Again, and I have told you this before Eric, your channel is the most informative and educational out there on UA-cam. You have the exact right amount teaching, entertainment and facts. I have learned so much from you. I'll be trying many of your sausages starting next week but the ones I have made so far, have been great. Can't wait for season 3. Keep up the great work. 👍
Eric, I must have viewed 30-35 videos about making sausage. They ranged from very informative to delete 30 seconds in. This video is exceptional (yes, I subscribed. Didn't with the others). Knew where you were going. I've made bacon for at least 8 years. Never used curing salt. Ditto for pastrami. Why? Two friends with cancer can't take anything with nitrates in it. I am thoroughly up on safe food handling processes but have always been biased against curing salts. Now that I am adding a ground meat product to my repertoire I am conscience that it is different from the big pieces of meat I had been smoking. I have ordered some celery juice powder from The Sausage Maker for a substitute. Anxious to see how it works out. I am already seeing another of your videos showing up in my Recommend list. Be Well.
Thank you for this info. Before I started using curing salt #2, we would fry some up, tasted it and make seasoning adjustments as necessary. When I started using the curing salt, we stopped tasting it as I knew it wasn't safe though I didn't know why. Since then, I have often gotten push back from family members who want to taste it. Turns out they just want to have a fried sausage sandwich, and who could blame them. So, one time we did as Eric suggested and tasted it before adding the curing salt. Word of caution, after adding the curing salt, mix it for only a short time as Eric stated. We mixed it too much and as a result the meat didn't bind together properly (yes, you can over fix the meat). I then had to throw out 20 lbs. of sausage and start over again. This video will help me convince them the next time they want to taste it after adding the curing salt. Since the re-mixing snafu, we just buy some extra meat, my wife seasons and fries it while we're making the sausage. Everyone is happy again. And to be honest, when tasting the final product for the first time we have never thought the seasoning should have been adjusted.
I always add Instacure #1 when making any type of sausage that I'm going to smoke (the 'danger zone and all that...). This usually encompasses any Polish sausage, hot dogs, Jalapeno-Cheddar sausages etc, etc. I usually grind, stuff and smoke all in one day...Do I have to wait any period of time before cooking said sausages after smoking? I usually go ahead and cook the sausages right after smoking....am I asking for trouble?
Thanks for the info! That was a easy to understand warning. Always watching from Old Town, Dixie County, Florida along the banks of the Suwannee River and Gulf of Mexico.
Thanks for the heart. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. I was wondering if using commercial grade beef (like dairy cows past their prime) would make a difference in flavour. I live near beef farmers and after tasting cow I prefer the taste of bull. But the dairy farmer up the road every now and then puts some of his spent cows up for slaughter and I was thinking of splitting one with a friend to turn into sausage. I'm just not sure I will like the flavour if it carries. I was thinking with the fermentation and spices it might not come through. Any thoughts?
Thanks for that! I would like to see a video on sodium erythorbat, I have been using it in all my bacon curing but I think based on your video unnecessarily.
Thanks for this, I’ve seen a lot of articles saying that nitrites/nitrates are cancer causing. I’d love to learn more about this as well as some of the “natural” options.
The Natural Options usually include celery juice. Exactly the same chemical in nitrates, but not as effective. Nitrates occur naturally in the Earth. That's how they were discovered when some guy thousands of years ago put some meat in a cave.
Hi Eric, thanks for all the interesting videos. I ve made Dutch droge metworst, like pork droewors. They talk about using a starter in the raw meat mix to start fermentation, is that the same as using vinegar? Thanks.
The first time I made sausage, the group I was learning from painstakingly removed all of the silver skin from the pork before grinding. It took forever but the texture was significantly better. Also they made a meat stock from the Y bones and mixed the spices with some of the liquid after it was chilled and mixed it with the meat before stuffing. I haven't seen this technique in any of the videos on Ytube. Curious what you think of them. Great videos I watch them all
Actually preparing to make some homemade kielbasa tomorrow for the first time. I've been skulking around the internet and youtube today getting some last minute tips. I'm glad I came across this video. Thank you.
Very informative video. I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have a question, I’m making sucuk at the moment and would love if you shed some light on curing salt use. For 1kg of sucuk meat I have been told to add 1.8g of #1 but how much ascorbic acid should I use along with 1.8g of #1? Not sure ratio to use. Thank you.
2 guys and a cooler is awesome. i've been making sausages pretty intensively for over a year now and i've learned so much from y'all, particularly about safety, which is obviously super important. plus, having made it twice now, i can confidently say that my family loves your andouille sausage recipe. thanks!
great video Eric. You were answering my questions as they were popping into my head (especially how to test for taste.). This is a must watch for every beginner (like me) and I did exactly what you said not to do a couple of weeks ago.. lesson learnt! keep up the great work
Excellent information. Thank you. I use Cure #1 when I make beef jerky. Add it as part of the overall marination, and generally marinate for about 48 hours before dehyrdrating. Would I be correct in assuming that the Nitrites have converted during marination and the dehydrated jerky is safe to eat?
