# First time jerky making prep



## falco78 (Jan 14, 2014)

Hey guys/gals I have been using my smoker (MES 30) a ton over the past few months and loving some of the delicious snacks I have made on it 3-2-1 spare ribs, ABT's and beer can chicken. I am now going to try some beef jerky (which is really more of a summer sausage) on my dehydrator. I bought a dehydrator and a GB gun for this next experiment. I have seen a few recipes that look like I will have to try but I do still remain a bit unsure on how much of my prague powder #1 cure to add to ground meats. I am going to use about 5 pounds of mixed ground turkey and ground turkey sausage (part of this is for the fiancee and I to eat some healthier snacks). Could I get some input on your suggestions for this and I also want to avoid too salty of a taste as I'd like the other spices to be tasted more so than the salt. I appreciate any input!


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Jan 14, 2014)

Don't wanna steer ya wrong as I'am not sure.  If you hang out some of the other folks will be around to help ya I'am sure.  I think Bearcarver or DaveOmak and a few of the other folks will be happy to tell ya the correct way.  Sorry I'am not much help. WHB


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 14, 2014)

Around 1 gram of Cure #1 for each pound of meat is what the book calls for.

But, you state turkey sausage will be used, has it already had a cure added to it?  You'll need to take this into consideration if so.

Charlie


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## falco78 (Jan 15, 2014)

I'm thinking there is no cure on it, the packaging says

Turkey, Contains 2% or less seasoning (salt, dextrose, spice, spice extractives, hydrolyzed corn protein, bha, bht, citric acid), natural flavoring


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## falco78 (Jan 15, 2014)

Here is a link to it http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jennie-O-Turkey-Store-Breakfast-Lover-s-Turkey-Sausage-16-oz/10451404


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## falco78 (Jan 15, 2014)

Falco78 said:


> Here is a link to it http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jennie-O-Turkey-Store-Breakfast-Lover-s-Turkey-Sausage-16-oz/10451404


It was on sale over here for $1.20 a pound so I bought 10 pounds of turkey sausage and 10 pounds of ground turkey

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Jennie-O-Turkey-Store-Lean-Ground-Turkey-16-oz/24905604


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## falco78 (Jan 16, 2014)

Any thoughts on the cure guys/gals?


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 16, 2014)

Falco,

I'm just not comfortable advising for this one....

My recommendation would be to use the turkey sausage as it was designed and use fresh ground turkey for the jerky.

There are too many unknowns here for me to have a feel good recommendation...  Hope you understand.

Charlie


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## falco78 (Jan 16, 2014)

I completely understand and thanks for the input I will stick to just the ground turkey for my run tomorrow. Thanks man!


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## JckDanls 07 (Jan 16, 2014)

Send the sausage moderator (Boykjo) a PM..  he will be more than glad to help ya....


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## falco78 (Jan 17, 2014)

I sent him a PM so hopefully I will hear back in the mean time I added cure and seasoning (dry rub I make that I use on about everything, a little extra cayenne pepper and coarse black pepper) to 2 pounds of ground turkey that I am going to let sit for 48 hours and will then dehydrate Sunday evening. I'm excited for my first try at this.


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## boykjo (Jan 17, 2014)

Actually I just read a usda article yesterday about shelf stable meat and found this on jerky and they recommend to cook meat to 160 and 165 for poultry then dehydrate.. I would add cure as you did if your not pre cooking to 165.....

Illnesses due to _Salmonella_ and _E. coli_ O157:H7 from homemade jerky raise questions about the safety of traditional drying methods for making beef and venison jerky. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline's current recommendation for making jerky safely is to heat meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F before the dehydrating process. This step assures that any bacteria present will be destroyed by wet heat. But most dehydrator instructions do not include this step, and a dehydrator may not reach temperatures high enough to heat meat to 160 °F or 165 °F.

