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Sausage Making / Re: Choosing a "cure".
« Last post by souper on April 24, 2019, 08:43:20 am »Thank you!
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Sausage Making / Re: Choosing a "cure".
« Last post by Habanero Smoker on April 24, 2019, 02:43:17 am »I don't believe only salt cured sausage has been made for ages. Though you could, it would make the sausage almost inedible. Prior to the current quick cures that are sodium nitrite, people were using salt peter (potassium nitrate) to cure their sausage. You can use Morton Tender Quick, but it is not the best cure to use, since for sausage you have to add it at a rate of 1/2 tablespoons per pound of ground meat. If you don't make much sausage or don't plan to cure meat often, the kits that Gafala mentioned may be the way to go After smoking your sausage so that it is fully cooked you can eat it cold. But you now have a quick brown sausage, and you best to reheat it.
It does matter what type of cure you use, and what purpose you are using it for. It is also important to know the amount of cure you need to add, to the amount of meat you are curing. When "quick" curing sausage and whole muscle Cure #1 needs to be used. Cure #1 goes by many names is salt and This is used at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound of meat, with the additional salt your recipe calls for. Other names for Cure #1 are, Pink Salt (not to be confused with Himalaya pink salt); InstaCure #1, Tinted Cure Mix (TCM), Tinted Curing Powder (TCP); Prague powder #1; Modern cure; D.Q. powder; FLP, L.E.M. cure.
Cure #2 which also goes by many different brand names, is used for fermented sausage (dry cured), and curing solid muscle meat over an extended period of time to make dry cured meats. Its formula is sodium nitrite; mixed at a rate of 89.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite, and 4% sodium nitrate (1 pound of salt, plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite, plus .64 ounce of sodium nitrate). pound of salt, plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite, plus .64 ounce of sodium nitrate). This is also used at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound; with maybe a trace of another chemical to prevent caking.
It does matter what type of cure you use, and what purpose you are using it for. It is also important to know the amount of cure you need to add, to the amount of meat you are curing. When "quick" curing sausage and whole muscle Cure #1 needs to be used. Cure #1 goes by many names is salt and This is used at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound of meat, with the additional salt your recipe calls for. Other names for Cure #1 are, Pink Salt (not to be confused with Himalaya pink salt); InstaCure #1, Tinted Cure Mix (TCM), Tinted Curing Powder (TCP); Prague powder #1; Modern cure; D.Q. powder; FLP, L.E.M. cure.
Cure #2 which also goes by many different brand names, is used for fermented sausage (dry cured), and curing solid muscle meat over an extended period of time to make dry cured meats. Its formula is sodium nitrite; mixed at a rate of 89.75% salt, and 6.25% sodium nitrite, and 4% sodium nitrate (1 pound of salt, plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite, plus .64 ounce of sodium nitrate). pound of salt, plus 1 ounce of sodium nitrite, plus .64 ounce of sodium nitrate). This is also used at a rate of 1 teaspoon per pound; with maybe a trace of another chemical to prevent caking.
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Sausage Making / Re: Choosing a "cure".
« Last post by Gafala on April 23, 2019, 06:37:12 pm »I use Hi Mountain Sausage kits that way you have every thing in one box that you need. I have Tender Quick but have never used it. I do some other sausages with out the kits but I use another cure and my own spices. I just finished there Cracked Pepper & Garlic Summer Sausage, in the fridge will smoke in the morning with apple for 2hr's.
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Cold Smoking / Re: Pickling eggs and sausage
« Last post by _Bear_ on April 23, 2019, 02:52:04 pm »Several times I tried to log in and I got a "bad gateway" message. The site has been touch and go the last little whileI've had problems with this forum the past few days. Today it seems to be functioning better.Y
One thing I've noticed with pickled eggs; though they do get more flavorful the texture changes and they get a little more "rubbery"; but it is nothing that bothered me or stopped me from eating them.
As far as the eggs getting more rubbery, yes they do, but it did not bother anyone eating the potato salad, not even a picky eating 3 year old little hurricane named Kaitlin lol. It defiantly firms them up which is nice. I also decided the next time I smoke eggs, I will let them bloom for a couple of days before using them, they seem to have a deeper flavor after sitting for a few days
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Sausage Making / Choosing a "cure".
« Last post by souper on April 23, 2019, 01:35:52 pm »Someone said I can ask stupid questions so here it is. I see people talk about what cures they use. I have something called Tender Quick. Dont know anything about the other types mentioned. Does it really matter what kind you use in Sausage? Years ago, didnt they just use salt? After it is smoked do people eat it cold or do they heat it again and kill anything anyway?
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Cold Smoking / Re: Pickling eggs and sausage
« Last post by Habanero Smoker on April 23, 2019, 01:33:00 pm »I've had problems with this forum the past few days. Today it seems to be functioning better.
One thing I've noticed with pickled eggs; though they do get more flavorful the texture changes and they get a little more "rubbery"; but it is nothing that bothered me or stopped me from eating them.
One thing I've noticed with pickled eggs; though they do get more flavorful the texture changes and they get a little more "rubbery"; but it is nothing that bothered me or stopped me from eating them.
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Cold Smoking / Re: Pickling eggs and sausage
« Last post by dubob on April 22, 2019, 04:08:14 pm »I now have 2 adult children their husbands and our grand kids that want me to smoke some eggs and onions for them now lol. I think it is time to introduce them to the wonderful world of owning their own smokers lolWay past time to introduce them to their own smokers.
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Cold Smoking / Re: Pickling eggs and sausage
« Last post by _Bear_ on April 22, 2019, 03:01:48 pm »So I sampled my eggs and sausage today, they have been pickling for 3 days and all I can say is WOW!! Very nice and flavorful, warm on the tong and lips, I will defiantly be doing this again. I cant wait to see if they improve with age.
On a side note, I smoked 29 eggs and only got 21 into the jar. I used the 8 eggs in a potato salad for Easter Sunday dinner and it was amazing. I now have 2 adult children their husbands and our grand kids that want me to smoke some eggs and onions for them now lol. I think it is time to introduce them to the wonderful world of owning their own smokers lol
On a side note, I smoked 29 eggs and only got 21 into the jar. I used the 8 eggs in a potato salad for Easter Sunday dinner and it was amazing. I now have 2 adult children their husbands and our grand kids that want me to smoke some eggs and onions for them now lol. I think it is time to introduce them to the wonderful world of owning their own smokers lol
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Meat / Re: A happy smoky Easter Sunday to all
« Last post by Habanero Smoker on April 22, 2019, 01:25:26 pm »Sorry to read it didn't help. But this is also helpful information for others and myself.
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Meat / Re: A happy smoky Easter Sunday to all
« Last post by _Bear_ on April 22, 2019, 09:08:49 am »Not really, like you said the meat just would not hold it. It ran out as quick as I pumped it in. Oh well, now I know.