Eric.. like yourself, I've been fascinated by sausage making since I bought Rytek Kutas book 30 years ago. Things took a giant leap forward when I discovered Stanley Marianski via the Sausage Maker, and adopted the scientific methods of grams and liters, both for bread and meat preservation. Your recent video regarding the danger of tasting cured (in my case... the little bit of kielbasa left in the stuffer) meat without aging was a revelation. Thank you. I look forward to seeing more on the subject, as I have noticed other of your subscribers have requested. On a different note: Have you ever done a segment on the French sausage Andouilette? I've had it in Lyon. It's basically chitterlings stuffed into a casing and then grilled. I crave it in my dreams. Keep up the good work, you are appreciated. Ron
That's good to know. I have been wanting to get into sausage making, as I love that kind of stuff; and being diabetic, I need that kind of stuff in my diet as proteins are complex sugars that one needs that doesn't spike their sugar like sweets and starches.
Great channel! I've learned as much from you as I have from Marianski. Speaking of killing ourselves with cure, I'm going to make salami, but I'm going to stuff it in 32/35mm hog casings. I've heard it can be done in 10 days-ish. Because of it's quick drying time should I use a faster culture (lhp) and cure #1, instead of the usual t-spx and cure #2?
Hi, thanks for the video. I'm going to make my second batch of sausage in a week or so and this time I was thinking of using nitrite salt, should I leave the sausage batter with the nitrite salt in the fridge for 24 hours before stuffing the sausage? Blessing Tobias
Just sharpened my grinding blades! Wow ! I’m getting some umai gear and gonna make some charcuterie and some salami/sausage. Your videos are great. Cleared up,some confusion about the cures and why they are different and when to use them. Do you do a salmon video?
I really appreciate the video, and especially your concern and caution, but I was a chemist for 25 years. NaNO3 + HCl ---> NaCl + HNO3. Knowing a bit about the stomach the primary digestive juice is HCl, at a sufficient concentration to yield a pH of about 1.5. Now, there is no harm with this either, nitric acid is necrotic, and I can't say that the stomach lining would be very happy under these conditions. Concentration needs to be considered, so the amount into the sausage, divided by 1,000, or 2,000 or whatever portion of meat that one tastes would be rather insignificant. I am in no way giving license to eat this, but spitting it out would probably be harmless. The other side reaction yields NaNO3 + HCl - - -> NaCl + H2O + NO2, Na nitrite yields nitrous acid and NaCl, and from there the side reactions are similar (For brevity's sake, I'll stop). Not contradicting, not confronting, just saying that other things occur, and with the order of replacement, and the limited concentration of residual amines, as compared to the massive amount of concentrated hydrochloric acid, the probability that nitrosamines, or ammonium nitrate (we won't explode) would form in any appreciable quantity is slim and not, but everyone should take the advice: * * Don't taste the sausage after it has been treated * *
Hello Eric. Very helpful video, thanks. Can you please tell me are there any known issues with absorbing curing salt through the skin? I see some people rubbing cute into meat without gloves.
great channel Eric very informative looking celebrate sausage season 3. Discovered your channel last year binged watched every video lol thanks for making me a better home sausage maker be safe and have a great day
Wow! Did not know this. What if I keep back some salami meat (loose) to cook at a later time and freeze it. Would waiting thirty days be safe in this example?
I learned so much from you. I just watched your video on hot dogs, you used Instacure then immediately cooked in the SV. Is that not OK now, perhaps this old video was before all this was known?
Hello Eric. I accidentally used cure #2 in my smokies which also included sodium erythorbate, were smoked then cooked to 160 F then frozen. My question is are these safe to consume or should I through them out? Thank You
Trash em 😥 unless you have a curing chamber. Then I would say you can dry them to be more like snack sticks. Once you hit your target weight loss, vac seal them and put them in your fridge till you get past the 30 day hurdle
Thanks, Eric. Another very informative and this case potentially life saving video. I do have a question for you. I add a teaspoon of cure # 1 to my marinade for every 5lbs. Of meat when making jerky. I then chamber seal the meat and marinade for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Is this safe practice?
Excellent info Eric, I feel better about salting my protein for a couple days before I season …always thought nitrosamines came from “ burning “ cured meats like bacon
That's what I have researched too. Heating meat to a high temperatures produces nitrosamines. So, I use celery powder, or juice and garlic and wine. I still don't feel comfortable use synthetic curing salts made in a laboratory? I did listen to Eric's video on curing salt not being harmful.
Here in Indochina, salami is very expensive, can i fill a 50 mm artificial casing with spices, minced pork (1 kilo) and Curing salt (30 grams), perforate it and let it mature in the fridge at +7 degrees Celsius, our room temperature is always +33 degrees Celsius and I don't have a smokehouse. Is this possible ???? and if ... how long do I have to wait until I eat it, thanks for any help....
It would be better if you made it at home and hung it as you would know what was in it and can control the safety and sanitation of your area. When dealing with a butcher it can be hit or miss
What about Morton’s Tender Quick which calls for 1 tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Would you have to wait 30 days after smoking and or cooking your sausage to eat it.
An idea: Why don't you drink orange juice after you taste the sausage? This way you convert the nitrites in your stomach without fearing for nitrozamines.. Would that be a viable option? What do you think? btw thanks for the videos. You are awesome..