After heating to 160 °F or 165 °F, maintaining a constant dehydrator temperature of 130 to 140 °F during the drying process is important because:

the process must be fast enough to dry food before it spoils; and
it must remove enough water that microorganisms are unable to grow.
*Why is it a food safety concern to dry meat without first heating it to 160 °F?*
The danger in dehydrating meat and poultry without cooking it to a safe temperature first is that the appliance will not heat the meat to 160 °F and poultry to 165 °F — temperatures at which bacteria are destroyed — before the dehydrating process. After drying, bacteria become much more heat resistant.

Within a dehydrator or low-temperature oven, evaporating moisture absorbs most of the heat. Thus, the meat itself does not begin to rise in temperature until most of the moisture has evaporated. Therefore, when the dried meat temperature finally begins to rise, the bacteria have become more heat resistant and are more likely to survive. If these surviving bacteria are pathogenic, they can cause foodborne illness to those consuming the jerky.

Here's the full article

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...at-preparation/jerky-and-food-safety/ct_index


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## falco78 (Jan 17, 2014)

Hmmmm well the meat is already curing now, thanks for the info as I want to keep everyone safe with the jerky. Will put some pics up once it's all done.


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## falco78 (Jan 17, 2014)

Would you recommend I use the sausage jerky and if so should I add cure to it as well?


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## boykjo (Jan 17, 2014)

Falco78 said:


> Would you recommend I use the sausage jerky and if so should I add cure to it as well?


yes i dont see why not and yes. Use cure with ground meat


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## falco78 (Jan 17, 2014)

I've got 2 pounds of ground turkey with cure and marinate waiting now and will make 2 pounds of ground turkey sausage this upcoming week, thanks for all of the info!


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## hextejas (Jan 17, 2014)

I have never heard of sausage or ground beef jerky. How do you make it so it sticks together like a piece of beef jerky would ?


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## falco78 (Jan 17, 2014)

It's pressed out through something similar to a caulking gun and forms either meat strips or meat sticks (depending on end used on it) that can either be dehydrated. smoked or both


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## boykjo (Jan 18, 2014)

Hextejas said:


> I have never heard of sausage or ground beef jerky. How do you make it so it sticks together like a piece of beef jerky would ?



Ground beef dehydrated will bind together and turn into jerkey like a jack link

https://www.google.com/search?hl=en....0....0...1ac.1.32.img..0.17.1034.h7UYF2xTUsE


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## canadianbacon (Jan 18, 2014)

Are you guys saying you HAVE to use cure if smoking ground beef as jerky?


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## jlcnuke (Jan 18, 2014)

Canadianbacon said:


> Are you guys saying you HAVE to use cure if smoking ground beef as jerky?



I have made plenty of jerky with no cure or using an alternative cure (such as soy sauce). If not using a "real" cure or using no cure, the jerky is not safe for consumption (based on my experience) if it isn't consumed in a short time period (up to a week if stored cold has never caused any problems for me).

sent from here using science.


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## falco78 (Jan 18, 2014)

Canadianbacon said:


> Are you guys saying you HAVE to use cure if smoking ground beef as jerky?


I don't see any wisdom in not using it, better safe than sorry


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## canadianbacon (Jan 18, 2014)

jlcnuke said:


> I have made plenty of jerky with no cure or using an alternative cure (such as soy sauce). If not using a "real" cure or using no cure, the jerky is not safe for consumption (based on my experience) if it isn't consumed in a short time period (up to a week if stored cold has never caused any problems for me).
> 
> sent from here using science.


That is what i usually do, use soy. I am making another batch this sunday and this caught my eye because I never use cure (besides soy and salt). I was just always under the impression that salt was a good enough cure.


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## boykjo (Jan 18, 2014)

Canadianbacon said:


> Are you guys saying you HAVE to use cure if smoking ground beef as jerky?


I recommend it for ground meat.....If you read the article it says When raw meat or poultry is dehydrated at home — either in a warm oven or a food dehydrator — to make jerky which will be stored on the shelf, pathogenic bacteria are likely to survive the dry heat of a warm oven and especially the 130 to 140 °F of a food dehydrator. Included here is the scientific background behind drying food to make it safe and the safest procedure to follow when making homemade jerky.

