Question on Venison cure....

[Mofatguy]

Ok, I have a small piece of vension rear leg meat that was 1 3/4" thick at it's thickest point.]

I put in cure with 1 tbs tq and 2 tbs brown sugar per 1lb of meat measured out on scale. (Thanks Bear for the recipe.!)

Been in cure since 11/19 flipping daily. Was planning on smoking on 11/29. Problem is the weather is not going to be cooperative. Rain and lots of it!

Here are my options.

1: Smoke tomorrow 11/27 which will only have been 8 days in cure.

2: Smoke on 12/1 which will be 12 days in cure. Weather is supposed to be 27 degrees with snow flurries that day.

If I smoke tomorrow do you think it will have had time to cure? I usually figure 4 days per inch of meat with 2 extra. I was going 10 days because of Thanksgiving but the weather doesn't want to play nice.

Thoughts?

 

[smokerjim]

i've never used the tq cure, I usually use pop's brine with #1, but I would say 8 days should be good. maybe some of the people more familiar with tq will chime in

 

[buzzy]

I would pull & rinse off on 11/30. Then put in frig over night to get a good pellicle. Should be fine.

 

[Mofatguy]

Took a chance since it should have had enough time in cure. This is what it looks like. Is it cured to the center or is the dark spot not cured? First time with this and want to make sure b4 smoking.

 

[smokerjim]

hard to tell from the pic but what I can tell it seems it's not fully cured, if your going to smoke it just make sure to get it to 145 in 3-4 hours , i'm no pro so maybe someone with more experience will chime in.

 

[chopsaw]

That's not fully cured to the center .

 

[Mofatguy]

Well, I let it sit in fridge for a couple hours to dry and the dark spot all but turned pink after the air got to it? Just a little ring.
Going to smoke for and hour and then finish in 300 degrees oven to 165.

 

[pc farmer]

Looks like a little spot in the center not cured to me.

 

[chopsaw]

The air will turn the surface color , but the inside will be as when you cut it . Just cook it hot and fast as you plan , if you have to cook it .

 

[Mofatguy]

Should I just throw it out? As long as I cook it it will be ok right? Just not fully cured but safe to eat?

 

[chopsaw]

No , let it ride or get thru the danger zone in time . Safe , some cured some not like you said .
This just came up in another post . That picture is a great example of what was talked about .

 

[Mofatguy]

No , let it ride or get thru the danger zone in time . Safe , some cured some not like you said .
This just came up in another post . That picture is a great example of what was talked about .

Ok. Thanks

 

[Bearcarver]

Should I just throw it out? As long as I cook it it will be ok right? Just not fully cured but safe to eat?

Don't toss it !!!
Give it another day or two in the fridge, and then take a slice about a half inch from the raw edge you already have there. maybe even though you took it out of cure there could be cure moving through there to get that little bit. If not, just smoke it hot & fast until it gets to 145°. Then cut the heat back to give it a couple more hours of smoke.
Funny you should show this today. I had 2 guys yesterday telling everybody I was wrong, and they say you can't see where it's cured & not cured without cooking it, even though I've been doing exactly that for 9 years.

Venison seems to take longer than Pork to cure. I usually add a couple days to my minimum 8 days of curing time.

Bear

 

[Mofatguy]

Don't toss it !!!
Give it another day or two in the fridge, and then take a slice about a half inch from the raw edge you already have there. maybe even though you took it out of cure there could be cure moving through there to get that little bit. If not, just smoke it hot & fast until it gets to 145°. Then cut the heat back to give it a couple more hours of smoke.
Funny you should show this today. I had 2 guys yesterday telling everybody I was wrong, and they say you can't see where it's cured & not cured without cooking it, even though I've been doing exactly that for 9 years.

Venison seems to take longer than Pork to cure. I usually add a couple days to my minimum 8 days of curing time.

Bear

Thanks for the reply Bear! I am smoking it for @ 1-2 hrs then into a roasting pan in 250 degrre oven to IT 165.
Eating venison brats tonight for supper and I'm sure some of this roast. Will freeze the leftover for supper another night.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thanks for the reply Bear! I am smoking it for @ 1-2 hrs then into a roasting pan in 250 degrre oven to IT 165.
Eating venison brats tonight for supper and I'm sure some of this roast. Will freeze the leftover for supper another night.

Sounds like a Plan.
Enjoy!

BTW: Below is what it should look like at that stage of the game:

Yours is so close it will probably be alright doing what you're doing.

Bear

 

[Mofatguy]

Sounds like a Plan.
Enjoy!

BTW: Below is what it should look like at that stage of the game:
View attachment 412935

Yours is so close it will probably be alright doing what you're doing.

Bear

Thanks! This was the first time curing deer. Didn't think it looked right. I'll try to remember to show a finished shot later tonight after its done cooking. Just put in oven to finish.

 

[chopsaw]

Please do that . I'm interested in how it looks cooked . Gonna be good .

 

[Mofatguy]

Well it's cooked to IT 167 as you can see from the picture it was fully cured on the ends but not in the thickest middle part.
A little to much pepper rub but all in all very tasty. Will definitely try again.

 

[Mofatguy]

Dinner. Deer brats are made with a.c. leggs brat seasoning with pepper jack hi temp cheese pan fried until brown and simmered in a cup of apple juice for 12 minutes to IT 170.

 

[smokerjim]

looks like a tasty meal from here, nice job. just remember to write down what you did and what you need to change for next time, I know if I don't do that by the time I do it again I forget some things.