A QUESTION from a simple guy...

[Sailor1]

This is what I did:
I marinated the beef strips in a jerky marinade for about 20 hours in the fridge; then I set the temp in the Masterbuilt to 160*; when it reached 160*, I put the beef in and left it for over 3 1/2 hours; by then it had reached the texture I was wanting, so I took it out and let it cool.
I guess since I didn't get it to 165*, I'll need to keep it in the fridge.

Thanks for the info...very helpful.

When a person is smoking or drying at a low temp they should be using cure #1.  Temp of 160 is considered to be low in my book.  If you do a whole muscle meat that has not been sliced such as a pork butt or brisket and smoke it at 220-250 you are killing the bacteria on the surface of the meat.  Once you slice it or grind it and cut through any thing that was on the surface you have a chance to transfer it to the meat.  Cure #1 will keep the meat save for low smoking or drying.  If you read the packages of jerky sold commercially you will see that they add sodium nitrate, which is cure #1. 

Chances of you getting sick the way you did it is small but there is that possibility.  I would never dry or smoke jerky that has not had 1 tsp of cure per 5 pounds added to it.  All it takes is that one time that you have bugs on the meat and they get transferred to the inside of the meat by cutting it.  Just sayin 

[RAD]

when using the cure do you dissolve in liquid first to help it get all of the meat?

[Sailor1]

when using the cure do you dissolve in liquid first to help it get all of the meat?

When making sausage for smoking I normally use 1/2 cup of water per 5 pounds and add the cure to that before I put my spices in.  If making jerky I still add the cure to the water before the spices or mix is added.  If you are using a liquid mix for jerky you can just add the cure to and dissolve before adding to the meat.

[Jaxon]

MY BAD.....

Add this step to what I did:

I put the package of spices AND the package of cure (per package directions) into the blender with the proper amt of water.  I gave it a long spin until I tho't they were well blended.  THEN I added it to the meat and mixed it all thoroughly by hand (with gloves) to coat all surfaces.  THEN I separated the meat into 2 portions and put them into gallon size ziplock bags and put in the fridge.  Turned them several times to mix.
I DID use the cure!!!

I guess next time I'll set the Masterbuilt to 170* and check the temp of the meat before I take it out.

NOW...thanks for all the extra help and info.

[Sailor1]

Good to hear that you use cure.  Be careful about having your smoker set it to high-temperature you don't want to cook the jerky you just want to dry it. For what it's worth I set my smoker at 150° and keep it there throughout the entire drying process

[RAD]

when using the cure do you dissolve in liquid first to help it get all of the meat?

When making sausage for smoking I normally use 1/2 cup of water per 5 pounds and add the cure to that before I put my spices in.  If making jerky I still add the cure to the water before the spices or mix is added.  If you are using a liquid mix for jerky you can just add the cure to and dissolve before adding to the meat.

Thanks Sailor, that's what I was doing.

[GusRobin]

Well put, they also didn't have the life expectancy we have today with modern methods.

They probably died earlier due to a build up of pathogens from the sun dried meat. 

[Jaxon]

Good to hear that you use cure.  Be careful about having your smoker set it to high-temperature you don't want to cook the jerky you just want to dry it. For what it's worth I set my smoker at 150° and keep it there throughout the entire drying process

Dang...I puzzled now.  How can I get to a safe germ-killin' temp of 165 if I cook at 150?  Maybe I can sear it first...just kiddin'

B T W...here's a money shot / one of the two trays.


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[RAD]

Jax,

From what I understand and not by any means am I an expert on this subject, I am in the learning stages too, but I have been reading a book on Meat Curing and Sausage making by, Rytek Kutas. So if I miss quote this I’m sure one of the experts will correct me.

Temperatures between 40-140 F, moisture and lack of oxygen are your danger zones and is where Botulism spores are found, therefore cures are critical when you smoke and cook meat between these temps to prevent food poisoning. The book also states that if you can’t cure it, don’t smoke it. Don’t take the chance, it’s not worth it.

[Jaxon]

Thanks RAD...

[Sailor1]

Good to hear that you use cure.  Be careful about having your smoker set it to high-temperature you don't want to cook the jerky you just want to dry it. For what it's worth I set my smoker at 150° and keep it there throughout the entire drying process

Dang...I puzzled now.  How can I get to a safe germ-killin' temp of 165 if I cook at 150?  Maybe I can sear it first...just kiddin'

B T W...here's a money shot / one of the two trays.

Jaxon, Don't be puzzled    You are just smoking and "drying" jerky.  You are removing the moisture from it.  You are not cooking it.  That is why you want to use cure #1 when you do jerky.  You can add liquid smoke to jerky and go right to a "dehydrator" and you are taking the moisture out of it.  You are not worrying about the IT.  That is why you want to be around 150 degrees.  You are just wanting to remove the moisture.

Then you have smoking sausage such as summer sausage, snack sticks and other types of sausage that you apply smoke to and are curing.  You are drying the casings around 130 degrees and then smoking from 140 degrees to no more than 170 degrees bringing the IT up to 152 degrees.  You are not wanting to remove the moisture when doing these that is why you use soy concentrate or NFDM to help retain the moisture.  You are bringing the IT up to 152 and the cure is keeping the meat safe while smoking.

Then you have the meats that you are "cooking", chicken, brisket, Butt.  These are done at at higher temp 220 to 250 degrees and cure is not used.  When you use whole muscle you are not worried about the germs/bugs on the surface as they have not penetrated inside the meat.  The cabinet temp of the smoker, grill or pellet popper is at 220 to 250 so them bugs are killed on the surface and you can "cook" low and slow and are not "drying" the meat.

As stated above......temps at 40 to 140 is the danger zone and when you are using temps in that range you want to use cure. 

I hope I have moved some of the puzzle pieces closer to the edge so you can get a better picture.

Jim

[Jaxon]

"Crystal", Jim... and thanks for the details.

The seasoning packages I get have a packet of "cure" that I use.  I'll rest easy now, knowing that I'm not gonna poison anyone.

[Saber 4]

Sailor, that was probably the best short and sweet explanation of the differences in methods that I've seen given to the cure question. So many explanations get to technical to quickly and end up scaring people off of the really fun stuff we can do at home.