# Chicken dry cure with nitrite



## PK Jee (Nov 5, 2021)

I would like to try dry curing chicken using sodium nitrite. Didn't find in the net. Is it possible at all? Need help on this. Thanks


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## zwiller (Nov 5, 2021)

I think it can be done but it's not typically done because dry curing pulls moisture out of meat and poultry REALLY suffers when that happens.  I'd suggest Pop's Brine for that instead.  Tried and true and lots of happy folks with it.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 5, 2021)

I concur with This Guy^^^^^^.Pop's Brine is tried and true and makes juicy Cured Smoked Chicken.
However, if you wish to try a Dry Rub to Cure, it's best to Spatchcock the chicken. Next, weigh the bird and multiply the weight by 0.62 to determine the amount of Meat only. Multiply the meat weight by each ingredient below to determine the amount of Curing Rub needed. Rub both sides with the combination of... 0.25% Cure #1 aka Prague Powder, 1.5% Salt, 1% Sugar and 0.5% any Herbs or Spices you like, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, etc. Bag with any rub that did not stick and Vac-Seal or remove as much air as possible from the bag used. Refrigerate and Turn/Massage every 12 hours for 24 hours. Rinse, dry well, preferably uncovered in the refer overnight. Smoke as desired...JJ

Housetohomestead.com calculated that *62 percent of the average whole chicken is* meat. That meat is divided unevenly into eight different pieces, 30 percent of which is in the chicken breast.Mar 26, 2020


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## SecondHandSmoker (Nov 5, 2021)

Are you shooting for chicken jerky?
If not, then the guys above have you covered.


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## zwiller (Nov 5, 2021)

SecondHandSmoker said:


> Are you shooting for chicken jerky?
> If not, then the guys above have you covered.


Great point.  Did not think of that.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Nov 5, 2021)

zwiller said:


> Great point.  Did not think of that.



I was just assuming about the chicken jerky since the OP stated he wanted to use sodium nitrite in the dry cure.  
However, for chicken jerky, I think I'd still go with a wet brine instead of a dry brine.


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## indaswamp (Nov 5, 2021)

zwiller said:


> I think it can be done but it's not typically done because dry curing pulls moisture out of meat and poultry REALLY suffers when that happens.  I'd suggest Pop's Brine for that instead.  Tried and true and lots of happy folks with it.


While it is true that dry curing will pull moisture out of the meat, if the meat is left in contact with the liquid, it will pull that moisture back in as the salt travels into the interior of the meat...the moisture will follow the salt in. So at the end of the dry curing process, all the original moisture will be back into the meat. 

If done in a salt box, the moisture leaves the box so once pulled out of the meat, it does not get the chance to pull back in.


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## indaswamp (Nov 5, 2021)

And, like turkey, chicken breast will not gain a lot of color from the curing process. But will get the 'hammy' cured flavor.


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## BrianGSDTexoma (Nov 5, 2021)

I have done cured turkeys and the only way I do them now.  Used Pop's and Dave's injection.  I do inject also using Pop's.  Both really juicy.  Does not get a hammy taste but just nice and juicy.  Those tony chachere injection are really good on chicken.


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## chopsaw (Nov 5, 2021)

I've had plenty of turkey jerky that was just done with a high mountain jerky kit . 
Comes out just fine for jerky . 
I've been looking at some turkey pastrami ( whole muscle ) and a turkey pastrami 
roll ( white and dark meat chunks in SS casing ) 
Both use cure 1 , but it's a brine . Not dry rubbed . 

As far as curing whole birds or parts , I've used :
Pop's brine 
Dave's injection 
Tender quick as a dry rub 
Tender quick as a pumping pickle


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## PK Jee (Nov 5, 2021)

zwiller said:


> I think it can be done but it's not typically done because dry curing pulls moisture out of meat and poultry REALLY suffers when that happens.  I'd suggest Pop's Brine for that instead.  Tried and true and lots of happy folks with it.


Thanks a ton. Here in India we don't get pork or beef so  I was thinking of chicken. I love the flavour of nitrite cure so want to do that. Can you help on this Pops brine thing. I am absolutely a gerren horn in this.


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## SmokinEdge (Nov 5, 2021)

Salt breaks down proteins. Poultry is a soft flesh and shouldn’t be bribed or salted for any longer than is necessary. A typical whole chicken not more than about 24hrs a turkey about 48hrs unless it’s very large then go a bit longer, in my experience the poultry flesh gets mushy if left too long in a brine of any kind that is salty. 
Also keep in mind that the weight of a bird is largely made up of a skeleton (bone) so keep that in mind when figuring up your salt and cure #1 percentage. It’s easy to make Whole poultry too salty if the skeleton weight is not allowed for.
I’ve never dry rub cured poultry, however I may grab some thighs and try it) but I’ve brined/cured a bunch of them and smoked them. I like it a lot and my kids too, but the wife is old school and refuses to eat it because it’s “pink” chicken. She understands cure, she has to being married to me, but we eat with our eyes and that pink meat on poultry kills it for her even knowing better. I laugh, it’s funny.


