Smoked Cured pork loin is it right?

[kvn]

Community,

I am a newbie to curing meat and I'm not sure if it was done correctly.

I used a cure recipe from the Hungarian smoked pork loin and I did use Instacure/Cure#1. That doesn't contain nitrates.

Im had it in the cure solution for 10 days, then I had it hanging in cold smoker for 3 days. Is it ok to eat? does it need heat?

I tried a piece after I shut smoker off about 12 hrs after and it tasted good, I just don't know .

So I broke down and put on Traeger at lowest setting.

 

[kvn]

Sorry the cure does have both nitrate and nitrites.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Tell us a little more about the recipe. How much water, how much salt, and how much cure? Also need to know meat green weight.

 

[kvn]

I used the exact breakdown that another thread had a bout Hungarian smoked Karaj. im a newbie and I used that recipe let me see if i can find

 

[kvn]

Ingredients as percentage of meat weight.

2.8% Salt
0.3% Cure #2
0.25% Sugar
0.8% Black Pepper
0.6% Hungarian Paprika
0.15% Garlic Powder


Mix together salt, Cure #2 and other ingredients.
Rub the mixture into the loin.
Place into a plastic bag and leave for 7-10 days in fridge.
Remove loin from refrigerator and brush off the excess salt. Dry to touch.
Apply thin cold smoke for 1-3 days
Hang loin at 46º , 72-80% humidity for one month to equalize.
Dry loins for 3 weeks at 68-72º.
Füstölt Karaj is ready when it loses about 40% of its original weight

That was from that Master smoker digdog something

 

[bregent]

Sorry the cure does have both nitrate and nitrites.

So you used cure #2 ?


Ah, you posted the recipe at the same time I did. So I see you did use #2. It should be fine. Do you have a curing chamber?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Recipe looks fine to me. The reason it calls for cure #2 is for the long drying period of 2-3 months for a weight loss of 40% this is a traditional dry cured product.

So I broke down and put on Traeger at lowest setting.

The recipe intends for the meat to be dried not cooked ready to eat after 35-40% weight loss. To make this recipe and cook the meat, not dry it, you want to use cure #1 nitrite only. The nitrates in cure #2 convert to nitrites over time to continue food safety during the long drying period. This requires enzymes in the meat that develop slowly in the dry curing process. If you cook it, make sure you obtain an internal temperature of 145* or slightly more. As far as being safe to eat now, if eaten in small portion it won’t kill you or make you sick, but some nitrates could still remain. Next time make it with cure #1, hot smoke it and enjoy.

 

[Hamdrew]

This was ~2wk wet cured. Little sweet as I am still dialing in my preferred ratio of pop's brine, but everyone else loved it. I still managed to love it quite a bit myself, lol.





Couldn't stand waiting for a sandwich so i had to slice of a chunk while still hot..



Sliced before freezing ~48hrs later.

 

[kvn]

So you used cure #2 ?


Ah, you posted the recipe at the same time I did. So I see you did use #2. It should be fine. Do you have a curing chamber?

Curing chamber?

I don't know what that is?

 

[kvn]

I thought i could let it hang in my smoker for the next few weeks? or is it better to put in a refrigerator?

 

[kvn]

Recipe looks fine to me. The reason it calls for cure #2 is for the long drying period of 2-3 months for a weight loss of 40% this is a traditional dry cured product.

The recipe intends for the meat to be dried not cooked ready to eat after 35-40% weight loss. To make this recipe and cook the meat, not dry it, you want to use cure #1 nitrite only. The nitrates in cure #2 convert to nitrites over time to continue food safety during the long drying period. This requires enzymes in the meat that develop slowly in the dry curing process. If you cook it, make sure you obtain an internal temperature of 145* or slightly more. As far as being safe to eat now, if eaten in small portion it won’t kill you or make you sick, but some nitrates could still remain. Next time make it with cure #1, hot smoke it and enjoy.

Ok, Im confused on the hot smoking part, will it end up wet? or dry by hot smoking it?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Ok, Im confused on the hot smoking part, will it end up wet? or dry by hot smoking it?

are you talking internally or external? Not sure just what you are asking. Basically it’s all dry, but not in the sense of drying the meat for 2 months. What exactly are you expecting?

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Ok, Im confused on the hot smoking part, will it end up wet? or dry by hot smoking it?

I'm new here but I've read and researched a bunch. Here's my explanation. Other more knowledgeable forum members - please correct any incorrect statements.

Hot smoking or just putting it in the oven and cooking it will make it safe to eat (cooking it to 145 degrees) if you just take it out of the brine and want to eat it. Pink salt #1 (contains only nitrites) is for short cures/brines and used when you intend to cook/consume the meat after you take it out of the brine. Once out of the brine, you can then freeze it, or instead, finish the cook on it and consume it immediately. (think Bacon!) Bacon can also be cold smoked and stored frozen then cooked at a later date.

Prague powder/pink salt #2 (nitrites plus nitrates) is used for extended cures, often where the meat is not heated afterwards to raise the internal temperature to kill unwanted bugs - think old world salami and whole muscle cures (like your recipe). Your recipe calls for pink salt #2 but it sounds like you used #1 from your first statement - if that is the case, then you should cook the meat to 145 degrees before consuming. Pink salt #1 runs out of nitrites to cure the meat over time - that is where the nitrates in pink salt #2 pick up the slack. They slowly break down into nitrites and continue to cure the processed meat over many weeks/months/years. Think Prosciutto!

