sugar substitutes

Art · December 09, 2005, 05:53:07 PM

As a diebetic I try to minimize my intake of sugar. Have any of you had any experience using sugar substitutes such as Splenda in your curing process? Splenda will not carmelize but has a very close to sugar taste.

FireFighter · December 09, 2005, 06:42:41 PM

This shortcut is from the recipe site maybe this will help you.

http://susan.rminor.com/forums/index.php?s=e181a9b0c59142626cc15bd3b7ceef85

SMOKEHOUSE ROB · December 10, 2005, 12:46:43 AM

art welcome to the forum , Iam a diebetic also, tell me what you are curing, bacon or salmon?

Kummok · December 10, 2005, 01:59:58 AM

We're South Beach dieters in our house, Art. As such, we use a lot of Splenda in everything. Everything that is, except brine......NOT that I've used it and didn't like it.....I just plain haven't used it yet in my brine. I'll be giving it a try after Christmas Season, especially now that they have a brown sugar blend... http://www.splenda.com/page.jhtml?id=splenda/faqs/bsb_blend.inc If you give it a go before then, let us know how it came out!

35 years of extinguishing smoking stuff and now I'm wondering WHY!
Kummok @ Homer, AK USA

MWS · December 10, 2005, 05:29:25 AM

Splenda is a chlorinated sugar extraction (chemical artificial sweetener) called sucralose. May I suggest trying a NATURAL sugar substitute called 'Stevia'.

http://www.stevia.com/

Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years. I've read that people with blood sugar problems can benefit from this herb (as a sugar substitute) since it does not raise blood sugar levels.

Also, for you South Beachers [;)]....Stevia is considered to be non-caloric.

My wife has used 'Stevia' in baking and for sweetening her tea and coffee.

Hope this helps....

EDIT: Here's another choice of natural sweetener my wife uses.
SUCANAT®—Sugar Cane Natural: Sucanat is a natural granulated sweetener with a higher nutrition level and a lower sugar level than refined sugar (88.3% vs.99.9%). This may not be appropriate for diabetics though.
I'm going to try using this as a replacement for turbinado sugar in my next dry rub batch.

Mike 

"Men like to barbecue, men will cook if danger is involved".
-John Wayne

JJC · December 10, 2005, 02:54:51 PM

Welcome to the Forum, Art! Thanks for raising these important questions! Ironically, a good friend of mine who enjoys smoking food told me yesterday that he has diabetes and was asking me about sugar subsitutes.

Thanks to all of you for pointing me in the right direction.

John
Newton MA

Art · December 10, 2005, 05:30:42 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mws
 Splenda is a chlorinated sugar extraction (chemical artificial sweetener) called sucralose. May I suggest trying a NATURAL sugar substitute called 'Stevia'.

http://www.stevia.com/

Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years. I've read that people with blood sugar problems can benefit from this herb (as a sugar substitute) since it does not raise blood sugar levels.

Also, for you South Beachers [;)]....Stevia is considered to be non-caloric.

My wife has used 'Stevia' in baking and for sweetening her tea and coffee.

Hope this helps....

EDIT: Here's another choice of natural sweetener my wife uses.
SUCANAT®—Sugar Cane Natural: Sucanat is a natural granulated sweetener with a higher nutrition level and a lower sugar level than refined sugar (88.3% vs.99.9%). This may not be appropriate for diabetics though.
I'm going to try using this as a replacement for turbinado sugar in my next dry rub batch.

Mike 

"Men like to barbecue, men will cook if danger is involved".
-John Wayne

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Art · December 10, 2005, 05:48:13 PM

John,
Thanks for the referral to Stevia. Since I have been looking for sugar substitutes in the stores I would never have found Stevia on that shelf. This is due to the FDA classification as a Food Supplement and not as an artificial sweetener. Purely a matter of semantics if it serves the purpose and is not restricted from purchase.

I am considering a very low caloric or non caloric substitute for sugar in both dry rubs and then in brine solutions. It may be easier to incorporate Stevia into a liquid since it is a very concentrated "food supplement." I believe that it is 300 times sweeter than sugar so that two tablespoons equal the sweetness of two cups of sugar. That translates into blending the powder into the rubs so that they are thoroughly incorporated into the mix before using the rub. Best method most likely using a blender or batch coffee mill to incorporate the powder.

