# tender quick???



## daddycookin

ok ive read on some other sites that the tender quick is optional does this mean all i need is kosher salt?ive been doing some reading and am geting conflicting info and the idea of botulism is freaking me out a little lol.please help.


ps forgive any misspelled words ive had a few and am not on the top of my typeing game lol.


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## ronp

What are you trying to do? Please explain.


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## Bearcarver

Either Tender Quick or one of the other commercial cures is needed to cure bacon. You can't cure bacon with kosher salt. I use TQ, and follow the directions for TQ exactly.


Bearcarver


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## lcruzen

If your going to smoke any meat at a low temp that will keep the meat in the temp danger zone(40o - 140o) for any length of time(typically 4 hours or more)then you need to cure the meat first. Following the instructions on the Tenderquick package will achive the needed result. The curing process also gives meat the redish color when brought up to temp(typically 152o).


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## dick bullard

I have started using Prague #1 powder to cure with....I have used Tender Quick in an overnight brine before and it adds nice color and a good taste to the meat (I did pork).

If you check on the package of Tender Quick you will find the percentage of Nitrite/Nitrate as beeing .5%....as compared to Prague #1 Powder as being 6.25%.

Seems to me you would have to use quite a large quanity of Tender Quick to equal the amount of Prague #1 used in a lot of recipes......

Not an old hand at the curing (trying to get there safely) so maybe some input on this from some of the more knowledgeable folks would be helpful for both of us !!!


Rick


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## stircrazy

once you mix your prague with salts, sugars, ect it should be roughly about 0.4 to 0.5 also.  so for your comparason you would have to look at the Prague, salt and such and see if it is equal to the amount of tenderquick.

when I buy Prague from one local butcher they premix it with salt as they are not alowed to sell it strait.  so it is about 0.5 after they mix it and I just omit any salt in my recipies and use 3oz if there mix for 10lbs.  

Steve


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## dick bullard

The package of Tender Quick doesn't say the strenghth of its brine mix when they say to use 1 cup Tender Quick to 4 cups water or 4 cups Tender Quick to 1 gal. water...Using Prague Pwdr you use only 8 level TBS (4 oz) to 1 gal of water....this is for a 10% solution for curing and pumping....the indication I got from the package of Prague Pwdr (was also mixed with salt) was that the mix was a 6.25% mix of Nitrite and the rest was salt and anti-caking and etc.  Otherwise 6.25% was the strenghth of the Nitrite in the packaged mix.....I must be missing something...would not like to be confused especially on this type prcedure.....Thanks.......Rick


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## q dawg

Here is what I looked up....seems like Prague Pwdr is much stronger or contains more Nitrite than Tender Quick 

                                                         Q Dawg

*Prague powder #1 (aka Cure #1)*

Prague powder #1 is 1 part (6.25%) sodium nitrite to 15 parts (93.75%) salt, plus anti-caking elements.

It is used for all curing other than dry.

You use 1 teaspoon for 5 pounds (2 kg) of meat, or 100g per 100 pounds (45 kg), and mix it with cold water to use

(Copyright 2010 Practically Edible. All rights reserved and enforced.) Read more of this snippet here : http://www.practicallyedible.com/edible.nsf/encyclopaedia!openframeset&frame=Right&Src=/edible.nsf/list/Instacure!opendocument&keyword=Instacure#ixzz0hKAO  u44I


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## mulepackin

Prague powder, or instacure, or pink curing salt does not exchange equally with Tenderquick. Be absolutely certain of what you are using and what ratios are required for the particular type of cure you are using. Visit the Morton's website for info on Tenderquick and check the cure sticky on this site for a volume of good info on cures.


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## mballi3011

First of all tender quick is a cure and NOT to be used like a salt product. It's NOT a kosher salt or a sea salt it's a cure. It is used in curing meat like bacon and corned beef and othe things. So be very careful with all cures.


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## daddycookin

kk from what ive been reading since i posted this i think next time im going to try pink salt just sounds like a simpiler proces to me than the tender quick.i have put 2 1/2 lb pieces of pork belly in the fridge coated in kosher salt and brown sugar and a little black pepper and put it in a large tuperwair bowl in the fridge and i have to say thay have shed alot of water in the past 2 days.i will be sliceing them and frying them tomarow im sure thay are fine and sthay smell and look great although im sure its not exactly bacon.ill post some pics tomarow.


