# Newbie confused with Cure #1



## bgaviator (Feb 5, 2018)

Ok, I’ve been learning more about cures and why it’s good to use for added food safety. I understand if using in a dry brine, that 1 tsp is used per 5# of meat. I rarely like buying 5 lbs of meat when I first try a recipe in case I botch it up. So say I have a summer sausage recipe that the original recipe calls for 5 lbs beef, and 1 tsp of cure. Would cutting the beef in half to 2.5 lbs equal just cutting the cure amount in half to 1/2 tsp?  That would seem logical, but I get the feeling it’s not that simple. 

I’ve played around with the cure calculator link I just received, and it seems everything is done by grams. My food scale does grams, but it’s not so accurate that it can get down to the precise grams. For instance I used the calculator to see how much Cure I would need for 2.5 lbs meat. It calculated 2.83 grams. I can’t get that small of weight measurements with my scale, so is there a better way to think about this, or do I need to find a scale that can precisely measure grams to even the tiniest amount?

I know I’m probably over thinking this, but this stuff makes me nervous. Seems like it can be dangerous if you use too much Cure


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## ristau5741 (Feb 5, 2018)

I don't think it's dangerous if you use too much, i think it's on the other side, if you don't use enough, it can be dangerous.


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## bgaviator (Feb 5, 2018)

Are there any scales anyone recommends that can precisely measure grams out to so many decimal places?


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## muddydogs (Feb 5, 2018)

Yep your over thinking this. 1 tsp for 5 pounds, 1/2 tsp for 2.5 pounds.

Thing is what do you do if you want to cure 1 pound of meat or 7.5 pounds of meat, kind of hard to start measuring 1/8 tsp or what ever so the most accurate way is to weight the amount of cure needed.


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## muddydogs (Feb 5, 2018)

ristau5741 said:


> I don't think it's dangerous if you use too much, i think it's on the other side, if you don't use enough, it can be dangerous.



To much cure is a bad thing just like to little cure. Cure needs to be darn close to exact, its about the only thing in smoking and meat prep that can't be winged.


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## PerazziMx14 (Feb 5, 2018)

Please delete


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## motocrash (Feb 5, 2018)

Yes,too much cure can be dangerous.Google curing USDA and you will find a plethora of information.This is the scale a lot of people use on the forum including myself.


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## atomicsmoke (Feb 5, 2018)

ristau5741 said:


> I don't think it's dangerous if you use too much, i think it's on the other side, if you don't use enough, it can be dangerous.


Average lethal dose for a 80kg person is about 6btbs (of cure#1).
No one would ingest this much by mistake but it still shows is a dangerous chemical and needs to be used with care and knowledge.

Also jury is still out on the cancerigen effect of nitritres with meat. So why take unnecesary risks by using more than you have to?


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## SonnyE (Feb 5, 2018)

bgaviator said:


> Ok, I’ve been learning more about cures and why it’s good to use for added food safety. I understand if using in a dry brine, that 1 tsp is used per 5# of meat. I rarely like buying 5 lbs of meat when I first try a recipe in case I botch it up. So say I have a summer sausage recipe that the original recipe calls for 5 lbs beef, and 1 tsp of cure. Would cutting the beef in half to 2.5 lbs equal just cutting the cure amount in half to 1/2 tsp?  That would seem logical, but I get the feeling it’s not that simple.
> 
> I’ve played around with the cure calculator link I just received, and it seems everything is done by grams. My food scale does grams, but it’s not so accurate that it can get down to the precise grams. For instance I used the calculator to see how much Cure I would need for 2.5 lbs meat. It calculated 2.83 grams. I can’t get that small of weight measurements with my scale, so is there a better way to think about this, or do I need to find a scale that can precisely measure grams to even the tiniest amount?
> 
> I know I’m probably over thinking this, but this stuff makes me nervous. Seems like it can be dangerous if you use too much Cure



I tend to follow recipies, and to adjust them to my size needs.
Yes, most call for 1 tsp for 5 pounds. But then, I also follow recipes written for 1 pound batches. And often that is the usual for me, smaller batches.
Most of those, like my favorite Jerky recipes, call for 1/4 tsp of Prague Powder P/pound. I use elongated measuring spoons I can strike off with a knife to get accurate, repeatable measures with.
So far, so good. I'm still alive. :confused:

Most of the nitrate in the Prague is neutralized in the heat anyway. So I'm not too concerned about it.
Truth be told, you are probably breathing worse crap, than what you are eating. :rolleyes:


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## muddydogs (Feb 5, 2018)

I try and find scales with a power cord or settable out off. Some of these battery powered scales auto shut off after 30 seconds which I find frustrating and a pain especially if you just tared the scale then added something to weight but don't finish for some reason and let 30 seconds go by. You have to pump the product out of the container, turn scale on, re tare then weight again. Its not a big deal but if I'm using a scale I want the darn thing to just stay on until i'm done with it.


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