Other searches have lead to a product called "Yucon" as a substitute for honey or molasses. Have you had any experience with this?

One question manages to lead to many more.

Thanks for input.

Art

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by mws
 Splenda is a chlorinated sugar extraction (chemical artificial sweetener) called sucralose. May I suggest trying a NATURAL sugar substitute called 'Stevia'.

http://www.stevia.com/

Stevia is an herb that has been used as a sweetener in South America for hundreds of years. I've read that people with blood sugar problems can benefit from this herb (as a sugar substitute) since it does not raise blood sugar levels.

Also, for you South Beachers [;)]....Stevia is considered to be non-caloric.

My wife has used 'Stevia' in baking and for sweetening her tea and coffee.

Hope this helps....

EDIT: Here's another choice of natural sweetener my wife uses.
SUCANAT®—Sugar Cane Natural: Sucanat is a natural granulated sweetener with a higher nutrition level and a lower sugar level than refined sugar (88.3% vs.99.9%). This may not be appropriate for diabetics though.
I'm going to try using this as a replacement for turbinado sugar in my next dry rub batch.

Mike 

"Men like to barbecue, men will cook if danger is involved".
-John Wayne

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

JJC · December 10, 2005, 06:59:54 PM

Hi Art,

The one thing you and others who use a sugar substitute may need to take into consideration is that sugar doesn't just provide sweetness--in some recipes it is also partly repsonsible (along with salt) for providing part of the "cure" through its effect on osmotic pressure. If you plan to consume the product fairly soon after smoking it, no problem. However, for foods you plan to keep around a little while or for fish/meats that are cured but not cooked, that could be a major issue. One option is to increase the salt concentration sufficiently--12% should be the minimum salt concentration if you want to cure the meat only with salt, and 15% would be even safer. You could experiment with increasing the amount of sugar substitute you use to offset the extra saltiness in the flavor.

John
Newton MA

Art · December 10, 2005, 11:10:37 PM

Hi John,
As a retired microbiologist I seem to recall that the brine for white fish chubs contains 12-15% brine to inhibit the growth of Cl. botulina (no sugar is used but pickeling spices are added to brine). This product required a heavy smoke. My shelf life requirement isn't as long as commercial smokers but the concentration of salt is imperative.

After smoking either vacuum packing or tight wrapping with a food grade plastic wrap will increase the shelf life of the refrigerated product by limiting the amount of oxygen in the air space. Even smoked foods kept under refrigeration for long enough will support the growth of molds and spoilage bacteria that still grow at refrigeration temperatures. Extended storage should be at freezer temperatures provided that freezing does not destroy the foods texture or taste. It should work for cold smoked fish and cooked smoked fish.

I will try some of the substitutes and let you know how it compares to a sugared sample which I will use for control purposes.

You have been very helpful.

Art

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by JJC
 Hi Art,

The one thing you and others who use a sugar substitute may need to take into consideration is that sugar doesn't just provide sweetness--in some recipes it is also partly repsonsible (along with salt) for providing part of the "cure" through its effect on osmotic pressure. If you plan to consume the product fairly soon after smoking it, no problem. However, for foods you plan to keep around a little while or for fish/meats that are cured but not cooked, that could be a major issue. One option is to increase the salt concentration sufficiently--12% should be the minimum salt concentration if you want to cure the meat only with salt, and 15% would be even safer. You could experiment with increasing the amount of sugar substitute you use to offset the extra saltiness in the flavor.

John
Newton MA
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Chez Bubba · December 11, 2005, 03:58:18 AM

Wow, this thread has gotten heavy. You science guys rule![:D][8D]

I'd suggest the supplement Kirkia. It's way more potent than Stevia.[;)][}:)]

http://www.chezbubba.com
Ya think next time I check into a hotel & they ask "Smoking or Non?" they would mind?

tsquared · December 11, 2005, 04:03:31 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'd suggest the supplement Kirkia. It's way more potent than Stevia.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I've heard rumours that it tends to put you flat on your keester and causes you to talk in tongues![:)]
T2