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal...at-preparation/jerky-and-food-safety/ct_index

I have made lots of jerky with whole meats without cure and never gotten sick (not saying its safe) but I wont chance ground meat without cure cooking at low temp for long periods of time...The SMF will hold to the USDA regulations with no deviation.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/86649/the-final-word-on-food-safety


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## falco78 (Jan 20, 2014)

Well I just finished my ground turkey jerky that I did use a cure in along with my homemade rub, a bunch of coarse black pepper, ground red pepper flakes and a little Texas Pete mixed in. It came out amazing but I will spice it up a bit more on my next attempt this week!


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## boykjo (Jan 20, 2014)

Glad it came out great...... Any Pics...........


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## falco78 (Jan 20, 2014)

sent from my Galaxy S3


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## falco78 (Jan 20, 2014)

That's what I haven't devoured yet

sent from my Galaxy S3


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## boykjo (Jan 20, 2014)

Nice..................


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## falco78 (Jan 20, 2014)

I have some turkey sausage in the fridge now that I will be doing tomorrow


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## db28472 (Jan 21, 2014)

What does freezing the meat do to the pathogen levels?  I have made a lot of deer meat jerky using frozen processed deer "hamburger" (venison mixed with fatty beef) and not had any problems.  It is usually gone in a week and I always keep it refrigerated.  Just wondering if freezing kills the bacteria or if I've just been lucky.


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## jerky nut (Jan 21, 2014)

Freezing meat kills Trichinae found in wild game.  Pices 6" in diameter and under should be frozen at 5 degrees for 20 days to kill trichinae
 Freezing meat will not kill Trichinae larva. Heating the meat to 160 degree  internal temperature  will kill trichinae  and the larva.
Trichinae is not affected by nitrite that is why you should still cook wild game to an internal temperature of 160 degrees
3 % salt when curing will kill Trichinae in products which wont be subjected to 160 degree IT  such as cured pork shoulder.


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## jerky nut (Jan 21, 2014)

Oops


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## db28472 (Jan 21, 2014)

Thanks!


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 21, 2014)

Falco78,

That jerky looks very nice!

Please let us know how the sausage jerky comes out...

Charlie


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## falco78 (Jan 21, 2014)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> Falco78,
> 
> That jerky looks very nice!
> 
> ...


It is in the dehydrator now, will put some pics up tomorrow and let you know how it turned out. I went with a cajun seasoning and cure for the turkey sausage batch. One thing I have noticed is a bit more oil coming off of the ground turkey sausage over the regular ground turkey. Thanks for all of the adivce guys!


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## mr cue (Jan 21, 2014)

The general amount of curing salt to use is 1gram (appx. 1/4 tsp) to 1 pound of meat. As for that sausage, it contained BHT/BHA and citric acid which all act as preservatives, not cures. These are added in place of cures like sodium nitrate to prevent the spoilage of fat. I have used store bought pork sausage that was preserved in a similar manner to make beef snack stix and cured with a Backwoods Seasoning and Cure packet with no ill effect, just be careful how much cure you are using as too much is toxic. Never exceed a ratio of 1 gram (appx.1/4 tsp) cure to 1 pound of meat.

EDITED FOR PROPER MEASURE OF CURE TO MEAT.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 22, 2014)

Mr Cue said:


> The general amount of curing salt to use is 1 oz to 1 pound of meat. As for that sausage, it contained BHT/BHA and citric acid which all act as preservatives, not cures. These are added in place of cures like sodium nitrate to prevent the spoilage of fat. I have used store bought pork sausage that was preserved in a similar manner to make beef snack stix and cured with a Backwoods Seasoning and Cure packet with no ill effect, just be careful how much cure you are using as too much is toxic. Never exceed a ratio of 1 oz cure to 1 pound of meat.


