Tender Quick?

[reflect]

Hi,

So I was rapping with a person at the meat counter yesterday about smoking. She swears by a product from Morton's called Tender Quick. She stated it enhances the smoke ring.

Here is what I found:

"Tender Quick is a blend of salt, sugar and other meat curing ingredients formulated for fast cure action and improved flavor and color. Ideal for curing, brine curing, or making a pumping pickle."

Anyone hear of it? Pros/cons?

Just curious.

Take care,

Brian

 

[sporty]

I've used it for curing hams and bacon. When curing the meats it turns it pink/red. I tried it once on some jerky and didn't like it at all.

I'm pretty sure it's salt with salt peter (the nitrates).

I've never used it in a rub for smoking.

 

[richtee]

I use it exclusively... for jerky I find slightly less than 1 Tbsp./lb, and in the rub it'll make some "hammy" ribs. Really good product.

It IS a curing product, and is a mix of salt and nitrates, use in place of salt. Get Morton's home meat curing book available online...it's a great reference

 

[placebo]

I havn't used it yet but I know others that use it primarily for brining fish and such and they swear by it.

What I really want to know is what in the hell is a, "pumping pickle"?

 

[Dutch]

Placebo,

A pumping pickle is the brining solution that is pumped into ham and bacon to speed the curing process.

 

[placebo]

Thanks Dutch! I wouldn't have guessed that in a million years.

 

[reflect]

Thanks all!!!

Yeah, I was wondering about the "pickle" myself ;).

Take care,

Brian

 

[cajun_1]

So back to the "smoke ring" question...does it or doesn't it enhance the smoke ring? Just curious...

 

[smokebuzz]

Not sure if it will "enhance" , but i do know it will give you a "fake" smoke ring. seen a guy rub a tri tip down with it for 5 min. and washed it off, put meat on a electric smoker with no pellets and cooked till 135* internal and had a pritty deep smoke looking ring.

 

[dacdots]

Listen to ol Dutch he knows.A pickle is also like any brine you would mix up.It can be used for meat or is the same thing you mix up to make vegetable pickles.You can make a dill/salt brine or a sweet brine according to your application.

 

[deejaydebi]

Reflect -

It's for curing NOT for making smoke rings. Use it ONLY when you need to it contains Nitrates which if use improperly can hurt you even kill you!

http://www.deejayssmokepit.net/CuringAgents.htm

 

[payson]

Of course you CAN use it for a smoke ring although that may not be the intended purpose!

http://bbq.about.com/od/barbecuehelp/g/gsmokering.htm

 

[richtee]

Near as I can glean from the info...the smoke ring is actually a cured section on the surface that extends a small way into the cut of meat...due to nitrate/ite formation in the smoking process.

 

[cajun_1]

Never had plans of using it...just curious of the answer to the question. I'll stay with no "smoke ring" and great tasting grub.

 

[smokebuzz]

You only need SMOKE for a smoke ring, you could make a fake looking smoke ring in the oven with tender quick

 

[moltenone]

we use the tender quick when making summer sausage,it's a must for the recipe.

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