How long can you safely cure using Morton's Tender Quick?
Morton's Tender Quick says to cure for hours, but the curing recipe I am using says to cure my ham for 4 days. I am wondering does Morton's Tender Quick cure so fast that it only needs hours? Or can I cure with it as long as 4 days? or is that only for insta-cure and pink salt?
I am way confused. I can only find Morton's and I really just want to get started curing.
Best Answer
Morton's Tender Quick is a fast cure salt meant to be mixed in with ground meats or used for curing thinner cuts (or fish). Hams must be brined for days in order for the salt solution to penetrate deeply through the flesh and prevent spoilage. It is important to follow good curing protocol and use the amount of salt as requested in the recipe.
Sodium nitrate, or pink salt #2, is not essential from a food safety perspective for whole muscle curing but is for dry-curing various salumi.
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How long is Tender Quick good for?
of Tender-Quick per gallon of water for meat that is to be used within 30 to 60 days. The Amount of Tender-Quick pumping pickle to use is 1 to 1 1/2 oz.Do you have to rinse off Tender Quick?
Gently redistribute the sugar and Tender Quick twice a day to ensure even curing. Remove the loin, rinse well, and smoke gradually up to 155\xb0F. Allow it to rest 20 minutes before refrigerating. It's completely cooked and ready to eat.What does Mortons Tender Quick do?
For Home Meat Curing. Morton Tender Quick is a fast-cure mix so you can cure meat, poultry or game right in your own kitchen. It gives meats a tasty cured flavor and characteristic pink color. Works particularly well with small cuts of meat, such as pork chops, spareribs and poultry.Is Morton Tender Quick the same as curing salt?
Sold at the retail level in 2-pound bags, Tender Quick\xae contains salt, sugar (also a preservative), an anti-caking agent, and one-half percent each of sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. It is less concentrated than other curing salts, and unlike the salts above, is not pink.👣How to treat MORTON'S NEUROMA! ( Fast Guide 😪 )
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Answer 2
If you're in the United States, you can buy curing salts from Butcher and Packer (www.butcher-packer.com). What kind of cure are you trying to do (what end result are you looking for)? If your recipe says to cure for 4 days, I don't think you want to do so for just hours.
I'd suggest that you find a book with good cure recipes (such as Salumi, by Ruhlman and Polcyn, or Charcuterie by Ruhlman and Polcyn, for example), and avoid the Morton mix.
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