To get to the recommended 156ppm of cure, that should be 1 gram of cure per pound of meat.  That would be .035 oz of cure.

Now this is if you're using Cure #1 which contains 6.25% of sodium nitrite and 92.75% of salt.  (The pink stuff we get here in the states)

Charlie


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## jerky nut (Jan 22, 2014)

Wow I hope that was a type O Mr. Cue

 Pink cure - 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs of meat.

 Morton Tender Quick - 1 Tablespoon per pound of meat.

 Be careful not to get confused between the two. 

Morton Tender Quick contains salt and sugar  and 0.5% nitrite and 0.5% nitrate. ( I don't know what % is salt and what % is sugar)

Pink cure contains  93.75% salt and 6.25% nitrite.

I would pick one and stick to it as to not get confused.  If you inter change the two your  product results will not come out the same using identical recipes. If you find a recipe that calls for cure#1 use cure#1.  If you use Tender quick as a replacement the finished product will be too salty.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 22, 2014)

When working with curing salts I prefer to perform the measurements in weight instead of spoons.  The problem I've found in the past is that not all measuring spoons are equal.

I've seen people that use a standard small spoon that is used for eating at the table as a teaspoon for measuring, and also the same for the larger spoons and calling it a tablespoon.  Other times I've seen folks that measure like my grandmother used to; if it calls for a teaspoon, better make it a heaping teaspoon!

For that reason, most ALL of my recipes have now been converted over to weight.  Since we are starting with meat that is measured in weight, and not cups, it all works out well.

When measuring in grams I've also found a better consistency in my end products from batch to batch.

Charlie


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## jerky nut (Jan 22, 2014)

I understand what your saying Charlie but most common household scales aren't accurate enough to measure 0.04 oz.  I have a Tor- Rey commercial scale and one level teaspoon measures .2oz all day long.  I am like you though, I like to weigh all my ingredients, Much easier to figure out percentages but it is much easier for most to follow measurements.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 22, 2014)

jerky nut said:


> I understand what your saying Charlie but most common household scales aren't accurate enough to measure 0.04 oz.  I have a Tor- Rey commercial scale and one level teaspoon measures .2oz all day long.  I am like you though, I like to weigh all my ingredients, Much easier to figure out percentages but it is much easier for most to follow measurements.


I agree, most scales won't measure down that far in ounces and that's why I bit the bullet and got a good scale that measures in grams.  It does cost a bit for a quality one, but we do tend to pay for more for the quality products in this madness we call a hobby!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Now, like I told my son who's in college and wanted to make sausage at his buddies house out in Albuquerque, if you don't have (or can't afford) a GOOD scale, go get some quality measuring spoons and make sure to level them carefully...

Charlie


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## boykjo (Jan 22, 2014)

The one thing that concerns me here is the bha and bht preservatives that are in the turkey sausage used to make the jerky... Adding another preservative like cure #1 to meat that already has preservatives in it.......I'm not familiar with bha and bht so I cant answer about adding the additional cure. My suggestion is to use fresh ground turkey and season/cure so there will be no question as to safety of the product


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## jerky nut (Jan 22, 2014)

You are absolutely right Charlie.  I have heard many times  (my  recipe calls for 10 pounds of meat and I have 13 1/2 pounds. What am I supposed to do with 3 1/2 extra pounds of meat? ) I say get a good scale and you can add the extra ingredients to make a 13 1/2 lb. batch. Or vise versa you need 10 lbs to make jerky but I could only find a 8 lb piece of meat and it came out too salty.
   A good scale will pay for itself in no time.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 22, 2014)

boykjo said:


> The one thing that concerns me here is the bha and bht preservatives that are in the turkey sausage used to make the jerky... Adding another preservative like cure #1 to meat that already has preservatives in it.......I'm not familiar with bha and bht so I cant answer about adding the additional cure. My suggestion is to use fresh ground turkey and season/cure so there will be no question as to safety of the product


That's exactly the reason I bowed out and said I couldn't answer him about making the sausage jerky...

