umai chorizo and cure #1 also pancetta

[Rick Cardin]

Been following this site for many years just don't remember if I ever registered or not and had to create a new account.

Bought the umai kits for pepperoni and Spanish chorizo. Followed the instructions except I used Fiesta curing salt which is cure #1 by mistake. I hung for two days in a closet at about 70 degrees and then put in the fridge. Also started to make some pancetta. Bellies are curing in the fridge but once again used the wrong salt. I know I can just smoke the bellies and have bacon but if I am using the umai bags can I still age it like a normal pancetta?

Chorizo and pepperoni have been in the fridge for a week already

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Not safe to eat. Chock it up to learning.

UMAi uses cure 2 for dry cure.

For the bellies you could be safe but will have to cook, dont use the UMAi bags for a cure 1 process..

Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.

Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat.

 

[DougE]

Cure#1 isn't sufficient for anything running over 30 days. You need the addition of the slower converting nitrate in cure#2 to keep things safe until there is sufficient moisture loss in the product.

 

[Rick Cardin]

On the pepperoni and chorizo, I would be safe to smoke it to IT of 160 and just have a smoked sausage similar to summer sausage? Looks like the bellies will become bacon this weekend

 

[DougE]

On the pepperoni and chorizo, I would be safe to smoke it to IT of 160 and just have a smoked sausage similar to summer sausage?

I finish all my smoked sausages to 151-152°, so yeah, you can save 'em by smoking, rather than tossing it.

 

[Rick Cardin]

went ahead and smoked all of the above to IT of 150. Everything turned out pretty good. chorizo and pepperoni lost some of their flavor and ended up being crumbly but will be used on pizzas so all is good. Pancetta turned out more like bacon but with a different flavor. Not what I was initially hoping for but not a waste either.