine volume and not the weight of the meat.

Dan,

I finally get it, the lightbulb went off! LOL!

I should not exceed the 1 tsp. per five pounds, and 1 tsp. of salt weighs approx. 6 grams and since I have a 6 lb. loin I should use 6.83 grams of #1, 36 grams of salt and 30-35 grams of sugar. I need to wrap my head around the amount of time to allow it to cure now.

My head hurts.

I think I want to go light on the spices for my first one and then build from there. I do like the idea of the cracked black pepper, garlic and onion.

 

[DanMcG]

My head hurts....

LOL I know the feeling. I've been tring to understand the right way to do it for about a year now, and I'm getting close, I think.

 The biggest problem I got is people use volume measurements like Tsp and Tbls , cups, pints, quarts and gallons.  I like to use weight measuremts. and in grams because it's more accuruate.

You can adjust the you mix you posted to your tastes , I like my bacon sweet and the last batch I bet I had double the sugar then the salt, and it was to sweet , but good :)

The amount of cure is the important part and if you want to understand it here's a link to the USDA Inspectors calculations hand book

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/7620-3.pdf  

 

[beer-b-q]

I have the #1 and a lot of it so I'd prefer to use it up. I can measure in grams, whatcha got Dan?

 You didn't buy one of those 5# tubs DID YOU?

 

[scarbelly]

 You didn't buy one of those 5# tubs DID YOU?

 I think I remember a post that she did

 

[Bearcarver]

 I think I remember a post that she did

Hmmmm, 5 pounds??  That's enough to do 2,000 pounds----"1 Ton".

That squirrel is well prepared!

Hope she's not planning on curing & smoking a Whole Bear !!! 

 

[Bearcarver]

Cheryl check out this link it will give you some great info including the amounts to use

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts  

Piney,

That link is a very good one---Lots of good info, but it also adds to some confusion.

Take a look at the "Fuzzy" Math used in the box below, taken from that page.

If 1/4 tsp (.05 oz) would cure 1 pound, wouldn't 3/4 tsp (0.15 oz) cure 3 pounds?

That is not the only "Math" in that box that doesn't jive very well.

I think it makes people think that the amount of cure needed doesn't have to be very accurate, which is pretty much the opposite of what it is meant to be doing.

It's not your fault (LOL), but I think people should know that it's Math leaves something to be desired.

Another reason I like TQ---No fuzzy math---1/2 ounce of TQ cures each pound of meat---Period.

I believe if you use Grams, like Dan does, this Fuzzy Math problem is solved.

Bear

[color= rgb(51, 51, 51)]Use as directed, more is not better and it can be toxic. To ensure that the cure is distributed more evenly in your sausage, mix it with the liquid that your recipe calls for, or mix it with the meat prior to grinding.[/color]  

Use as follows:


Cure per pound of ground meat/fat:

Amount of Meat/Fat	Amount of Cure
Vol.	Wt.
1 lb.	1/4 tsp.	.05 oz.
2 lbs.	3/8 tsp.	.08 oz.
3 lbs.	1/2 tsp.	.10 oz.
4 lbs.	3/4 tsp.	.15 oz.
5 lbs.	1 tsp.	.20 oz.
10 lbs.	2 tsp.	.40 oz.
15 lbs.	1 Tbsp.	.60 oz.
20 lbs.	1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.	.80 oz.
25 lbs.	1 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.	1.00 oz.
50 lbs.	3 Tbsp. + 1 tsp.	2.00 oz.
100 lbs.	6 Tbsp. + 2 tsp.	4.00 oz.

tsp. = teaspoon; Tbsp.= Tablespoon;
oz.= ounce


Although cure #1 has salt in the mix, when using it in sausage making additional salt needs to be added.

 

[squirrel]

No I didn't buy a 5 # tub. Only 1 #. Still, that's enough to cure a big ole Bear!

 

[Bearcarver]

No I didn't buy a 5 # tub. Only 1 #. Still, that's enough to cure a big ole Bear!

Hrumph!

And just what are you insinuating is wrong with that big old bear, that you think needs curing, my little furry friend ???

Bear 

 

[princess]

::quietly raises hand::

The blonde with the 5lb pink jugs is me, not Squirrel.

 

[DanMcG]

No I didn't buy a 5 # tub. Only 1 #. Still, that's enough to cure a big ole Bear!

 Are you sure there is a cure for that Bear guy?

And I hope you enjoy curing meat Princess cause you got enough for the whole town. But nothing wrong with that ....it won't go bad!