I've looked those preservatives up and really can't find an answer I'm comfortable with that would allow me to tell someone to make jerky from meat that contains them...

Charlie


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## mr cue (Jan 22, 2014)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> To get to the recommended 156ppm of cure, that should be 1 gram of cure per pound of meat.  That would be .035 oz of cure.
> 
> Now this is if you're using Cure #1 which contains 6.25% of sodium nitrite and 92.75% of salt.  (The pink stuff we get here in the states)
> 
> Charlie





jerky nut said:


> Wow I hope that was a type O Mr. Cue
> 
> Pink cure - 1 teaspoon per 5 lbs of meat.
> 
> ...


Sorry, I wasn't clear on what I was saying. I was talking about the tender quick and meant tbs, not ounce. Seems like you guys got the science down with those precise weights and measures. I tend to avoid cures unless they come in a premixed pack like the Backwoods seasoning for these reasons, I don't have a precision scale nor the patience to figure these amounts out. I smoke at temps of 200°F to avoid bacterial growth and keep the stuff properly stored so it won't spoil. I would however like to learn how to cure meat the right way so thanks for pointing out that bad oversight.


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## boykjo (Jan 23, 2014)

Using cure is quite simple.....For cure #1 its 1 gram per lb of meat . If you don't have a scale to measure a gram add 1 tsp to 5 lbs of meat. With tender quick use 1 1/2 tsp per lb of ground meat and use 1 tblsp for whole meat like curing a ham


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## jerky nut (Jan 23, 2014)

Mr Cue said:


> The general amount of curing salt to use is 1 oz to 1 pound of meat. As for that sausage, it contained BHT/BHA and citric acid which all act as preservatives, not cures. These are added in place of cures like sodium nitrate to prevent the spoilage of fat. I have used store bought pork sausage that was preserved in a similar manner to make beef snack stix and cured with a Backwoods Seasoning and Cure packet with no ill effect, just be careful how much cure you are using as too much is toxic. Never exceed a ratio of 1 oz cure to 1 pound of meat.


Making a statement like this can be dangerous. if someone is using cure #1 and they listen to your post they will be treating 1 pound of meat with enough cure to treat 25 pounds of meat! That is why I commented and said I hope that was a typeO.  I just wanted to make sure you weren't misguided or given false information.   I hate to see any one get sick, poisoned or be afraid to use curing salts, This is a fun and rewarding hobby and I want everyone to enjoy it while being safe.

 This is a good place to learn how to break free of the bagged seasoning kits.  I bought my Tor-Rey scale for $89. on sale it is approved for sale and trade. I have a 1 gram weight and 1 1/2 pound weight to check the calibration to make sure it is accurate.   I'm sure some of the scales under 50 dollars may well be accurate enough . If you want to get in this hobby deeper a good scale is a must and you can tweak any recipe to your liking or batch size and call them your own.   For instance you want to make jerky, if your recipe is weighed out you can produce the same results every time with any amount of meat  1 pound or 15 1/2 pounds.

 Scott


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## jerky nut (Jan 23, 2014)

The question about BHT and TBHQ

TBHQ is a highly effective antioxidant.[sup][1][/sup] In foods, it is used as a preservative for unsaturated vegetable oils and many edible animal fats.[sup][2][/sup] It does not cause discoloration even in the presence of iron, and does not change flavor or odor of the material to which it is added.[sup][1][/sup] It can be combined with other preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). As a food additive, its E number is *E319*. It is added to a wide range of foods, with the highest limit (1 gram/kg) permitted for frozen fish and fish products. Its primary advantage is enhancing storage life.

It is used industrially as a stabilizer to inhibit autopolymerization of organic peroxides. It is also used as a corrosion inhibitor in biodiesel.[sup][3][/sup] In perfumery, it is used as a fixative to lower the evaporation rate and improve stability. It is also added to varnishes, lacquers, resins, and oil field additives.