I am genuinely curious. I generally season my cubes with all of my seasonings including curing salt, then it is refrigerated overnight, then ground. Is there any fear of the cure being dangerous with this method?? I do this because I do not have a mixer, and like many others use the grinder as the mixer.. thanks!
When using curing salt number 1 with ground beef jerky, do I have to wait 12 hours before dehydrating or 12 hours before tasting. If it dehydrate right away will the conversion still take place in the meat? Many online jerky instructions say there is no need to let sit before dehydrating. Just starting to make jerky and want to make sure i am safe.
Quick question. Does the instacure #1 keep doing it's job(converting to nitric oxide) after the smoking process or should you always let your sausage cure for 12 hours prior to smoking?
If I wanted to get a smoked brat that's not completely cooked what is the best smoke temp/process to accomplish that? I would like to freeze them and finish cooking at later time. Great explanation on curing salt.
Great video! I am on day 4 of a 5 day brine of a pork loin. I used sodium nitrite in the brine. Since it is already cured, is it too late to add sodium erythorbate? If SE is not added, will the nitrites turn to nitrosamines when cooking? Thanks!
Great video here and also the 4 part series on Salt, Cures and Vegetable Powders. A question if you don't mind answering it. If you use a cure accelerator (Sodium Erythorbate) to increase the conversion of Sodium Nitrite into Nitric Oxide, does it decrease the length of time for which the cure is effective for Cure #1 (i.e., 4 weeks to something less).
I don’t put curing salt because i have no idea how to use it when i make sausage we eat it right away or i freeze it and store it only 1 to 3 days 😛😋 thanks bro for info
Have read through the comments and didn't see the question I have... In a nutshell does using a cure accelerator shorten the length of time that Cure No.2 completes it's nitric oxide cycle? i.e. If it's not a good idea to eat meat that has Cure No.2 in for a month does using a cure accelerator only speed up the time it takes the cure to start converting or does it mean you can consume the meat sooner than a month? Despite researching this I'm a little confused on this aspect. Thanks Eric, Great videos, content and attention to detail.
Thank you for the info. I have been adding instacure #1 and salt to cubed meat and refrigerating at least 24 hrs before grinding and seasoning. So at that point, is it safe to test or does it need another 12 hrs?
I’m a nu- bi on starting to make sausage, but I’m watching your vids to take me down the right path , I’d like to make some killer sausage but not with nitrites or nitrates can I make uncured sausage? and can I make a Keto friendly sausages not using any sugar ? 🤔
yes. There are lots of sausage that don't really need a curing salt. Bratwurst, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, etc. If you want to make cured sausages but without nitrites, look up ecocure #1. It's a NO NITRITE curing salt! tinyurl.com/27zenazd
I'm a regular user of Vitamin C. I was down to about 3/4 of a pound so I ordered more and on Wednesday 3 pounds was delivered. I've never used it in sausage making and I'd love to see an episode incorporating it. Thanks Eric.
So using Cure#1 and leaving it for at least 12 hours in the fridge and tasting it than is OK. If you don't like the taste and have to add spices you have to mix them in, so either way you have one more mixing of the meat on your hands. That would be even better because spices will have more time to permeate the sausage after 12 hours. Great explanation, thanks.
Hello Eric excellent information as usual, been following you and using some of your recipes for some time now. Question I have is I’ve been making spicy salami sticks in 22mil and lamb casings lately and because there done in about 3 weeks in the chamber I’m using cure 1 instead of cure 2. Is this safe or should I be using 2 and waiting an additional 2 weeks to consume? That would be tough 😀 Thanks again for all you do.
Yes on Sodium Erythorbate. Also ascorbic acid and where it is havested from. I read recently that ascorbic acid is made and harvested from some questionable sources. Just would love your take on these items. Thanks
I just shared this on a page I’m on with Facebook, there are a lot of people that didn’t know this. I’d suggest people share this video with anyone new to making sausage.
Hello Eric. Just a quick question please mate. Would it be safe NOT TO ADD Curing salt but use normal cooking salt instead. Would the sausage be safe to eat? Thanks in advance
Does this also apply to natural curing methods like celery powder or juice, garlic,with wine.. This what I use. I still don't think curing salts are not harmful.
Great video! This has me questioning things now. 😅 I use the umai dry bags. In their recipes for whole muscles, they always use #2. And in the recipes I used from your site (coppa, bresaola & lomo) all use cute #2. I don't tend to taste the meet until after its lost its target moisture loss, but is there much of a risk there with cure #2? Or when the target moisture loss is achieved in less than 30 days, would I be safer to vac pack and leave it until the 30 days has elapsed? And then, does the cure time also affect this? For argument sakes, if I cure for 10 days and the meat dries in 20, is that still safe? Sorry for long winded message just looking to make sure I'm keeping my family safe 😅 Thanks
Great question. So the time it takes to convert starts the second you add the cure to the meat. So in the case of whole muscles, if you add cure to meat (day 1) and it takes 10 days to cure, then it takes 20 days to dry, you would have accomplished the 30 day mark. If you find that some of your muscles dry faster (due to their size) you could always just vac seal it and refrigerate the meat till it reaches the 30 day mark. Or next time just use cure #1 if your projects are finishing in less than 30 days (including cure time). Does that make sense?
