That's not even close to the recipe currently in the Morton Meat Curing book.Morton Salt is now a German company.
Keep in mind that Tender Quick was invented at a time when saltpeter was in use for the home curing of meat, which can be quite dangerous when not properly used, there was no cure #1 or cure #2 at that time.
Tender Quick was a revolution that allowed home curer's to safely cure meat, it's not so unique today.
What do you think of the amount of Tender Quick used in the jerky recipe I posted above? That's a lota salt, nitrite and nitrate!!! LOL
~Dig
I'm very sorry that you're very confused and either have not read my replies very well or did not understand them.I'm not here to discuss really old cures that I've never seen.
The only reason I commented on your original post on this was to caution people to mix your mixture well.
I found no fault with your mixture.
You had to come back with that not being important, so the rest of these posts were born.
When things like this come up, I make comments to tell people how to be careful.
Others reply that it's not important.
I have told people to be careful getting through the danger zone, and I have had replies like, "I have been smoking meat for 35 years, and I never heard of NO Danger Zone".
I'm not arguing with you. I just try to keep things safe for people who may not know something, or haven't thought about it.
When I tell people to mix a mixture well when it has cure in it, because it could be dangerous, and you tell them it's not any more important than mixing seasonings, that can be a problem.
If you are right, and people listen to me, I caused people to take a minute to mix the mixture well, when they really didn't have to.
If I am right, and people listen to you, someone could get sick, or worse.
Please don't make it harder for us to help people stay safe.
Hoping this is finished now,
Thanks,
Bear
I can see that your intent is to misrepresent what I've said and suggest things that I did NOT say!Excuse my wording:
My point was that your replies reflect that you don't feel mixing mixtures containing cure to be any more important than mixing any other ingredients.
That is not how I feel about mixing cure, and that is not a good thing to tell people.
If that is implying that you are making it hard to help people to stay safe, it is because a statement like that has to be answered to keep people safe.
If you would not do that, I would have no reason to reply, which I have tried not to have to do, ever since all I said was to mix your mixture well.
And I'm going to mention one more time, If Morton Salt Scientists didn't think Stratification could occur, they would not have bonded Tender Quick.
I'm tired of playing this game with you, and since this is my last reply, I will say people can read what you said & read what I said, and hopefully they can see what is safe.
All this has done nothing to change the few important things I have said:
Use Tender Quick (with TQ instructions), or use Cure #1(with Cure #1 instructions). If you make your own mix, be sure to mix it well. If you have some left, either toss it, or mix it well again, before using it again. Very Simple!
Bear
I use TQ for jerky and it's not too salty. After I rub it I marinate it so that dilutes the saltiness I think.I don't know of a substitute for TQ
Don't know if I would use TQ for jerky....To Much Salt!
Pink Salt will work, but not in the same amounts.
Jerky seasonings usually come with a packet of pink curing salt
Todd
TQ is easy to use, but for health reasons, some members(Including Me!) had to cut down on salt. Every little bit counts!I use TQ for jerky and it's not too salty. After I rub it I marinate it so that dilutes the saltiness I think.
A HUGE step that is left out of Home Made Cure Recipes is how the cure is mixed with the meat. If (1) tsp. of Cure #1 is used to 5# of meat, then the chance of dry cure #1 being distributed evenly throughout the meat is far less than when mixed with water or another liquid. I think this is why guys like Pops brine cure instead of dry cure.I mix my own TQ substitute all the time which allows me to exclude nitrate. I understand the bonding argument but I think to assume people aren't able to mix their own is faulty logic. That would mean for any recipe to be effective you would have to do the same bonding process for all dry ingredients to ensure equal distribution of curing salt. Unless your chocolate chips end up in 1 or 2 cookies when you make chocolate chips cookies you should be able to mix your own TQ substitute.
True and exactly how I cure bacon, except I add a couple oz. of water to start the process. I actually read that if the bacon does not sweat and make it's own brine, to add a few oz. of water. It works for me.TJohnson,
the procedure I follow and is confirmed in the Marianski book calls for making 3 different applications of cure to dry cured bacon over the curing process. The cure pulls moisture from the bacon and the bacon reabsorbs the moisture and cure to achieve a hydrostatic equilibrium. It is more labor intensive, requires some patience and attention to detail but I like the results.
A HUGE step that is left out of Home Made Cure Recipes is how the cure is mixed with the meat. If (1) tsp. of Cure #1 is used to 5# of meat, then the chance of dry cure #1 being distributed evenly throughout the meat is far less than when mixed with water or another liquid. I think this is why guys like Pops brine cure instead of dry cure.
When making sausage or jerky, I dissolve Cure #1 in water with the other spices. Jerky is marinated in the cure/spice/water mix or the cure/spice/water mix is combined with the sausage, and mixed very well.
Todd
If you're salt sensitive I can see where that would be too much salt using TQ.