The US National Institutes of Health report that BHA is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on evidence of carcinogenicity in experimental animals. In particular, when administered in high doses as part of their diet, BHA causes papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the forestomach in rats and Syrian golden hamsters.[sup][5][/sup] In mice, there is no carcinogenic effect,[sup][5][/sup] and even evidence of a protective effect against the carcinogenicity of other chemicals.[sup][4][/sup]

When examining human population statistics, the usual low intake levels of BHA shows no significant association with an increased risk of cancer.[sup][6][/sup] The State of California, has, however, listed it as a carcinogen.[sup][7][/sup]

*Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT)*, also known as *butylhydroxytoluene*, is a lipophilic organic compound, chemically a derivative of phenol, that is useful for its antioxidant properties. European and U.S. regulations allow small percentages to be used as a food additive. While there may be some dispute in BHT's use in the human diet, the chemical is widely used in industry wherever oxidation in fluids (e.g. fuel, oil) and other materials must be treated, and free radicals must be kept in check.

So I would say it is safe to add nitrite to the meat.  The question is If you think either of these is safe to consume.


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## mr cue (Jan 23, 2014)

boykjo said:


> Using cure is quite simple.....For cure #1 its 1 gram per lb of meat . If you don't have a scale to measure a gram add 1 tsp to 5 lbs of meat. With tender quick use 1 1/2 tsp per lb of ground meat and use 1 tblsp for whole meat like curing a ham





jerky nut said:


> Making a statement like this can be dangerous. if someone is using cure #1 and they listen to your post they will be treating 1 pound of meat with enough cure to treat 25 pounds of meat! That is why I commented and said I hope that was a typeO.  I just wanted to make sure you weren't misguided or given false information.   I hate to see any one get sick, poisoned or be afraid to use curing salts, This is a fun and rewarding hobby and I want everyone to enjoy it while being safe.
> 
> This is a good place to learn how to break free of the bagged seasoning kits.  I bought my Tor-Rey scale for $89. on sale it is approved for sale and trade. I have a 1 gram weight and 1 1/2 pound weight to check the calibration to make sure it is accurate.   I'm sure some of the scales under 50 dollars may well be accurate enough . If you want to get in this hobby deeper a good scale is a must and you can tweak any recipe to your liking or batch size and call them your own.   For instance you want to make jerky, if your recipe is weighed out you can produce the same results every time with any amount of meat  1 pound or 15 1/2 pounds.
> 
> Scott


Good info and thanks again for catchinn/correcting my mistake. I still have a lot to learn.


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## JckDanls 07 (Jan 23, 2014)

Mr Cue said:


> The general amount of curing salt to use is 1 oz to 1 pound of meat. As for that sausage, it contained BHT/BHA and citric acid which all act as preservatives, not cures. These are added in place of cures like sodium nitrate to prevent the spoilage of fat. I have used store bought pork sausage that was preserved in a similar manner to make beef snack stix and cured with a Backwoods Seasoning and Cure packet with no ill effect, just be careful how much cure you are using as too much is toxic. Never exceed a ratio of 1 oz cure to 1 pound of meat.



Mr. Cue..  you can go back to this post and edit  it so that it reads correctly...  that way there won't be a mishap if somebody that's just starting out reads it and try's to follow those instructions....


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 23, 2014)

MrCue, I feel certain that my reply and Jerky Nut's reply were not made to belittle or slam you, we only made the observations we did so as to protect you and many others.

Yes, this hobby (madness?) that we all have can get quite confusing when you take into consideration all of the variables we have to work with.

As I've been told in the past, I tend to sound like an old chemistry professor, but take notes, notes, and more notes....  Refer to logs, tables, calculators and personal findings...  NEVER change more than one thing at a time when trying to iron out a recipe...

I'm a newbie here, but I've lurked long enough to know that you and I both have landed in a great place to increase our knowledge!

Now, back to regularly scheduled programming...