So does this mean you shouldn't smoke and then cook your sausages the same day? Should I case my sausage I plan to smoke, wait overnight, then smoke, then cook? Just to make sure the pink salt has enough time to do its thing?
Erick como esta? Some your of video you said that the sausage is good when is loose 30 o 40 % of weight when salt #2 is used what about if 30 days has passed?
I usually let the meat pieces seasoned overnight (including cure #1), 12+ hours and then pass them through the grinder. I then add my liquid and taste it. Is that a safe way to do it?
Just to provide some context on the relative risks of Nitrosamine exposure, the TD50 value (causes cancer in 50% of exposed rats) dosage is 42 micrograms/kg body mass per day for NDMA and 50 micrograms / kg body mass per day for NDEA and those seem to be the main chemicals of concern in foods. So putting that dosage in to human context, a male that weighs 220 pounds is roughly 100 kg. Therefor the equivalent dosage for NDMA would be 4.2 mg (miligrams) per day. Looking up various cured red meats, typical NDMA content in thing like ham, salami, blood sausage, bacon, etc... comes in under 4 micrograms/kg of meat. So, consuming 1 kilogram of salami (2.21 pounds) every day, would expose you to at most 4 micrograms of NDMA. That's roughly 0.01% of the TD50 dose, assuming a 220 pound man eats 2.21 pounds of salami.... That said, if you're worries about nitrosamine exposure due to consuming cured meats you sure shouldn't be eating most vegetables, cereal grains, or potatoes. Those are levels are typically 3-5 times higher than typical cured red meats. Looking at you especially celery.
LOL. True, but you have to consider that adding nitrites to meat is very different than nitrites naturally found in vegetables. For one there's the natural antioxidants found in vegetables that will convert nitrites into nitric oxides, next there's the lack of amines found in vegetables. This is the real problem. Either way it's not good practice to consume meat with high levels of nitrites that have not been converted.
Great job as usual Eric...yes I would like to see a video on Sodium Erythorbate...Thank you for all you do.
Excellent video Eric! There are definitely some creators on UA-cam that need to understand this! I’m a huge fan of sodium erythorbate
Again, and I have told you this before Eric, your channel is the most informative and educational out there on UA-cam. You have the exact right amount teaching, entertainment and facts. I have learned so much from you. I'll be trying many of your sausages starting next week but the ones I have made so far, have been great. Can't wait for season 3. Keep up the great work. 👍
Guilty as charged. I had no idea that you shouldn’t eat the curing salt right away. Wow thank you Eric! I’d love to see a video on accelerants.
Ine
Back in the late 80's I'd harvest fifteen Antelope and use Cure 1 on all of it and taste taste a small piece every 30 lbs or so.
😂😂
Unfortunately I just watched this after doing what he said not to. I'll post if I die... But seriously, good info and know I know. Thanks!
Very good and instructional! It's just one of the reasons that I don't use curing salts.
Videos like this is exactly why I don’t stop at just a couple videos with lots of views before I do something. Thanks!
Video on accelerators would be very much appreciated
Eric, I must have viewed 30-35 videos about making sausage. They ranged from very informative to delete 30 seconds in. This video is exceptional (yes, I subscribed. Didn't with the others). Knew where you were going. I've made bacon for at least 8 years. Never used curing salt. Ditto for pastrami. Why? Two friends with cancer can't take anything with nitrates in it. I am thoroughly up on safe food handling processes but have always been biased against curing salts. Now that I am adding a ground meat product to my repertoire I am conscience that it is different from the big pieces of meat I had been smoking. I have ordered some celery juice powder from The Sausage Maker for a substitute. Anxious to see how it works out. I am already seeing another of your videos showing up in my Recommend list. Be Well.
Thank you for this info. Before I started using curing salt #2, we would fry some up, tasted it and make seasoning adjustments as necessary. When I started using the curing salt, we stopped tasting it as I knew it wasn't safe though I didn't know why. Since then, I have often gotten push back from family members who want to taste it. Turns out they just want to have a fried sausage sandwich, and who could blame them. So, one time we did as Eric suggested and tasted it before adding the curing salt. Word of caution, after adding the curing salt, mix it for only a short time as Eric stated. We mixed it too much and as a result the meat didn't bind together properly (yes, you can over fix the meat). I then had to throw out 20 lbs. of sausage and start over again. This video will help me convince them the next time they want to taste it after adding the curing salt. Since the re-mixing snafu, we just buy some extra meat, my wife seasons and fries it while we're making the sausage. Everyone is happy again. And to be honest, when tasting the final product for the first time we have never thought the seasoning should have been adjusted.
I always add Instacure #1 when making any type of sausage that I'm going to smoke (the 'danger zone and all that...). This usually encompasses any Polish sausage, hot dogs, Jalapeno-Cheddar sausages etc, etc. I usually grind, stuff and smoke all in one day...Do I have to wait any period of time before cooking said sausages after smoking? I usually go ahead and cook the sausages right after smoking....am I asking for trouble?
Thanks for the info!
That was a easy to understand warning.
Always watching from Old Town, Dixie County, Florida along the banks of the Suwannee River and Gulf of Mexico.
