Curing with nitrite ?

headgames · January 17, 2006, 01:51:53 PM

Wanting to just cure my filleted no-skin turkey breasts.
Been roaming through recipies, what I am wanting to to is just brine it with water and my DQ curing salt(goes by many names the pink stuff with 6.25% nitrite) then apply a rub just before smoking.
in searching recipes my question is ......... is the amount of cure directly proportional to the amount of water or amount of meat? thinking it should be water for dillution aspects , but find recipes vary.
wanting to get it right the first time cause I know nitrite is a POISON . thanks

If ya go home hungry.........You were at the WRONG HOUSE !

whitetailfan · January 17, 2006, 05:50:46 PM

Headgames,
The amount of cure is proportional to the amount of water. The amount of meat determines how long you need to soak it and how much brine you need to prepare.

With tenderquik, it is a cup per quart of water (off the top of my head). This is WAY more than you would use if you just applied it directly to the flesh according to the instructions on the package. Consult the packaging, the company website, or your local butcher for info on the concentration of your brine. Your pink salt may be a different percentage of nitrite per volume/weight than tenderquik, so please do not just mix your cure to the ratio I quoted above (plus that ratio is not confirmed because I'm at work right now).

Hope that helps.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Bassman · January 19, 2006, 04:00:23 PM

I agree with Whitetail,
It is in proportion with how much water you use. If you do a search there is a good brine I use when doing turkey breasts. It's probably on Olds'recipe site. Let us know the results.

Jack

Arcs_n_Sparks · January 20, 2006, 05:25:36 AM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">
wanting to get it right the first time cause I know nitrite is a POISON . thanks

If ya go home hungry.........You were at the WRONG HOUSE !
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Poison is a dose phenomena. Oxygen will also kill you. At the right levels, oxygen and nitrites are your friends.

Arcs_n_Sparks

headgames · January 22, 2006, 05:59:02 PM

thanks guys have them in brine right now . with my nitrite and brown sugar . trying to cure and not have a saltiness flavor . probably wont smoke till monday night .. will let you know .

problem being is where I shoot sporting clay they give us a free feed twice a year and he sends out probably 50 pheasants that get cured and smoked commercially ..... DAMN awsome pink color all through the pieces (from the cure) mild smoke flavor..... no saltiness and awsomely MOIST ..... trying to duplicate it . It's like the one hit in golf where you really connect with the ball ..you try and try... and never get that feeling back . lol still looking for it !

If ya go home hungry.........You were at the WRONG HOUSE !

Oldman · January 23, 2006, 01:03:31 AM

Headgames,

You might want to read this a few times. JJC authored it. Plus there are a couple of great links at the bottom that manxman authored. I think it will help you with future questions.

http://susan.rminor.com/forums/showthread.php?t=14

Olds

whitetailfan · January 23, 2006, 09:54:12 PM

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by headgames
 pheasants that get cured and smoked commercially ..... DAMN awsome pink color all through the pieces (from the cure) mild smoke flavor..... no saltiness and awsomely MOIST ..... trying to duplicate it.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Headgames,
For fun, try Hi-Mtn Game Bird and Poultry Brine. It comes in 2 or 3 pouches per box and each pouch will comfortably do 2 chickens. I have done this at least twice and I must say it is awesome. You get the pink proof of cure, but by no way tastes like ham. I got some of my greatest compliments out of these birds. My results sound just like the description above, I think you will be pleased. Let us know if you try it, I await a second smoker's opinion.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB

Seminole · January 24, 2006, 06:23:56 PM

headgames,

don't worry too much about nitrite being a poison. You will need to ingest 1 g of pure sodium nitrite to be in trouble. You get more nitrite eating vegetables every day what you can see in the link below:http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/sausage_safety/nitrates/nitrates_concerns.htm

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smoking_poultry.htm

headgames · January 26, 2006, 01:54:49 PM

Thank you Thank you and thank you !

tried just the nitrite and brown sugar on a few pieces before I got the thread from olds ....... DRY DRY DRY . after reading the thread apparently it needs the salt to keep it moist ..... and yep add salt to the rest of the pieces in the same brine , let them set 2 mor days . and sure enough much better . Will try that high mountain stuff . generaly only see the jerky mixes in our grocery stores . might mail order some of the brines . I am just one of those cheap Wisconsin rednecks . Try and build it instead of buying it. lol
every batch is a learning expirence. and thanks Seminole first thing I have read actually stating amount of nitrite in water .

ps. really like my new ts-series dwyer control [:D]

If ya go home hungry.........You were at the WRONG HOUSE !