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 5, 2021)

SmokinEdge
 Sir you make a Excellent Point. I did not take Bone and Skin into account when I posted instructions for Dry Curing a Chicken. My Post has been edited to reflect that only the weight of meat goes into the calculation. THANKS SO MUCH for this important information...JJ


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## chef jimmyj (Nov 5, 2021)

Below is Pop's Brine with complete instructions for curing various meats and cuts of meat.
Note: All this and above is based on using, Cure #1, aka Prague Powder. It contains 6.25% Sodium Nitrite and 93.75% Salt, Sodium Chloride...JJ 





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						Pops Curing Brine
					

Below is Pops Brine for Easy Bacon and other meats.   Note: The High Sugar content will cause Bacon Fried in a Pan or Oven Baked above 325°F to Burn! Pops' once told me to reduce to 1/4C of Each or leave out the Sugar...In Memory of Pops, enjoy...JJ  Real simple curing brine:  for every 1 gallon...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## SmokinAl (Nov 6, 2021)

Whatever you decide to do, let us know how it turns out!
Al


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## chopsaw (Nov 6, 2021)

PK Jee said:


> I would like to try dry curing chicken using sodium nitrite.


So what you want to do is a cured smoked bird ? 
If so use the info in post # 14 for Pop's brine . Use it at the low salt rate of 1/3 or 1/2 cup . I use pickling salt , which is a smaller grain , but dissolves easier .

Here's one I did . You can see the effects of the injection and the soak , and the pink tint on the plated pic . 






						Pop's brined whole chicken injected and soaked
					

Got some whole birds at Gordon's food service . Mixed up a gallon of Pop's brine , low salt . I've been adding lemon extract , so for 1 gallon I use 1/2 cup kosher salt , 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup white sugar plus 1 TBLS cure 1  . To that I have been adding 1/2 tsp lemon extract . I...




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PK Jee said:


> . Here in India


Since you're in India I think we should confirm what you have as a curing agent is cure 1 . Just to be safe .


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## Bearcarver (Nov 6, 2021)

I Dry cure everything I do with Tender Quick.
However if I was going to do Chicken, I would use Pops' Brine Method with Cure #1.
Pops was the Man around here, especially for those kind of items.
I would do a search & find one that Pops did, and follow that from start to finish!!

Bear


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## 1MoreFord (Nov 6, 2021)

PK Jee said:


> .......................Can you help on this Pops brine thing. I am absolutely a gerren horn in this.



Look here:





						Pop's Curing Brine
					

Let me present this photo of the intructions from a package of cure #1:    Do you seer where it says : "... 24 pounds of curing salt to 100 gallons of water ..."? take 24 lbs x 16 oz per pound = 384 oz. per 100 gallons of water. That is THE MAXIMUM concentration allowed by Federal Law. Reducing...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## PK Jee (Nov 25, 2021)

indaswamp said:


> While it is true that dry curing will pull moisture out of the meat, if the meat is left in contact with the liquid, it will pull that moisture back in as the salt travels into the interior of the meat...the moisture will follow the salt in. So at the end of the dry curing process, all the original moisture will be back into the meat.
> 
> If done in a salt box, the moisture leaves the box so once pulled out of the meat, it does not get the chance to pull back in.


IMO dry cure by equilibrium method should be OK


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## PK Jee (Nov 25, 2021)

chopsaw said:


> So what you want to do is a cured smoked bird ?
> If so use the info in post # 14 for Pop's brine . Use it at the low salt rate of 1/3 or 1/2 cup . I use pickling salt , which is a smaller grain , but dissolves easier .
> 
> Here's one I did . You can see the effects of the injection and the soak , and the pink tint on the plated pic .
> ...


It's instacure#1, sodium nitrite 6.25%


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## PK Jee (Dec 2, 2021)

SmokinEdge said:


> Salt breaks down proteins. Poultry is a soft flesh and shouldn’t be bribed or salted for any longer than is necessary. A typical whole chicken not more than about 24hrs a turkey about 48hrs unless it’s very large then go a bit longer, in my experience the poultry flesh gets mushy if left too long in a brine of any kind that is salty.
> Also keep in mind that the weight of a bird is largely made up of a skeleton (bone) so keep that in mind when figuring up your salt and cure #1 percentage. It’s easy to make Whole poultry too salty if the skeleton weight is not allowed for.
> I’ve never dry rub cured poultry, however I may grab some thighs and try it) but I’ve brined/cured a bunch of them and smoked them. I like it a lot and my kids too, but the wife is old school and refuses to eat it because it’s “pink” chicken. She understands cure, she has to being married to me, but we eat with our eyes and that pink meat on poultry kills it for her even knowing better. I laugh, it’s funny.


Thanks.


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