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## Bearcarver

Hmmm, what can be easier than 1/2 ounce (one tablespoon) of TQ per pound of meat?


BC


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## ecodork

I haven't got the hang of Prague #1 yet as I have managed to practically ruin everything I've tried to do with it so far.  Except that turkey breast, which came out great!  And yes, I followed the instructions that came with it, used a scale, etc.  Obviously I missed something though.  It was all safe to eat, so long as the eater didn't have heart problems or already high blood pressure! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






 Though I had to dump most of jerky as it was just incredibly, inedibly salty.  Personally I think the "soaking" times were too long...

 Anywho, I ended up getting some TenderQuick and plan to use that for my first attempt at buckboard bacon instead of the prague.

I guess what I'm getting at is that just b/c Prague #1 isn't already pre-mixed, don't assume it'll be easier to use.  Tread with caution.


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## hounds51

I do mine as Rytek Kutas, Great Sausage Recipies and Meat Curing book calls for. I always use cure in my smoked meats. I go the low and slow method for most of my smokehouse meats, and for my little smoker I usally only make Fatties and pulled pork, which takes a higher temp. 

Honey cured bacon
1 cup non idionidzed salt
4Tbs Instacure #1
2 cups of honey or maple syrup or pancake syrup with brown sugar (to thicken it)

The above formula will cure about 1 slab of bacon.
Mix salt and instacure and rub thoughly then add honey or whatever wrap and seal. Store in fridge for 4 to7 days, turning daily. Rinse well, soak for about 1 to3 hours, test fry and repeat if necessary. Then smoke.


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## hounds51

By the way I am in the process of making bacon today, will post pictures with captions in about 2 weeks when I'am finished.
Dennis


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## Bearcarver

Hounds,
I never used Instacure #1, but is that accurate enough? I have done an 8 lb slab & a 12 lb slab. I used 4 ounces of TQ on the 8 lb slab, and 6 ounces on the 12 lb slab. Would someone use 4 Tbs of Instacure #1 on any size slab of bacon, and a whole cup of salt?


Bearcarver


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## hounds51

Well all I can say is that it works for me. I go by the formula in the smokers bible.


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## shooterrick

Any commercial cure meant to be used for bacon, ect. is fine if you follow the directions exactly.  Measure careful.  Do not confuse type 1 and type 2 cures.  No cure is interchangable with another when considering measurments.  I use TQ.  It is simple, cheap, and goes a long way.  I also dry cure my bacon instead of using a brine.  Just my preference..  Safety is your primary concern so do not proceed without proper information.  Start out simple.  Find either a post from someone who has done it many times or simply follow the directions on the bag of TQ.  With TQ the measurement is 1 TBS per pound of meat.  Do not get confused by the ground meat measurement for sausage and such which is different.


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## rob sicc

Hounds51 said:


> Well all I can say is that it works for me. I go by the formula in the smokers bible.


"Smokers Bible", is that referencing a particular cookbook or is that the actualy name of the cookbook?  I love reading cookbooks so if there is something known as the Smokers Bible, I would love to know whre I can gt it.


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## daveomak

Hounds51 said:


> I do mine as Rytek Kutas, Great Sausage Recipies and Meat Curing book calls for. I always use cure in my smoked meats. I go the low and slow method for most of my smokehouse meats, and for my little smoker I usally only make Fatties and pulled pork, which takes a higher temp.
> 
> 
> Honey cured bacon
> 
> 1 cup non idionidzed salt
> 
> 4Tbs Instacure #1
> 
> 2 cups of honey or maple syrup or pancake syrup with brown sugar (to thicken it)
> 
> 
> The above formula will cure about 1 slab of bacon.
> 
> Mix salt and instacure and rub thoughly then add honey or whatever wrap and seal. Store in fridge for 4 to7 days, turning daily. Rinse well, soak for about 1 to3 hours, test fry and repeat if necessary. Then smoke.




Hounds, afternoon.....   I'm looking in my Rytek book for that recipe....  can you point it out for me....  

