Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Horizontal Hunter · Post by **Horizontal Hunter** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:02 pm

I am new to making jerky as I just recently got a dehydrator. I have made 4 big batches using different recipes from Mary Bells book "Just Jerky" without using a "cure" or sodium nitrate. From what I understand 145 degrees for 10 minutes will kill salmonella, E. coli, and trichinosis and most other bacteria. I dry mine at 155 degrees. Made this way she says that the shelf life is 1 month and if you want to store it longer put it in the fridge or freezer. Realistically I am lucky if it lasts a week.

How many of you use or don't use the "cure" when you make jerky?

Have I just been lucky so far not using the cure??

Thanks,

Bob

Shotnbeer · Post by **Shotnbeer** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:36 pm

NESCO has original jerky spice and cure which is the perfect blend of seasonings to make great tasting jerky. no muss no fuss and tastes great. Tons of different flavors.

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Sun Jan 16, 2011 5:40 pm

I always use a cure. Not worth chancing getting sick.

Big D · Post by **Big D** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 9:21 am

I NEVER use the cure I always throw it away. There is alot of research stating the health dangers possible cancer linked to cured foods high in sodium nitrite.
I use a oven with jerky gun and jerky racks from the company LEM works great. I use ground meat with spices and little water I also use a little canning salt instead of the cure. If you keep your oven between 165 and 200 you will be fine. My jerky is usally done in 3.5 hours and taste great. If you refrigerate it and eat it up in a few weeks in my opinion there is no need to put sodium nitrite in ure body. Good Luck Big D

evaughan · Post by **evaughan** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:34 am

Big D wrote:I NEVER use the cure I always throw it away. There is alot of research stating the health dangers possible cancer linked to cured foods high in sodium nitrite. I use a oven with jerky gun and jerky racks from the company LEM works great. I use ground meat with spices and little water I also use a little canning salt instead of the cure. If you keep your oven between 165 and 200 you will be fine. My jerky is usally done in 3.5 hours and taste great. If you refrigerate it and eat it up in a few weeks in my opinion there is no need to put sodium nitrite in ure body. Good Luck Big D

This is true but; nitrates are naturally occurring in the human diet and there is little evidence that they are harmful whithin those limits. When they are consumed regularly in quantities far exceeding what occurs naturally in our diets, they are terrible for us. If I made jerky with the expectation of consuming 1-3 strips per month, I would not hesitate to use it at all. If I was eating 3 peices a day, there is not a chance it would get anywhere near my jerky.

Nitrate health concerns are prompting health organizations to reccomend we consume of only a few servings of bacon/year,that pregnant women avoid consuming deli meats, etc., etc.

It's like so many things in life, a little bit here and there aint gonna hurt us but when we make a habit of over-indulging......

wabi · Post by **wabi** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:38 am

Big D wrote:I NEVER use the cure I always throw it away. There is alot of research stating the health dangers possible cancer linked to cured foods high in sodium nitrite.
I use a oven with jerky gun and jerky racks from the company LEM works great. I use ground meat with spices and little water I also use a little canning salt instead of the cure. If you keep your oven between 165 and 200 you will be fine. My jerky is usally done in 3.5 hours and taste great. If you refrigerate it and eat it up in a few weeks in my opinion there is no need to put sodium nitrite in ure body. Good Luck Big D

There's sodium nitrite, and there's sodium nitrate.
I read a book on sausage making and meat curing and decided the health risks from using a cure were prefable to not using it for me.
As with all studies the amounts of cure were far beyond recommended amounts. Feed a mouse enough to kill an elephant and it's going to get sick!

j.krug · Post by **j.krug** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 11:59 am

If I am making jerky and using pre packaged seasoning that includes a cure I will use it.
If I am using a "home made" recipe then I do not use a cure.
Probably 75% of the time I don't use a cure.
I have been making jerky at home for years and have never had an issue.

bob1961 · Post by **bob1961** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:10 pm

my jerky i made this past oct had no cure in it....i gave my friend had bout 15 pieces of my venison jerky and his stomach got messed up, but he was/is on meds and he didn't eat anything that day before we went hunting and had my jerky....he has/had a bad stomach from all the meds he was/is taking, i'm not gonna chance not using cure from now on in my jerky not when it only cost me 13.35 for 1 lb....the package says 1 tsp for 5 lbs meat and the package only has 6.25% sod nitrite and the rest is salt.......bob

....

Cossack · Post by **Cossack** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 2:21 pm

After trying all kinds, and making my own, I'm back to High Mountain jerky seasoning. esp pepper and garlic. It contains cure in a separate packet, of which I use about 1/4 of recommended amt per batch. I dry mine in a dehydrator I made until it's at the desired state, then bake it at 250F in the oven for 1/2 hr. This, to kill any bacteria that may remain.

maple · Post by **maple** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:40 pm

Naw, no need.

All my jerky is made by the slow dry method in the oven. It takes all day to dry it. After that it gets vacuum sealed in small amounts and goes into the freezer. No problem, no nitrite or nitrate.

Maple

RexKay · Post by **RexKay** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 4:43 pm

Cant agree more..Hi Mnt. Cure is a great product. I use it with my smoker. I used a dehydrator a while back and never used a cure. Never got sick, but I like the cured stuff better. JMO.

chris4570 · Post by **chris4570** » Mon Jan 17, 2011 10:53 pm

I use the basic cure recipe, plus additional seasonings, with my Big Chief smoker. The cure is just salt, sugar and water. Soaked overnight, then smoked the next day.

Horizontal Hunter · Post by **Horizontal Hunter** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:37 am

Thanks for the input guys. One of the main reasons I got the dehydrator was to avoid the "chemicals" on the jerky that is commercially available. It seems that most of you use the cure. I will have to give it some thought and do some more reading on it.

thanks,

Bob

sumner4991 · Post by **sumner4991** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:03 pm

bstout . . .that looks great! I keep telling myself to get a dehydrator . . .

Horizontal Hunter · Post by **Horizontal Hunter** » Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:35 pm

bstout wrote: I do all of my jerky drying at 155 degrees to keep from cooking the meat. If the meat gets cooked it must be consumed faster (won't keep as long) is what I was told by the Hi Mountain CS rep. It takes all day to get it done.

That was my biggest mistake when I started. Not drying it quite long enough. None of it ever gets close to making it to the freezer though. I have been experimenting with recipies from Mary Bells Just Jerky book to see what I like. I have heard a lot of good about the Hi Mountian seasonings so I am going to have to order some.

Bob

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Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

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Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??

Re: Do you use a "cure" when you make jerky??