If you google "meat curing chamber" or search that term on this website, you'll find ample discussions about what a meat curing chamber is and it's use in doing extended meat curing over weeks or months. This method is used in making salami and whole muscle cures. Once you have that setup ready, you can follow your directions (above) and produce a safe cured meat that doesn't need to be cooked prior to consuming. You've got a lot of reading to do before you get going on this method of curing meat.

 

[bregent]

Curing chamber?

I don't know what that is?

It's a controlled environment where you hang meat while it's drying. It needs to lose 40% of its weight before it's ready to consume. How are you planning on doing that? If you don't have a curing chamber/room, you might consider using Umai Dry charcuterie bags.

You need to be absolutely sure you used cure #2 if you are making this.

 

[daveomak]

Ingredients as percentage of meat weight.

2.8% Salt
0.3% Cure #2
0.25% Sugar
0.8% Black Pepper
0.6% Hungarian Paprika
0.15% Garlic Powder


Mix together salt, Cure #2 and other ingredients.
Rub the mixture into the loin.
Place into a plastic bag and leave for 7-10 days in fridge.
Remove loin from refrigerator and brush off the excess salt. Dry to touch.
Apply thin cold smoke for 1-3 days
Hang loin at 46º , 72-80% humidity for one month to equalize.
Dry loins for 3 weeks at 68-72º.
Füstölt Karaj is ready when it loses about 40% of its original weight

That was from that Master smoker digdog something

That's a good recipe... Hang it to dry out at 53-56F and lose the 40% weight... THEN it's safe to eat... The nitrate in the cure#2 and the 2.8% salt will bring the salt content up to 3% + then it will go up more with the weight loss to about 4.2% () I think I got that correct) which will kill any bacteria and the nitrite will convert to nitrate to kill any botulism bacteria...
When using cure#2, any meat is designed to not be cooked...
The 53-56F range is necessary BECAUSE, bacteria grows really slow and allows the meat to dry safely... Higher temps encourage bacterial growth until the meat has lost the 40% weight and the salt content takes over along with the nitrate converting to nitrite...

 

[Mmmm Meat]

That's a good recipe... Hang it to dry out at 53-56F and lose the 40% weight... THEN it's safe to eat... The nitrate in the cure#2 and the 2.8% salt will bring the salt content up to 3% + then it will go up more with the weight loss to about 4.2% () I think I got that correct) which will kill any bacteria and the nitrite will convert to nitrate to kill any botulism bacteria...
When using cure#2, any meat is designed to not be cooked...
The 53-56F range is necessary BECAUSE, bacteria grows really slow and allows the meat to dry safely... Higher temps encourage bacterial growth until the meat has lost the 40% weight and the salt content takes over along with the nitrate converting to nitrite...

OK - I gotta ask. I thought that 30% weight loss was the target on dry cured meats. Is it 30 - 40 %? Too much information too fast.

 

[Mmmm Meat]

That's a good recipe... Hang it to dry out at 53-56F and lose the 40% weight... THEN it's safe to eat... The nitrate in the cure#2 and the 2.8% salt will bring the salt content up to 3% + then it will go up more with the weight loss to about 4.2% () I think I got that correct) which will kill any bacteria and the nitrite will convert to nitrate to kill any botulism bacteria...
When using cure#2, any meat is designed to not be cooked...
The 53-56F range is necessary BECAUSE, bacteria grows really slow and allows the meat to dry safely... Higher temps encourage bacterial growth until the meat has lost the 40% weight and the salt content takes over along with the nitrate converting to nitrite...

BTW Daveomak - the book "The Art of Making Fermented Sausages" is essentially a bible for amateurs interested in the topic. It was a quick read (as I was a Microbiology major in College (in the 80's)). The book puts together no nonsense explanation of the processes at hand and provides many avenues for enthusiasts to exploit in whatever direction their interests lay. Thanks for the push to add it to my library!

 

[Mmmm Meat]

Back to the topic at hand. I was just reading other threads to expand my knowledge base and found this gem from just a few weeks ago. Watch the videos linked by the OP - you'll learn a ton about curing salts and their use.

Strolghino...(Fortune Teller Salami)

Strolghino Salami is made with the trimmings of the ham after boning out and trimming for culatello and fiocco. It is simply seasoned with salt and pepper, the same as the culatello and is said to fore tell what the final culatello will taste like. @Cajuneric made a youtube about this salami...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[kvn]

That's a good recipe... Hang it to dry out at 53-56F and lose the 40% weight... THEN it's safe to eat... The nitrate in the cure#2 and the 2.8% salt will bring the salt content up to 3% + then it will go up more with the weight loss to about 4.2% () I think I got that correct) which will kill any bacteria and the nitrite will convert to nitrate to kill any botulism bacteria...
When using cure#2, any meat is designed to not be cooked...
The 53-56F range is necessary BECAUSE, bacteria grows really slow and allows the meat to dry safely... Higher temps encourage bacterial growth until the meat has lost the 40% weight and the salt content takes over along with the nitrate converting to nitrite...

Ok, so can i just keep cold smoking it? Or better to put in fridge?

 

[Fueling Around]

I'm cautious on any books considered a bible" for curing.

There is a popular book on "Charcuterie: ..." that (IMHO) has some very questionable recipes.