You are very welcome!! Thanks for watching
Good for you man! Really great advice. I want to get into curing meats so I really appreciate this. Keep it up!
Thanks for the heart. I was wondering if you could answer a question for me. I was wondering if using commercial grade beef (like dairy cows past their prime) would make a difference in flavour. I live near beef farmers and after tasting cow I prefer the taste of bull. But the dairy farmer up the road every now and then puts some of his spent cows up for slaughter and I was thinking of splitting one with a friend to turn into sausage. I'm just not sure I will like the flavour if it carries. I was thinking with the fermentation and spices it might not come through. Any thoughts?
Thank you Eric! This is certainly unusual topic but at the same time so important. Appreciate the information!
Thanks for that! I would like to see a video on sodium erythorbat, I have been using it in all my bacon curing but I think based on your video unnecessarily.
You're my go-to guy for sausage, pastirma, etc., and dry curing, you're the best!!
Thanks for this, I’ve seen a lot of articles saying that nitrites/nitrates are cancer causing. I’d love to learn more about this as well as some of the “natural” options.
The Natural Options usually include celery juice. Exactly the same chemical in nitrates, but not as effective.
Nitrates occur naturally in the Earth. That's how they were discovered when some guy thousands of years ago put some meat in a cave.
I think concentrated celery juice is a substitute.
@@toyajackson556 natural substitute but still contains nitrates.
It's a myth that Eric addresses in other videos.
Its only the high heat cooking.
Hi Eric, thanks for all the interesting videos. I ve made Dutch droge metworst, like pork droewors. They talk about using a starter in the raw meat mix to start fermentation, is that the same as using vinegar? Thanks.
The first time I made sausage, the group I was learning from painstakingly removed all of the silver skin from the pork before grinding. It took forever but the texture was significantly better. Also they made a meat stock from the Y bones and mixed the spices with some of the liquid after it was chilled and mixed it with the meat before stuffing. I haven't seen this technique in any of the videos on Ytube. Curious what you think of them. Great videos I watch them all
Actually preparing to make some homemade kielbasa tomorrow for the first time. I've been skulking around the internet and youtube today getting some last minute tips. I'm glad I came across this video. Thank you.
Very informative video. I have learned so much from your videos. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I have a question, I’m making sucuk at the moment and would love if you shed some light on curing salt use. For 1kg of sucuk meat I have been told to add 1.8g of #1 but how much ascorbic acid should I use along with 1.8g of #1? Not sure ratio to use. Thank you.
Thanks for letting us know about this!
2 guys and a cooler is awesome. i've been making sausages pretty intensively for over a year now and i've learned so much from y'all, particularly about safety, which is obviously super important. plus, having made it twice now, i can confidently say that my family loves your andouille sausage recipe. thanks!
great video Eric. You were answering my questions as they were popping into my head (especially how to test for taste.). This is a must watch for every beginner (like me) and I did exactly what you said not to do a couple of weeks ago.. lesson learnt! keep up the great work
Eric, great video. Do the same cautions also apply if you are using natural nitrates and nitrites from cultured celery juice powder?
yes
Excellent information. Thank you. I use Cure #1 when I make beef jerky. Add it as part of the overall marination, and generally marinate for about 48 hours before dehyrdrating. Would I be correct in assuming that the Nitrites have converted during marination and the dehydrated jerky is safe to eat?
that is correct
Eric.. like yourself, I've been fascinated by sausage making since I bought Rytek Kutas book 30 years ago. Things took a giant leap forward when I discovered Stanley Marianski via the Sausage Maker, and adopted the scientific methods of grams and liters, both for bread and meat preservation. Your recent video regarding the danger of tasting cured (in my case... the little bit of kielbasa left in the stuffer) meat without aging was a revelation. Thank you. I look forward to seeing more on the subject, as I have noticed other of your subscribers have requested. On a different note: Have you ever done a segment on the French sausage Andouilette? I've had it in Lyon. It's basically chitterlings stuffed into a casing and then grilled. I crave it in my dreams. Keep up the good work, you are appreciated. Ron
Best books on the market, but Kutas is heavy on salt
That's good to know. I have been wanting to get into sausage making, as I love that kind of stuff; and being diabetic, I need that kind of stuff in my diet as proteins are complex sugars that one needs that doesn't spike their sugar like sweets and starches.
Great channel! I've learned as much from you as I have from Marianski.
Speaking of killing ourselves with cure, I'm going to make salami, but I'm going to stuff it in 32/35mm hog casings. I've heard it can be done in 10 days-ish.
Because of it's quick drying time should I use a faster culture (lhp) and cure #1, instead of the usual t-spx and cure #2?
Hi, thanks for the video.
I'm going to make my second batch of sausage in a week or so and this time I was thinking of using nitrite salt, should I leave the sausage batter with the nitrite salt in the fridge for 24 hours before stuffing the sausage?
Blessing Tobias
12 hours is sufficient. What I do is make the sausage, stuff it in the casing. Then place it in the fridge overnight.
@@2guysandacooler Thank you
Eric, you are a lifesaver, in more ways than one. Thank you very much! 🙋
Just sharpened my grinding blades! Wow ! I’m getting some umai gear and gonna make some charcuterie and some salami/sausage.
