would you be comfortable with a smoked sausage with 80pph nitrite?

[DanMcG]

I had 10 lbs. of pork that I ground for sausage. My intent was to do 6lbs. fresh and 4 with cure for smoking. I mixed it all up and stuffed like normal, and started packing it in the fridge to rest, that's when I realized I only added enough cure for 2lbs of sausage. So I got four pounds of sausage at 80 ppm nitrite. I think minimum required is 120 ppm.
They're 18-21 sticks so I think I'll give them a warm smoke for a couple hours and then SV them up to a safe temp.
Can anyone confirm the 120 ppm minimum?

 

[dernektambura]

what did you use for cure and how much? Reason I am asking is that you may be more than 80 ppm than you think...for example:to have 80 ppm in 4 lbs (which is 1800 grams) would be:
Instacure: 2.304 grams (6.25% nitrite + 93.75% salt..
readycure: 16 grams (1% nitrite + 99% salt...
European Peclosol cure: 24 grams (0.60% nitritr + 99.4% salt

Personally I would be comfortable based on screw-ups I had in the past, cold smoking sausages.. But again, that's me...I make sausages only outside, when temp is below freezing, never insode confortable temp of kitchen.. always smoke them on cold smoke below 4.0 C (40F) and keep them in fridge...so far never died of botulism, not once..

 

[chef jimmyj]

We had this discussion awhile ago, I don't remember the thead title. The info I was able to gleen from the USDA Inspectors Handbook and a few other University Studies was, 40 ppm is the minimum for Color fixing but had minimal effect on bacteria. 80 ppm was the bottom line safe level for CBotulinum Spores and Listeria. 120 ppm was the recommended amount for Belly Bacon, with 156 ppm but not more than 200 ppm for everything else.
In any event, you are making snack stick that come to temp 140+, well within the suggested 4 hours. Surely your sticks can reach 136 in 1.75 hours, Daves Fatty Meat Chart (adjusted for 20% fat).
At 150°F virtually all active pathogens are killed or reduced to safe levels in 3 minutes or less. So take the sticks to an IT of 150 ASAP and you will be Safe at a Nitrite level of 80 ppm...JJ

A good read on the subject and Chart #4 verifies the 150°F (65°C) Bacteria reduction.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/ai407e/AI407E08.htm

 

[DanMcG]

Thanks JJ, I was semi -comfortable with my plan but needed some other opinions. I can't ever remember making such a rookie mistake.

 

[SonnyE]

...so far never died of botulism, not once..

Me neither Dernek, not that I know of...

 

[dernektambura]

Me neither Dernek, not that I know of...

I know... lol...

 

[indaswamp]

I can't ever remember making such a rookie mistake.

It happens to the best of us, which is why it is good to have great practices to eliminate errors like this. I try to keep an orderly work space and use lots of little container to keep everything organized. I also write on sandwich ziplocks with a permanent marker to label meats in tubs.

Most of the mistakes I have made have been when someone else is helping me and a step gets missed. I have to stay sharp and on top of things.....and I will need to be sharp this sunday for our big processing day. 250# of venison and 120# of wild hog being processed.

 

[chopsaw]

Thanks JJ, I was semi -comfortable with my plan but needed some other opinions. I can't ever remember making such a rookie mistake.

Just did this in reverse . Had everything measured out , and at the last minute kept a hunk to make BBB . Ground , stuffed and mixed . Realized I added to much cure . Went to the shop by the house , had them grind 2 lbs of pork shoulder @ $5.50 a lb . Paid .69 cents a lb for the 8 lb. shoulder I started with . It happens .