# Question on Venison cure....



## Mofatguy (Nov 26, 2019)

Ok, I have a small piece of vension rear leg meat that was 1 3/4" thick at it's thickest point.]

I put in cure with 1 tbs tq and 2 tbs brown sugar per 1lb of meat measured out on scale. (Thanks Bear for the recipe.!)

Been in cure since 11/19 flipping daily.  Was planning on smoking on 11/29.  Problem is the weather is not going to be cooperative.  Rain and lots of it!

Here are my options.

1: Smoke tomorrow 11/27 which will only have been 8 days in cure.

2: Smoke on 12/1 which will be 12 days in cure.  Weather is supposed to be 27 degrees with snow flurries that day.

If I smoke tomorrow do you think it will have had time to cure?  I usually figure 4 days per inch of meat with 2 extra. I was going 10 days because of Thanksgiving but the weather doesn't want to play nice.

Thoughts?


----------



## smokerjim (Nov 26, 2019)

i've never used the tq cure, I usually use pop's brine with #1,  but I would say 8 days should be good. maybe some of the people more familiar with tq will chime in


----------



## buzzy (Nov 26, 2019)

I would pull & rinse off on 11/30. Then put in frig over night to get a good pellicle. Should be fine.


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Took a chance since it should have had enough time in cure. This is what it looks like. Is it cured to the center or is the dark spot not cured? First time with this and want to make sure b4 smoking.


----------



## smokerjim (Nov 27, 2019)

hard to tell from the pic but what I can tell it seems it's not fully cured, if your going to smoke it just make sure to get it to 145  in 3-4 hours , i'm no pro so maybe someone with more experience will chime in.


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 27, 2019)

That's not fully cured to the center .


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Well, I let it sit in fridge for a couple hours to dry and the dark spot all but turned pink after the air got to it? Just a little ring.
Going to smoke for and hour and then finish in 300 degrees oven to 165.


----------



## pc farmer (Nov 27, 2019)

Looks like a little spot in the center not cured to me.


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 27, 2019)

The air will turn the surface color , but the inside will be as when you cut it . Just cook it hot and fast as you plan , if you have to cook it .


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Should I just throw it out? As long as I cook it it will be ok right? Just not fully cured but safe to eat?


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 27, 2019)

No , let it ride or get thru the danger zone in time .  Safe , some cured some not like you said . 
This just came up in another post . That picture is a great example of what was talked about .


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> No , let it ride or get thru the danger zone in time .  Safe , some cured some not like you said .
> This just came up in another post . That picture is a great example of what was talked about .


Ok. Thanks


----------



## Bearcarver (Nov 27, 2019)

Mofatguy said:


> Should I just throw it out? As long as I cook it it will be ok right? Just not fully cured but safe to eat?



Don't toss it !!!
Give it another day or two in the fridge, and then take a slice about a half inch from the raw edge you already have there. maybe even though you took it out of cure there could be cure moving through there to get that little bit. If not, just smoke it hot & fast until it gets to 145°. Then cut the heat back to give it a couple more hours of smoke.
Funny you should show this today. I had 2 guys yesterday telling everybody I was wrong, and they say you can't see where it's cured & not cured without cooking it, even though I've been doing exactly that for 9 years.

Venison seems to take longer than Pork to cure. I usually add a couple days to my minimum 8 days of curing time.

Bear


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Bearcarver said:


> Don't toss it !!!
> Give it another day or two in the fridge, and then take a slice about a half inch from the raw edge you already have there. maybe even though you took it out of cure there could be cure moving through there to get that little bit. If not, just smoke it hot & fast until it gets to 145°. Then cut the heat back to give it a couple more hours of smoke.
> Funny you should show this today. I had 2 guys yesterday telling everybody I was wrong, and they say you can't see where it's cured & not cured without cooking it, even though I've been doing exactly that for 9 years.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply Bear! I am smoking it for @ 1-2 hrs then into a roasting pan in 250 degrre oven to IT 165.
Eating venison brats tonight for supper and I'm sure some of this roast. Will freeze the leftover for supper another night.


----------



## Bearcarver (Nov 27, 2019)

Mofatguy said:


> Thanks for the reply Bear! I am smoking it for @ 1-2 hrs then into a roasting pan in 250 degrre oven to IT 165.
> Eating venison brats tonight for supper and I'm sure some of this roast. Will freeze the leftover for supper another night.




Sounds like a Plan.
Enjoy!

BTW: Below is what it should look like at that stage of the game:






Yours is so close it will probably be alright doing what you're doing.

