snack sticks - red outside, grey inside

[bstineman]

Ran a batch of beef snack sticks this weekend using 21mm collagen casing. Had cure #1 in the mix and cooked them off at about 150-175 in my offset smoker hotbox until I hit 155. After water bath and chill in the fridge, I noticed that my test sample has a distinct center on it and and I think this means that they are under-done. I've never had this cooking them off in my electric cabinet smoker.

Am I correct? And if so, is there any way to salvage them or should I just pitch this any like this to stay safe?

Thanks!

 

[Fueling Around]

Appears you got a smoke ring?
Did you use sodium erythorbate?
155° IT means it is cooked as well as cured.

 

[bstineman]

Appears you got a smoke ring?
Did you use sodium erythorbate?
155° IT means it is cooked as well as cured.

Not familiar with sodium erythorbate. I've used cure #1 (sodium nitrate) and most recently started using "EcoCure #1" from the Sausage Maker. https://sausagemaker.com/product/ecocure-1-16oz/

I've done them like this several times using my electric cabinet smoker (with smoke running) and its always been a consistent pink throughout. This includes some of this batch as I had to split it between my offset smoker hot box and my cabinet smoker. Its just the ones from the hot box that have this "ring" and the interior looks alot like the original mix in color. This is what leads me to think that some of it just didn't get completely cured.

 

[dr k]

Eco cure #1 with salt as the first ingredient, fruit extract, spice extract and vegetable extract isn't cure #1 6.25% nitrite. This label is misleading until you read the site and zoom the label. The label has no way to convert to results and duration of cure #1. It's not nitrates or nitrites that are dangerous in proper ppm, it's the nitrosamines that nitrogen and amines, proteins, your gut wall form. Celery, beets etc are loaded with nitrates but are considered dietary nitrates because they are loaded with antioxidants. Literally take vit c or eat an orange, apple, green pepper etc with your bacon if you have any concerns. Your saliva is loaded with nitrite that's why it heals your mouth so quickly. The additives in some cured meats are Vit c with different purposes. People that make sausage that taste their raw batch, especially cure #2 nitrate/nitrite for room temp stable/fermented month long+sausages but as well as cure #1 should be consuming antioxidants at the same time so nitrosamines don't form with the gut wall. You'll form less nitrosamines cooking cured foods/bacons lower/slower in the oven for 20 min vs hot/fast in a pan. You'll have to read a lot of medical papers to get this info. I'm sticking with real Cure #1 because in 24 hours it's nitric oxide and minimal nitrite.

 

[SmokinEdge]

How long did the mix have to cure before smoke and heat?

 

[indaswamp]

As mentioned-eco cure #1 IS NOT cure #1. There are no nitrates or nitrites. you will not get the red cured color from using it. Looks to me like the red color is from a smoke ring from smoking and it did not penetrate to the center of the snack stick. Eco cure uses oleresin plant extracts that are toxic to pathogenic bacteria, so the product should still be safe as long as you followed the directions for use.