Pink Cure Help!

[dennyman100]

I purchased some pink cure #1, from a meat shop but it did not come with instructions on how much to use (quantities).  I looked it up online and came up with many conflicting results.  However, I used a recipe I found online to cure a pork picnic for 24 hours, then soaked it in water to remove excess salt.  It is still smoking but now I am worried that maybe I messed up and want to get some professional opinions.

The recipe is as follows:

For an 8.5 lb pork picnic I used

1 gallon of water

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cane syrup

1/2 cup kosher salt

3 TABLESPOONS of PP#1 (6.25%)

Let soak overnight, then wash off and soak in water for an hour. 

Dry rub with traditional rub and brown sugar.

I have read where people say use 6 TBS of PP#1 per gallon, but I still worry.  The pork picnic is still smoking but I would rather throw it out then make someone sick.

Thoughts,

Do you think I am good to serve the picnic.  I have learned my lesson and will be buying a scale ASAP before I do anymore smoking.

Thanks.

Ivy

 

[daveomak]

Ivy, morning.... If I understand correctly, the picnic is on the smoker.... Keep cooking it... cook it until you have an internal temp of around 160-165... that's where I cook them too... The recipe you found on the internet, throw it away and forget it...
Your picnic will be a smoked, cooked leg of pig....

Below are two threads where I made hams from picnic legs... The method is a little different in that you inject the exact amounts of salt, sugar and cure into the meat that you need for proper processing and flavor... no worrying or waiting for adsorption to take place... I did my best to explain the whys.... If you have any questions, please feel free to ask..... Dave

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/233988/picnic-shoulder-into-a-ham-9-13-update-money

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/236375/ham-from-fresh-picnics-update-10-21-money

 

[dennyman100]

Dave,

Thanks for the response.  So that picnic will be safe to eat and serve to my guests?

This is my first time making a large piece of meat so I started to worry when I thought about the masses.

Ivy.

 

[daveomak]

Curing for 24 hours is only good for beef jerky... 1/4-3/8" thick strips... If the ham had hide on it, I doubt it got through the hide.... pig skin is pretty much water proof.... The nitrite in cure #1 starts to dissipate or something like that at ~130 ish degrees... don't know why... nobody ever says why or what happens to it....

By the way, 3 TBS. of prague powder, cure #1 etc. at 6.25% nitrite is enough to properly cure 45#'s of meat... 1 tsp. is perfect for 5#'s... give or take some exceptions to the rules....

 

[dennyman100]

Okie, Well you learn by mistakes.  Thanks for your responses.

Ivy