Your videos are great. Cleared up,some confusion about the cures and why they are different and when to use them. Do you do a salmon video?
I really appreciate the video, and especially your concern and caution, but I was a chemist for 25 years. NaNO3 + HCl ---> NaCl + HNO3. Knowing a bit about the stomach the primary digestive juice is HCl, at a sufficient concentration to yield a pH of about 1.5. Now, there is no harm with this either, nitric acid is necrotic, and I can't say that the stomach lining would be very happy under these conditions. Concentration needs to be considered, so the amount into the sausage, divided by 1,000, or 2,000 or whatever portion of meat that one tastes would be rather insignificant. I am in no way giving license to eat this, but spitting it out would probably be harmless. The other side reaction yields NaNO3 + HCl - - -> NaCl + H2O + NO2, Na nitrite yields nitrous acid and NaCl, and from there the side reactions are similar (For brevity's sake, I'll stop). Not contradicting, not confronting, just saying that other things occur, and with the order of replacement, and the limited concentration of residual amines, as compared to the massive amount of concentrated hydrochloric acid, the probability that nitrosamines, or ammonium nitrate (we won't explode) would form in any appreciable quantity is slim and not, but everyone should take the advice: * * Don't taste the sausage after it has been treated * *
Hello Eric. Very helpful video, thanks. Can you please tell me are there any known issues with absorbing curing salt through the skin? I see some people rubbing cute into meat without gloves.
not that I know of.
Great info as always and yes to a Sodium Erythorbate video.
great channel Eric very informative looking celebrate sausage season 3. Discovered your
channel last year binged watched every video lol thanks for making me a better home
sausage maker be safe and have a great day
Thanks, now I understand nitrate free labeling and also why it's completely unnecessary in commercial products.
What about celery which is high in nitrate. It is considered safe. In fact “uncured” sausage is often cured with celery nitrate.
Good information Eric.
Thank you.
Great information. I may need to start making sausage during the off season.
It's a great hobby
Wow! Did not know this. What if I keep back some salami meat (loose) to cook at a later time and freeze it. Would waiting thirty days be safe in this example?
not if it's frozen.
@@2guysandacooler got it. So only option is to separate prior to adding the curing salt. Thank you
for salami meat using cure #2, yes
I learned so much from you. I just watched your video on hot dogs, you used Instacure then immediately cooked in the SV. Is that not OK now, perhaps this old video was before all this was known?
i think I failed to mention accelerators back then, but an accelerator was added to the mix.
Thanks much!
Hello Eric. I accidentally used cure #2 in my smokies which also included sodium erythorbate, were smoked then cooked to 160 F then frozen. My question is are these safe to consume or should I through them out?
Thank You
Trash em 😥 unless you have a curing chamber. Then I would say you can dry them to be more like snack sticks. Once you hit your target weight loss, vac seal them and put them in your fridge till you get past the 30 day hurdle
Thanks, Eric. Another very informative and this case potentially life saving video. I do have a question for you. I add a teaspoon of cure # 1 to my marinade for every 5lbs. Of meat when making jerky. I then chamber seal the meat and marinade for at least 24 hours in the fridge. Is this safe practice?
That is exactly how you should do it
Great. Thanks. And, again thank you for all the informative videos
Excellent info Eric, I feel better about salting my protein for a couple days before I season …always thought nitrosamines came from “ burning “ cured meats like bacon
That's what I have researched too. Heating meat to a high temperatures produces nitrosamines. So, I use celery powder, or juice and garlic and wine. I still don't feel comfortable use synthetic curing salts made in a laboratory? I did listen to Eric's video on curing salt not being harmful.
@@ventjabut isn’t the reason those alternatives work is because they also have nitrates. Chemically speaking its the same makeup isn’t it?
Here in Indochina, salami is very expensive, can i fill a 50 mm artificial casing with spices, minced pork (1 kilo) and Curing salt (30 grams), perforate it and let it mature in the fridge at +7 degrees Celsius, our room temperature is always +33 degrees Celsius and I don't have a smokehouse.
Is this possible ???? and if ... how long do I have to wait until I eat it, thanks for any help....
Does this also apply for Jerky cure? Same thing? My apologies but new to making both Sausage and Jerky. Thanks
Great video, question : Can I buy ready made sausage from my butcher, and then just hang them in my Bilton box ? Which has a globe and fan in ? Thnx
It would be better if you made it at home and hung it as you would know what was in it and can control the safety and sanitation of your area. When dealing with a butcher it can be hit or miss
yes I would like to see a video on Sodium Erythorbate...Thank you
What about Morton’s Tender Quick which calls for 1 tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Would you have to wait 30 days after smoking and or cooking your sausage to eat it.
thanks for the video sir, im just curious how many grams per kilogram of sodium nitrite can i add to my sausage?
I have vitamin c at home. How much would I need for a 5lb batch of sausage for it to make the cure #1 be safe to test quickly?
An idea: Why don't you drink orange juice after you taste the sausage? This way you convert the nitrites in your stomach without fearing for nitrozamines.. Would that be a viable option? What do you think?
btw thanks for the videos. You are awesome..
that would be one idea. Not sure of the validity but in theory it might work
I am genuinely curious. I generally season my cubes with all of my seasonings including curing salt, then it is refrigerated overnight, then ground. Is there any fear of the cure being dangerous with this method?? I do this because I do not have a mixer, and like many others use the grinder as the mixer.. thanks!