Bear


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Bearcarver said:


> Sounds like a Plan.
> Enjoy!
> 
> BTW: Below is what it should look like at that stage of the game:
> ...


Thanks! This was the first time curing deer. Didn't think it looked right. I'll try to remember to show a finished shot later tonight after its done cooking. Just put in oven to finish.


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 27, 2019)

Please do that . I'm interested in how it looks cooked . Gonna be good .


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Well it's cooked to IT 167 as you can see from the picture it was fully cured on the ends but not in the thickest middle part.
A little to much pepper rub but all in all very tasty. Will definitely try again.


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Dinner. Deer brats are made with a.c. leggs brat seasoning with pepper jack hi temp cheese pan fried until brown and simmered in a cup of apple juice for 12 minutes to IT 170.


----------



## smokerjim (Nov 27, 2019)

looks like a tasty meal from here, nice job.  just remember to write down what you did and what you need to change for next time, I know if I don't do that by the time I do it again I forget some things.


----------



## Bearcarver (Nov 27, 2019)

Mofatguy said:


> Dinner. Deer brats are made with a.c. leggs brat seasoning with pepper jack hi temp cheese pan fried until brown and simmered in a cup of apple juice for 12 minutes to IT 170.




Great Pic!
More proof that what you see after it's cooked was easy to see before it was cooked.
Thanks for showing these pics!!
Like.

Bear


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

Your welcome Bear.

Next time I will slice thin for sandwich meat. The other half of this is going in freezer for another supper.
Hopefully I will kill a couple does in either Missouri doe season or muzzleloader season so I can try this again!


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 27, 2019)

Looks like a great meal . Did you make the Brats ? You were darn close on the cure time . Another couple days . 
Thanks for the pics .


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 27, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> Looks like a great meal . Did you make the Brats ? You were darn close on the cure time . Another couple days .
> Thanks for the pics .


Yes we made the brats out of my son's deer.


----------



## Bearcarver (Nov 28, 2019)

Mofatguy said:


> Your welcome Bear.
> 
> Next time I will slice thin for sandwich meat. The other half of this is going in freezer for another supper.
> Hopefully I will kill a couple does in either Missouri doe season or muzzleloader season so I can try this again!




That's Great !!
I don't know if you read about my lifetime love for Dried Beef & American Cheese with Miracle Whip, or Mayo, on White Bread. That was my 2 Sandwiches a day in my Lunchbox favorite, from about 15 years old until retirement. I got at least one Hind Quarter per Deer processed into "Venison Dried Beef", until I learned to do my own, right here on this Forum more than 9 years ago. I was taught by some of The Great ones, right here, and I've been giving back ever since. I like to think They'd be proud.
Enjoy those Sammies with the next Deer!!

Bear


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 28, 2019)

Mofatguy said:


> Yes we made the brats out of my son's deer.


Interested in the brats . Did you add pork  ?  What seasoning did you use ?


----------



## Mofatguy (Nov 28, 2019)

chopsaw said:


> Interested in the brats . Did you add pork  ?  What seasoning did you use ?


70/30 deer and beef fat trimmings
A.C. Leggs brat seasoning
Pepper Jack hi temp cheese
32mm hog casings

We've tried grilling but honestly it dries them out quite a bit. Lately we started pan frying with a little oil to brown, then simmer in a cup of water or apple juice for 12 minutes. IT usually reads 175-185 but they are oozing when moisture when you stick a probe in to check temp.
Very tasty!


----------



## chopsaw (Nov 28, 2019)

Nice .  I like the beef fat add . I have the AC Leggs brat seasoning . It's a good one .  I've never done fresh sausage with venison  .  I use regular pepper jack cheese in mine ( pork )  .  I use high temp for SS . 
I used to do like you said , brown then  simmer / steam  . 
Kids bought me a cast iron grill pan last year ,,,  that thing makes the best sausage . 
mark them up in the grill pan , then finish in the oven . 
My plan was to do some from  venison this year , but I got to selective and let a nice 8 pass , then didn't make second weekend . 
Thanks for the info .


----------



## archeryrob (Nov 29, 2019)

I had some footballs that did not cure all the way in they they has a light spot after being cooked. They still eat fine, just don't taste the same.


----------



## Bearcarver (Nov 29, 2019)

archeryrob said:


> I had some footballs that did not cure all the way in they they has a light spot after being cooked. They still eat fine, just don't taste the same.
> 
> View attachment 413117




Nice Slices of Footballs, Rob!!
Looks Mighty Tasty from here!!
Hmmm, Funny how two guys were giving me a hard time, because I said it's easy to tell how far the cure got in by looking at the color. 

Bear


----------

