Nesco & Open Country Campware Jerky Cure

[Wise Old Owl]

Check this out....

http://www.opencountrycampware.com/category_afac78d4c44a/subcategory_8f0bf3871375/session_8d4b6e33934c/

I have looked, and have never worked with dry cures before and I am curious as to what is in the cure and why is it seperate from the spices.

It does work very well and has a mild flavor with the Hamberger.

Is anyone working with this product and can get me the ingredients off a box?

[Wise Old Owl]

Well I was hoping someone knew about this... I got to start searching on my own and found Tenderquick, so maybe its kosher salt with sugar and a stabilizer. Just a guess.

http://www.mortonsalt.com/products/meatcuring/tenderquick.html

[Wise Old Owl]

1 lb of burger mixed with spices and cure yeilds 1/2 lbs of hikable protein.



Uncharted territory here!

http://www.mortonsalt.com/faqs/meat_curing_faq.html#q1

[Compass]

What makes it a "cure" is the sodium nitrite. The same sodium in bacon, hot dogs, and lower quality deli meats especially ham. It is posible to buy uncured bacon and hot dogs(no nitrites). Since the shelf life is less the manufacturers do not often offer the products.

Nitrites keep the meat from going bad as fast but cause the water retention/Edema. Most people will hold an extra 2 or more pounds of water after eating a portion of food containing nitrites(not the way to save weight).

It is not necessary to cure jerky. Add some soy sauce and seasalt and seasoning to the raw meat for four or more hours in the fridge and then dehydrate till jerky. If you like "tender jerky" (more moist) stick with the cure.

[Wise Old Owl]

Thanks Compass I missed the nitrate part, It explains why its not interchangable.

The times I used sea salt it proved to be too much salt for me.

[Compass]

For each pound of meat lean beef I use 1/8 cup soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

[Wise Old Owl]

thanks!...........................................

[Wise Old Owl]

Revisted this page as I am making Chili burger Jerk and BBQ burger Jerk today. To my surprise with the Nesco on 160degrees, it really only pumps out 140-145 degrees at the top and 120-125 at the bottom. So rotation every couple of hours is important.

[Rasty]

The cure mix will have sodium nitrate (fast acting) and sodium nitrite (slow acting). Cured meats that are not refrigerated will almost always have the nitrite. A few dry cured salami's use cultured bacteria instead but this is advanced level meat curing only. If the cure only has nitrate (like hot dogs or Virginia ham) then the meat needs to be refrigerated or canned.