Too Much Cure

[DevinNunn]

I searched and searched but could not find the exact answer I am looking for. I made a rookie mistake I made 8 1/2lbs of summer sausage and accidentally miscalculated my cure Prague #1

I used 3 1/2 tsb when it should have only been 2tsb its all smoked and ready to go would it be safe to consume?

-Devin

 

[indaswamp]

I'm sure Chef jj and dave will comment on this, but here are my thoughts....
If 2 TBSPS for 8.5# of meat is the recommended amount, then you would have 156ppm sodium nitrite in the meat. But since you used 3.5TBSPS cure #1 for 8.5# of meat, you should have around 273ppm in the sausages. A little high, and above the 200ppm recommended by the USDA, but keep in mind that most of that cure is used up and converted to NO gas in the meat upon smoking.. about 10~20% will remain in the meat.
I say you will be safe, just consume this batch in moderation and be mindful next time you add cure.

 

[daveomak]

Prague powder is used at a rate of 1 tsp. per 5#'s of meat....or 1 TBS per 15#'s of meat.... Those are the abbreviations I use.... Before I try to figure out what you have, please help me know what you've got.....
My first suggestion is.... put the meat in the refer and go buy 10# of ground meat and add it to what you have... that will be 18 1/2#'s of meat.... close enough if 3 1/2 tsb is 3 1/2 tsp of Prague Powder...

 

[indaswamp]

on second reading...is tsb. a teaspoon or a tablespoon???

 

[SonnyE]

You brought your problem to the right place.
After finding the value of weighing cure via Daveomak, and Disco, I weigh and proportion with scales.
I actually find I am using less of my Prague Powder #1 now that I'm weighing.
And it makes me check, double check, and triple check my checks and balances.

 

[SonnyE]

Dave,
Could he still dilute it after this:

its all smoked and ready to go

Sounds stuffed?

 

[indaswamp]

Yep, I too weigh the cure like Holly has mentioned. One ounce of cure for 25# of meat. So since one ounce is 28.35grams, take that and divide by 25 and that's how much cure you need per pound. I multiply that by however many pounds of meat I am doing in a batch.

 

[chef jimmyj]

All good answers here. A scale is a must for measuring cure to know you are being accurate and safe. The Culinary industry common abbreviation for Tablespoon is Tbl, Tbsp, Tbs or " T ". For teaspoon we use tsp or " t " .
In this situation you will be fine, as Indaswamp pointed out, you are above the recommended amount, no where near a Toxic level, and the cooking will dissipate much of the Nitrite...JJ

 

[DevinNunn]

Wow a lot of great information thank you everyone! I have a good scale I just need to make sure I use it more then using teaspoons :(