Cure for venison jerky

[watchdog56]

OK after reading a lot of recipe's for jerky I am wondering why the cure?
I have been making venison jerky for 30 years and all I do is cut the venison into strips about as thick as your finger only about 5-6" long. Mix up some soy sauce,teriyaki sauce,garlic powder and black pepper and marinate for 24 hours then put in oven or smoker at 180 for about 5 hours. I have had plenty of people tell me it is the best jerky they have ever had and no one over all those years has gotten sick. I usually let it sit in a jar or ziploc bag on counter until gone which is usually less than a week. I have never put any cure on it and was wondering why everyone else's recipe calls for it.

[OU812]

I only add cure to the jerky that doesn't have lots of salt in it.

The soy sauce and teriyaki sauce have PLENTY of salt in them.

[watchdog56]

do you think it is enough to not need cure? Like I said I have never had a problem so I am thinking it is ok.

[KevinG]

When I made jerky in my dehydrator, I never added cure either. But since I've read some books on the subject I started adding it "just in case". I think the consequences of not using it are worse than using it.

[OU812]

With the soy and teriyaki and a 24 hr soak will do the same thing as cure. I wouldnt go any less than 24 hr though.

I do teriyaki the same as you but I only use teriyaki with garlic and onion salt

[Piker]

I use a small amt. of cure in just about everything I make. It seems to add a lot of flavour and a nice red colour. I am on a salt reduced diet and every bit helps. Piker