The recipe you have noted here, looks to have too much cure #1....   the book you have may be one with a misprint recipe....  there are a few misprints in all curing books....   The reason I'm mentioning that is, folks hired to put books together, at the printers, don't know about curing....   
I'm thinking 4 tsp. cure #1 would be closer to correct.... 4 tsp. will cure 25#'s of bacon at 120 Ppm nitrite....


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## Bearcarver

DaveOmak said:


> Hounds, afternoon..... I'm looking in my Rytek book for that recipe.... can you point it out for me....
> 
> The recipe you have noted here, looks to have too much cure #1.... the book you have may be one with a misprint recipe.... there are a few misprints in all curing books.... The reason I'm mentioning that is, folks hired to put books together, at the printers, don't know about curing....
> I'm thinking 4 tsp. cure #1 would be closer to correct.... 4 tsp. will cure 25#'s of bacon at 120 Ppm nitrite....


Glad you caught that, Dave.

I didn't think that was right back then, but I'm not a big Cure #1 user, and nobody else said anything at the time.

At the time, you can see I also found the "Will cure about one slab" odd too. Slabs running between 8 pounds & 20 pounds or more.

Thanks,

Bear


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## ctonello

If you have only pink salt you can make your own alternative to tender quick. Try this :
http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?441-Basic-Dry-Cure-Morton-s-Tender-Quick-substitute


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## mfeder

Quote: Originally Posted by Hounds51 I do mine as Rytek Kutas, Great Sausage Recipies and Meat Curing book calls for. I always use cure in my smoked meats. I go the low and slow method for most of my smokehouse meats, and for my little smoker I usally only make Fatties and pulled pork, which takes a higher temp. Honey cured bacon 1 cup non idionidzed salt 4Tbs Instacure #1 2 cups of honey or maple syrup or pancake syrup with brown sugar (to thicken it) The above formula will cure about 1 slab of bacon. Mix salt and instacure and rub thoughly then add honey or whatever wrap and seal. Store in fridge for 4 to7 days, turning daily. Rinse well, soak for about 1 to3 hours, test fry and repeat if necessary. Then smoke. Hounds, afternoon..... I'm looking in my Rytek book for that recipe.... can you point it out for me.... The recipe you have noted here, looks to have too much cure #1.... the book you have may be one with a misprint recipe.... there are a few misprints in all curing books.... The reason I'm mentioning that is, folks hired to put books together, at the printers, don't know about curing.... I'm thinking 4 tsp. cure #1 would be closer to correct.... 4 tsp. will cure 25#'s of bacon at 120 Ppm nitrite....


DaveOmak said:


> Hounds, afternoon..... I'm looking in my Rytek book for that recipe.... can you point it out for me....
> 
> The recipe you have noted here, looks to have too much cure #1.... the book you have may be one with a misprint recipe.... there are a few misprints in all curing books.... The reason I'm mentioning that is, folks hired to put books together, at the printers, don't know about curing....
> I'm thinking 4 tsp. cure #1 would be closer to correct.... 4 tsp. will cure 25#'s of bacon at 120


The recipe with 4 TBS Cure 1 per belly is in the 4th edition on page 314.


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## bill ace 350

Tenderquick is easy and effective for bacon. I don't know why some people shy away from it.


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## Bearcarver

Mfeder said:


> The recipe with 4 TBS Cure 1 per belly is in the 4th edition on page 314.


I'm a Tender Quick user, However:

I believe that recipe would be perfect for a about a 60 pound Pork Belly.

Must be a Misprint.

Bear


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## rob sicc

Bearcarver said:


> I'm a Tender Quick user, However:
> 
> I believe that recipe would be perfect for a about a 60 pound Pork Belly.
> 
> Must be a Misprint.
> 
> Bear


Bear,

ROFL.  I guess that's why everyone kept saying it was a little salty.  Might explain my blood pressure also.  lol

I will check your list of tutorials for the measurements for how you do bacon. 

Thanks


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## daveomak

The recipe with 4 TBS Cure 1 per belly is in the 4th edition on page 314.
[/quote]



That explains it... My book has 227 pages....  1976 and it must be a first edition....  no notes on edition numbers....


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