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Tender Quick Question

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thenevadanstig

thenevadanstig

Newbie
Original poster
Sep 29, 2014
10
10
Reno, NV
I would like to make some beef jerky this week, but am having problems finding consistent info regarding tender quick. I have a london broil I was going to slice up. I am not sure of the weight. I have heard anything from 2 tbsp to 1.5tsp of TQ in the marinade per pound of meat. I was also planning on running it through my MES at 180-200o until done, so I'm not really sure if the TQ will be needed doing it that way. My wife loves jerky, and I don't want her to get sick, but at the same time don't want to poison her from too much cure. Should I just maybe skip this cut until I have one in which I KNOW the weight of the meat?

An info/help appreciated
 
Morton Tender Quick is used at a rate of one tablespoon per pound of whole cuts of meat (bacon, corned beef, etc.)...half a tablespoon (1-1/2 tsp.) per pound of ground meat (sausage, etc.).

You can make jerky without cure. What cure will allow you to do is take longer to dry/smoke the meat. You can also smoke/cook the jerky at lower temps. If you don't use cure you need to up the temp and hold it there for a specified time. It also will help keep the jerky longer after it is smoked/dried. If you plan on eating all the jerky within a week you really don't need the cure.

If you're really worried run out and buy a jerky kit. Most stores with a sporty good section carry the pre-mixed seasonings. These all have cure.
 
So would a 180-200 degree smoke till done and dry be sufficient for no cure? Form what I understand I should be good to go without a cure as long as its over 160?

And I can not get any type of premade jerky seasoning locally. I even had to special order the TQ.
 
The amounts of TQ Case gave you are correct.

1 TBS per pound of whole meat, and 1/2 TBS per pound of ground meat.

However I have seen 2 different methods suggested by Morton's, depending on which of their books you look at:

One says to use 1 TBS per pound of Jerky, and cure it for 1 hour before smoking.

The other one says to use 1/2 TBS per pound of Jerky, and cure it overnight before smoking.

Bear
 
TheNevadanStig said:
 
So would a 180-200 degree smoke till done and dry be sufficient for no cure? Form what I understand I should be good to go without a cure as long as its over 160?

And I can not get any type of premade jerky seasoning locally. I even had to special order the TQ.
Click to expand...
Whole meat Beef has to get to 145*.

180-200* would be plenty to get thin pieces of jerky to 140* in 4 hours, and then to 145*.

Ground Meat Beef has to get to 160*.

However I would assume you would take your Jerky higher & drier.

Bear
 
Last edited:
When I do jerky in my dehydrator it's only at 160 which is the highest setting. So at 180 you should be good. Do what makes you the most comfortable tho. If you are second guessing not using cure then go with your gut and add the cure to the mix.
 
I have no problem using the cure, the problem is I really have no idea how much meat I have, and don't want to overdose the cure.
 
TheNevadanStig said:
 
I have no problem using the cure, the problem is I really have no idea how much meat I have, and don't want to overdose the cure.
Click to expand...
Don't use cure until you have a way of weighing the meat to be cured.

I would have said that earlier, but it sounded like I was picking on you, so I deleted it.

Bear
 
Bearcarver said:
 
Don't use cure until you have a way of weighing the meat to be cured.

I would have said that earlier, but it sounded like I was picking on you, so I deleted it.

Bear
Click to expand...
Not at all, that is pretty much spot on for what I was looking for! I will probably just do a smoke without cure. From what I gather, you should use a cure if the meat will be under 160 degrees for more than four hours, correct? And if  run the jerky in the smoker at 185-200 till done, I should be WAY in the clear the clear to not use cure?
 
TheNevadanStig said:
 
Not at all, that is pretty much spot on for what I was looking for! I will probably just do a smoke without cure. From what I gather, you should use a cure if the meat will be under 160 degrees for more than four hours, correct? And if  run the jerky in the smoker at 185-200 till done, I should be WAY in the clear the clear to not use cure?
Click to expand...
Even better---Without cure you should get it from 40* to 140* in no longer than 4 hours. Then take it to wherever you want it from there.

Bear
 
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