When using curing salt number 1 with ground beef jerky, do I have to wait 12 hours before dehydrating or 12 hours before tasting. If it dehydrate right away will the conversion still take place in the meat? Many online jerky instructions say there is no need to let sit before dehydrating. Just starting to make jerky and want to make sure i am safe.
It's best practice to let the jerky dit fir 12 hours before dehydrating
Quick question. Does the instacure #1 keep doing it's job(converting to nitric oxide) after the smoking process or should you always let your sausage cure for 12 hours prior to smoking?
You should always let it fully cure before it's smoked
If I wanted to get a smoked brat that's not completely cooked what is the best smoke temp/process to accomplish that? I would like to freeze them and finish cooking at later time. Great explanation on curing salt.
I personally would smoke to an internal of 145f. (62.7). This is perfect for later finishing on a grill or stove top
@@2guysandacooler Thank you!
Great video! I am on day 4 of a 5 day brine of a pork loin. I used sodium nitrite in the brine. Since it is already cured, is it too late to add sodium erythorbate? If SE is not added, will the nitrites turn to nitrosamines when cooking? Thanks!
Sorry for the late response. If you are on day 4, the nitrites have already converted. They only take 12 hours or so to convert. You have no worries
Great video here and also the 4 part series on Salt, Cures and Vegetable Powders. A question if you don't mind answering it. If you use a cure accelerator (Sodium Erythorbate) to increase the conversion of Sodium Nitrite into Nitric Oxide, does it decrease the length of time for which the cure is effective for Cure #1 (i.e., 4 weeks to something less).
no. it would still be good for up to a month
Good to hear. Thanks for the reply.
Good to hear. Thanks for the reply.
How much time does salt petre take to break down and can it be used to make salami.
I don’t put curing salt because i have no idea how to use it when i make sausage we eat it right away or i freeze it and store it only 1 to 3 days 😛😋 thanks bro for info
Have read through the comments and didn't see the question I have... In a nutshell does using a cure accelerator shorten the length of time that Cure No.2 completes it's nitric oxide cycle? i.e. If it's not a good idea to eat meat that has Cure No.2 in for a month does using a cure accelerator only speed up the time it takes the cure to start converting or does it mean you can consume the meat sooner than a month? Despite researching this I'm a little confused on this aspect. Thanks Eric, Great videos, content and attention to detail.
Great information 👍. Would love to see a video on cure accelerators and the different binders.
Great video as usual Eric. Also really enjoyed the celebrate sausage teaser. Pretty sure I saw a Bavarian meatloaf super excited. Cheers
Thank you for the info. I have been adding instacure #1 and salt to cubed meat and refrigerating at least 24 hrs before grinding and seasoning. So at that point, is it safe to test or does it need another 12 hrs?
At that point it's safe to eat. You just need a minimum of 12 hours after you add it to the meat for it to convert
@@2guysandacooler Thank you, great info and great reminder that we have to know not only what we are eating, but what we are doing!
Didn't know about the waiting period... Thanks for the info Eric, greatly appreciated
I’m a nu- bi on starting to make sausage, but I’m watching your vids to take me down the right path , I’d like to make some killer sausage but not with nitrites or nitrates can I make uncured sausage? and can I make a Keto friendly sausages not using any sugar ? 🤔
yes. There are lots of sausage that don't really need a curing salt. Bratwurst, breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, etc. If you want to make cured sausages but without nitrites, look up ecocure #1. It's a NO NITRITE curing salt! tinyurl.com/27zenazd
Fantastic information, I loved how well explained it was. Thank you!
I'm a regular user of Vitamin C. I was down to about 3/4 of a pound so I ordered more and on Wednesday 3 pounds was delivered. I've never used it in sausage making and I'd love to see an episode incorporating it. Thanks Eric.
What do you use the vit C for in sausage?
To accelerate the nitrate breakdown
excellent channel. my problem is there is not any snao to my cooked sausage in natural casing all natural no cure salts .
Do you mean snap? If so, I have a video coming out on that very topic
So using Cure#1 and leaving it for at least 12 hours in the fridge and tasting it than is OK. If you don't like the taste and have to add spices you have to mix them in, so either way you have one more mixing of the meat on your hands. That would be even better because spices will have more time to permeate the sausage after 12 hours. Great explanation, thanks.
Thanks Eric! Quick question...what is the lowest temp safe for smoking uncured sausage in?
200f to be on the safe side
Wow! Thank you Eric. I had no idea. What about hot smoked foods such as a ham? Is the nitrite converted with heat?
no. It still needs to cure properly before it's smoked
Very interesting, I knew it could be bad to eat but didn’t know this!
Hello Eric excellent information as usual, been following you and using some of your recipes for some time now. Question I have is I’ve been making spicy salami sticks in 22mil and lamb casings lately and because there done in about 3 weeks in the chamber I’m using cure 1 instead of cure 2. Is this safe or should I be using 2 and waiting an additional 2 weeks to consume? That would be tough 😀 Thanks again for all you do.
