# TQ to cure #1 - how much salt to use for jerky



## mike1ranger (Jan 30, 2018)

I made a batch of of whole muscle venison jerky using a basic jerky recipe (pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce).  I used Tender Quick at 1 TBLS per pound of meat.  Great flavor, just too salty.  If I could get about half the amount of salt taste I'd be happy.  If I used the proper amount of cure #1 rather than TQ, with the elimination of the salt from the TQ how much salt would I want to add back in to get to that happy medium...in the ballpark of half the amount of salt a TBLS/lb of TQ provides?


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## Bearcarver (Jan 30, 2018)

TQ is almost ALL Salt, so if you want to have it with half the amount of salt, use the proper amount of Cure #1, and add 1/2 TBS of salt per pound.

Bear


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## mike1ranger (Jan 30, 2018)

bearcarver said:


> TQ is almost ALL Salt, so if you want to have it with half the amount of salt, use the proper amount of Cure #1, and add 1/2 TBS of salt per pound.
> 
> Bear


Thank you sir. I was wondering if it was as simple as using salt at half the amount of TQ when using cure 1...and it appears to be that simple.


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## SonnyE (Jan 30, 2018)

I've never used TQ myself. But for whole muscle _Beef_, I use *1/4 tsp* per 1.5 pounds of Prague Powder.
(For ground beef, 1/4 tsp per 1 pound) Those are knife leveled.
And 1 1/2 tsp of pickling salt. (But I've used plain, and Sea Salt, or Kosher salt.)
So not a lot of Prague Powder or salt.

I like a nice afterburn in the back of my throat, so I tend to add 1/2 tsp of Cyan Pepper, and 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika.
But the cardio doc told me I could have all the pepper I wanted. Just not salt.
(I rarely ever added salt to anything anyway...)
I tried a whole tsp of Cyan, and a 1/2 tsp of Paprika once. Boy Howdy, that was warm!

But be careful about *tsp* and *TBS*. 1 TBS is = 3 tsp. So it would be easy to get too much salt.


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## PerazziMx14 (Jan 30, 2018)

Please delete


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## mike1ranger (Jan 30, 2018)

SonnyE said:


> I've never used TQ myself. But for whole muscle _Beef_, I use *1/4 tsp* per 1.5 pounds of Prague Powder.
> (For ground beef, 1/4 tsp per 1 pound) Those are knife leveled.
> And 1 1/2 tsp of pickling salt. (But I've used plain, and Sea Salt, or Kosher salt.)
> So not a lot of Prague Powder or salt.
> ...


Is that 1.5 tsp salt per lb?


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## PerazziMx14 (Jan 30, 2018)

Please delete


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## daveomak (Jan 30, 2018)

PerazziMx14 said:


> Tender Quick it (*0.5%*)1% Nitrate, (*0.5%*)1% nitrate and 98% salt
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## PerazziMx14 (Jan 31, 2018)

Please delete


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## Bearcarver (Jan 31, 2018)

PerazziMx14 said:


> Yes, correction made. Cure is almost 7x stronger than TQ




But then again you could say Cure #1 is 12 1/2 times stronger than TQ:
You use 1 ounce of Cure #1 for 25 pounds of whole meat.
You use 12 1/2 ounces of TQ for 25 pounds of whole meat.


Bear


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## SonnyE (Jan 31, 2018)

mike1ranger said:


> Is that 1.5 tsp salt per lb?


 
It's per the recipes I follow.
1.5 tsp *per pound* of Beef or Venison strips.
But I haven't had any venison to work with since 1983. And back then, I made Cowboy Jerky in an oven. (Salt, Pepper, and dry it till it broke when you bent it. None of this soft jerky.)

I was in *error* about the Ground Beef. No additional salt, the Soy Sauce and Whooshchester provides enough salt, I recon.
I put together the dry ingredients together in a bowl, then mix them into the GB well. Then ad the Soy and Whoosh and massage well. I don't use coriander or curie. I do use Cyan and Smoked Paprika.
You can make your shapes right away, but I like to let mine rest a bit in the fridge (1-2 hours), then form it up.
I hope I didn't wreck anybodies Ground meat. Sorry.


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