Charlie


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## jerky nut (Jan 23, 2014)

CrankyBuzzard is correct, My intent was not to make you feel bad or bust your chops. I make mistakes to.  I am here to help but I'm also here to learn, and seek help and advice.


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## falco78 (Jan 23, 2014)

The cajun sausage turkey jerky turned out tasting horrible. Far too salty tasting and just not a good overall flavor. The sticks also took much longer to dehydrate than the strips. I ordered some cajun seasoning online and we will see how that turns out with just ground turkey jerky and cure in strips Sunday night most likely.


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## jerky nut (Jan 23, 2014)

Sorry to hear that Falco78.  Been their before.  If you use  ingredients that have salt in them it's hard to figure out the salt content . Such as soy sauce,Cajun seasoning, old bay seasoning or any thing like that.


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## crankybuzzard (Jan 23, 2014)

jerky nut said:


> Sorry to hear that Falco78. Been their before.


Take heed and realize, as one begins in this journey, he shall make a few things that even the dog won't eat....

My dog hates me since I tend to experiment a LOT!

Hang in there bud, you made one good batch, you can make many more!

Charlie


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## boykjo (Jan 24, 2014)

jerky nut said:


> The question about BHT and TBHQ
> 
> TBHQ is a highly effective antioxidant.[sup][1][/sup] In foods, it is used as a preservative for unsaturated vegetable oils and many edible animal fats.[sup][2][/sup] It does not cause discoloration even in the presence of iron, and does not change flavor or odor of the material to which it is added.[sup][1][/sup] It can be combined with other preservatives such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA). As a food additive, its E number is *E319*. It is added to a wide range of foods, with the highest limit (1 gram/kg) permitted for frozen fish and fish products. Its primary advantage is enhancing storage life.
> 
> ...





Falco78 said:


> The cajun sausage turkey jerky turned out tasting horrible. Far too salty tasting and just not a good overall flavor. The sticks also took much longer to dehydrate than the strips. I ordered some cajun seasoning online and we will see how that turns out with just ground turkey jerky and cure in strips Sunday night most likely.


IMHO I would not add a preservative to something that has a preservatives in it....  looks like your results show that....  Using the fresh ground turkey and seasonings with cure will be the way to go......I would get some chicken thighs and mix in some of the skin and fat so the turkey isn't so lean........


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## jerky nut (Jan 24, 2014)

If I were set on making turkey jerky, I would go to the grocery store get a boneless breast.  Go to the meat counter hand it to the butcher and ask them to slice it 3/16" thick slices.  I know they will slice beef for you but I'm not sure about poultry cause of cross contamination issues and regulations.  If not bring it home and slice it with a knife.  Find a jerky marinade recipe and soak the strips in it. add your spices and their you go.   The only reason I make jerky out of ground meat is to use up any leftover venison burger. But if you want to use ground turkey I would buy a cheap table top grinder and use breast meat and grind it my self. Or find a local butcher that sells ground turkey.  No need to add fat for jerky keep it as lean as you can that keeps it healthy.  Packaged meat is always loaded with preservatives to extend shelf life and retain it's color.


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## db28472 (Jan 24, 2014)

Do you have any information on shelf life if I vacuum seal the jerky?  If properly cured, and I vac seal it, does it need refrigerated or can it sit in the cupboard?  I've made jerky from venison burger many times and from backstrap.  It never lasts long, but I just got the vac sealer so I'm tempted to make a larger batch.

Thanks.


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## jerky nut (Jan 24, 2014)

If you used the proper amount of cure it would grow mold and become too dried out to eat before it would become unsafe to consume.  The longer it sits out the more it dries out and looses flavor. If you make a big batch vacuum seal it keep it out of direct sunlight,  it will still be good a year  from now.  Although it will dry out a little over time even though it is sealed.  Also I wouldn't freeze it, it will get freezer burnt in time also. This is all from personal experience, their is nothing I know of in writing on this matter.


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## mr cue (Jan 25, 2014)

No worries fellas, I am a firm believer in constructive criticism and good advice!


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