You can use cure 1 in this situation 😁
Yes on Sodium Erythorbate. Also ascorbic acid and where it is havested from. I read recently that ascorbic acid is made and harvested from some questionable sources. Just would love your take on these items. Thanks
I don't use curing salt. I make my sausage and the next day I smoke it at 250 degrees. Is this okay?
could we use liquid vitamin c or juice as an eccelerator
I just shared this on a page I’m on with Facebook, there are a lot of people that didn’t know this. I’d suggest people share this video with anyone new to making sausage.
Thank You!!
Hello Eric. Just a quick question please mate. Would it be safe NOT TO ADD Curing salt but use normal cooking salt instead. Would the sausage be safe to eat? Thanks in advance
Just new to sausage making, good job I watched this video. More on
Accelerators please.
Thank you! for sharing your knowledge, Mate! That has definitely helped me with my understanding of these key ingredients.
THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!! switching to cure #1 immediately. I never gave #2 long enough. Yikes.
Does this also apply to natural curing methods like celery powder or juice, garlic,with wine.. This what I use. I still don't think curing salts are not harmful.
It applies to products that contain nitrites (either natural or synthetic). So, beet powder and celery juice powder fall into this category
thank you for your explanation i needed it
Awesome information, thanks for the post and continued consistency to purpose
Thanks Eric I would like to see a video on sodium erythorbate.
Great video!
This has me questioning things now. 😅
I use the umai dry bags. In their recipes for whole muscles, they always use #2.
And in the recipes I used from your site (coppa, bresaola & lomo) all use cute #2.
I don't tend to taste the meet until after its lost its target moisture loss, but is there much of a risk there with cure #2? Or when the target moisture loss is achieved in less than 30 days, would I be safer to vac pack and leave it until the 30 days has elapsed?
And then, does the cure time also affect this? For argument sakes, if I cure for 10 days and the meat dries in 20, is that still safe?
Sorry for long winded message just looking to make sure I'm keeping my family safe 😅
Thanks
Great question. So the time it takes to convert starts the second you add the cure to the meat. So in the case of whole muscles, if you add cure to meat (day 1) and it takes 10 days to cure, then it takes 20 days to dry, you would have accomplished the 30 day mark. If you find that some of your muscles dry faster (due to their size) you could always just vac seal it and refrigerate the meat till it reaches the 30 day mark. Or next time just use cure #1 if your projects are finishing in less than 30 days (including cure time). Does that make sense?
@@2guysandacooler yup, that makes perfect sense, cheers 😎
I know about ascorbate, but I would really appreciate a video on when and why they are necessary for recipes.
Good advice. If you need to check your spices by cooking a small piece. Do that before mixing in the cure. That’s my MO
yes, either do it that way or add a cure accelerator to the recipe
Thak you so much for this helpful content and sharing your knowledge.
So does this mean you shouldn't smoke and then cook your sausages the same day? Should I case my sausage I plan to smoke, wait overnight, then smoke, then cook? Just to make sure the pink salt has enough time to do its thing?
correct. Case the sausage, let it rest overnight, then cook the following day.
Erick como esta?
Some your of video you said that the sausage is good when is loose 30 o 40 % of weight when salt #2 is used what about if 30 days has passed?
This was great!
Thanks Eric!
Can you freeze your sausage and the change still happens or do you need to wait as well 12 hours before freezer ?
wait 12 hours before freezing
I usually let the meat pieces seasoned overnight (including cure #1), 12+ hours and then pass them through the grinder. I then add my liquid and taste it. Is that a safe way to do it?
Yes, That way is totally safe👍👍
Great video, nice work
Just to provide some context on the relative risks of Nitrosamine exposure, the TD50 value (causes cancer in 50% of exposed rats) dosage is 42 micrograms/kg body mass per day for NDMA and 50 micrograms / kg body mass per day for NDEA and those seem to be the main chemicals of concern in foods.
So putting that dosage in to human context, a male that weighs 220 pounds is roughly 100 kg. Therefor the equivalent dosage for NDMA would be 4.2 mg (miligrams) per day.
Looking up various cured red meats, typical NDMA content in thing like ham, salami, blood sausage, bacon, etc... comes in under 4 micrograms/kg of meat.
So, consuming 1 kilogram of salami (2.21 pounds) every day, would expose you to at most 4 micrograms of NDMA. That's roughly 0.01% of the TD50 dose, assuming a 220 pound man eats 2.21 pounds of salami....
That said, if you're worries about nitrosamine exposure due to consuming cured meats you sure shouldn't be eating most vegetables, cereal grains, or potatoes. Those are levels are typically 3-5 times higher than typical cured red meats. Looking at you especially celery.
LOL. True, but you have to consider that adding nitrites to meat is very different than nitrites naturally found in vegetables. For one there's the natural antioxidants found in vegetables that will convert nitrites into nitric oxides, next there's the lack of amines found in vegetables. This is the real problem. Either way it's not good practice to consume meat with high levels of nitrites that have not been converted.
Great info - thanks for sharing
Wow thank-you for the info
so it sounds like grinding, stuffing and smoking all in one day is out.. correct?
that is correct unless you add a cure accelerator