Something is have never ran into. Curing agent penetrates meat (not ground) at about 1/4” per 24 hours. Many st of my jerky is 1/4 to 3/8” and I’ve had its sit 30-36 hours before going in the smoker.
What is too long? Is there a point that it can impact taste or no big deal? I’m facing 72-80 hours before I can smoke it. Refrigerator or re-freeze?
Penetrates at 1/4″ per 24 hrs from all surfaces, so the curing will “meet in the middle” ….. so a 1/4″ thick piece should have full penetration of the cure in 12 hours.
Penetrates at 1/4″ per 24 hrs from all surfaces, so the curing will “meet in the middle” ….. so a 1/4″ thick piece should have full penetration of the cure in 12 hours.
That’s not the question as that is obvious. Is there any adverse affect from curing agent if not smoked in a reasonable time frame
Ive gone 48 or a little over before with no issue. Never quite that long but if the meat was fresh when you started i dont see why it would hurt anything.
oops… didn’t read thoroughly, sorry about that.
I have had jerky in the cure and had life get in the way….resulting in 4-5 days of soaking before dehydrating with no apparent differences in the result.
As long as the proper amount of cure was used for the recipe, I don’t think a longer cure makes a difference. It’s usually a very small amount compared to other ingredients and I imagine it has no flavor other than salt. Don’t ever try to taste it, though 
Wet weight is 26#. Since it’s mostly sliced back straps, inners, and heart I sure didn’t want this batch wasted
I never thought of making jerky out of the heart. Is it good?
Is it good?
Yes sir
Randy;
I would think it could depend on how much salt is actually in this as if a lot of salt it could get a bit too salty for some peoples taste,
Something is have never ran into. Curing agent penetrates meat (not ground) at about 1/4” per 24 hours. Many st of my jerky is 1/4 to 3/8” and I’ve had its sit 30-36 hours before going in the smoker.
What is too long? Is there a point that it can impact taste or no big deal? I’m facing 72-80 hours before I can smoke it. Refrigerator or re-freeze?
You are safe as long as you used the correct amount of cure in the first place.
The only danger is it can get “mushy” from the salt working on the proteins in the meat. I wouldn’t worry about it for the time line your talking about, you’ll be fine.
thanks for the reassurance
When is cure important? I have never used it in my jerky. Well, I tried one time but used way too much and ruined the whole batch. Is it only for dry rubbed recipes? I always use a wet brine and have never done it. Jerky gets eaten so fast or can be refrigerated/frozen I have never heard of it going bad.
When is cure important? I have never used it in my jerky. Well, I tried one time but used way too much and ruined the whole batch. Is it only for dry rubbed recipes? I always use a wet brine and have never done it. Jerky gets eaten so fast or can be refrigerated/frozen I have never heard of it going bad.
Cured will last longer, or at least gives me the perception it does. The years I elk hunt, I make big batches for taking with. Peace of mind for healthy eating in the mountains and often no refrigeration. I don’t like messing around with vacuum sealing a few pieces at a time. I have a few days worth per bag in my pack
I never thought of making jerky out of the heart. Is it good?
my brother smokes the heart. Randy do you slice the heart before you put it in the brine?? My brother does says the heart his really dense and takes the brine way better when sliced.
Yes, I slice and brine the heart. He’s correct, the meat is more dense. Need to be careful to not over smoke/cook
One of the guys at deer camp collects the hearts and cans them using a pressure cooker. They are fine eating sliced and pan fried.
Unless you’re cooking your jerky, you should use cure. I know a lot of people that don’t and I’m sure I wont change anybody’s mind. I mean, when’s the last time you heard of anyone dying from Botulism? So I get it.
But it’s not about storage it’s about bacteria growth – which accelerates greatly and fast when the meat gets above about 38 deg F. Cure kills the bad bacteria like Botulism toxin among other food-bourn nasty stuff. If not using it, you can get sick eating it fresh out of the dehydrator, not just if it’s been in the fridge for 3 weeks. I like cure for two reasons:
1. Peace of mind with ZERO flavor or texture impact if used properly
2. I find the red color more appetizing than the grey or dark brown color you get without it.
Some say they don’t like to consume nitrates, but there’s likely just as much, if not more, nitrates in your Orchard-fresh Honey Crisp Apple or Farmers Market green pepper than your beef jerky. Unless you’re living off of Jerky, the amount you consume is probably well within safe limits – Like Chlorine and Fluoride in city Tap water.
OK off my soapbox. Enjoy your jerky!
I will use cure next time and be very very careful with quantity.
There should be instruction on the package as to how much to use per pound. And one other thing to know with cure is to know the difference between varieties – they are NOT interchangeable by amount and serve different purposes
Cure #1 (sometimes called Insta-cure, Prague Powder or Pink Salt)is Sodium Nitrite and is most common for sausages, jerky, sticks, summer sausage, etc.
Morton’s TenderQuick – It’s a mix of Nitrates and Salt and Sugar also used in some sausages, bacon, etc – the recipe should specify TenderQuick and the amount to use. Again, do not substitute another cure.
Cure #2 is Sodium Nitrate and is more commonly used in curing of large muscle or muscle groups like Hams, etc. This is not as common to the average consumer and is more commercially used. 99% of the do-it-yourself recipes use one of the first two.
If using a store bought mix, it should clearly specify if cure is already included – I think most include it now and it even comes in a small separate bag within the bigger package.
I’m always uneasy about making posts like this and worry about how they’ll come off. I’m not trying to be a know-it-all or condemn anyones personal choices. But I’ve been doing my own sausage making for about 10 years now and understanding curing opens up the doors to so many possibilities, safely.
Happy Meat Making!
I’m always uneasy about making posts like this and worry about how they’ll come off. I’m not trying to be a know-it-all or condemn anyones personal choices
When your giving sensible advice, don’t think twice about it. Your only looking out for someone’s welfare.
I was mostly concerned that this would turn into salt sticks – yuck. Appreciate the response
Thanks Randy – that was my intent
Thanks Randy – that was my intent
ive never seen you post bad cooking advice…..ever!!!!! 
keep it coming!!!!!
Thanks Glenn, Good to hear from you old forum friend!
Thanks Glenn, Good to hear from you old forum friend!
Yum!
image.jpg
Yum!
do you deliver!!!!!!!!! 
Heck yeah! Looks GREAT Randy. I’ve only dabbled in Jerky and have only gone with the store mixes so far. I’ve been meaning to find of good base recipe to try so I can tinker with it.
Love that deep red color and the pepper flakes. Looks perfect!
do you deliver!!!!!!!!! devil
Glenn, its 12 hours round trip and I charge both ways – still interested?? LOL 
Heck yeah! Looks GREAT Randy. I’ve only dabbled in Jerky and have only gone with the store mixes so far. I’ve been meaning to find of good base recipe to try so I can tinker with it.
Love that deep red color and the pepper flakes. Looks perfect!
I buy the sodium cure at a meat shop that I hit once in a while. Great thing about deer (whitetail or muley), elk and Antelope is that the meat season’s so well. I do a mix of pepper, red pepper seed, garlic and mesquite. I gave up on the ground meat years ago. Full muscle, cut about 1/4″ish. half a batch gets smoked, and the other half is hung on the racks in the convection oven. Oven is 195 for about 2 hours-2:15 +/- pending how its drying.
Same mix, but I wet brine the hearts. I trim and then slice to a little thinner than 1/4″. mix a few times throughout the day and let sit over night in fridge. I only do the oven with the hearts and they are done in about 1-1/2 hours at most.
Randy, in that pic is it wet or dry brined?
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