# curing salts for jerky



## bigbuck (Dec 14, 2016)

which curing salt or cure is best suited for jerky?


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## crankybuzzard (Dec 14, 2016)

Cure #1 is the one most widely used on here,

What type of jerky, how do you plan to dry it out, and what type of meat?


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## dward51 (Dec 14, 2016)

There are also some recipes that use Morton's Tenderquick.  Cure #1 and Tenderquick are *NOT* interchangable as the curing agent ratios are different in each product. They are both cures and will accomplish the same task, but you will need a lot more of the Tenderquick than cure #1 because of the difference in the actual mix.  If you have a recipe that calls for one and you use the other, make sure to use the correct ratio of that particular cure based on the amount of meat being cured.

There are also "maple cures" out there, but you really don't see those often and the usually come in kits along with a measured spice packet (often for summer sausage).

Also, I'm 99.9% sure all "cure #1" is the same strength ratio regardless of brand.  Someone chime in and correct me if I'm wrong on that.

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Edit

One more point, the same cure can be used more than one way. You can use it to mix in a liquid "cure" for jerky and some people also make a ground beef jerky.  The amount of cure is different depending on the way it's applied.  There is a ton of info on ratios here, but just make sure not to use the same amount of cure from a wet recipe in a ground meat mix.  It will be way too much cure if you do (and the other way applies as well, if you use the amount of cure from a ground meat mix in a wet cure setting it will way too little to cure the meat properly).

To simplify what can otherwise be confusing on it's face.... Basically make sure you use the same type of cure in the recipe and are using it in the way the recipe calls for.


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## bigbuck (Dec 15, 2016)

well we have a company here in ohio that's called uncle mikes and they make one called hot and spicy not sure if it has been smoked or they use liquid smoke, the jerky is real red not too dry and sticky, I have been trying to nail down recipe or get it close, I know it has crushed red pepper cayenne pepper black pepper and probably sugar to make it sticky and a few others you cant see stuck to meat, I intend to use some type of bottom round roast to try and duplicate this with Morton TQ, open for suggestions and if you have never had this jerky it is really good


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## dirtsailor2003 (Dec 15, 2016)

bigbuck said:


> well we have a company here in ohio that's called uncle mikes and they make one called hot and spicy not sure if it has been smoked or they use liquid smoke, the jerky is real red not too dry and sticky, I have been trying to nail down recipe or get it close, I know it has crushed red pepper cayenne pepper black pepper and probably sugar to make it sticky and a few others you cant see stuck to meat, I intend to use some type of bottom round roast to try and duplicate this with Morton TQ, open for suggestions and if you have never had this jerky it is really good


Since you are trying to duplicate a brand, I would use cure #1. Morton's will be too salty. Cure #1 will still allow you to adjust salt levels, If you are making whole muscle (not ground) jerky use cure #1 at a ratio of 1 teaspoon or 5.66 grams per five pounds of meat.


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