| CAUTION: These
curing salts are designed to be used at the rate specified
in the formulation or recipe. They should not be used
at higher levels as results will be inconsistent, cured
meats will be too salty, and the finished products may
be unsatisfactory. The curing salts should be used only
in meat, poultry, game, salmon, shad and sablefish.
Curing salts cannot be substituted for regular salt
in other food recipes. Always keep meat refrigerated
(36° to 40°F) while curing.
Spice
Mix
The spice packet found in both Morton
Sugar Cure Mixes (plain and smoke flavored) is formulated
for curing hams or bacon. The spices are packaged separately
from the other ingredients. This is to prevent any chemical
change that may occur when certain spices and the curing
agents are in contact with each other for an extended
period of time. If you do not need an entire package
of Morton® Sugar Cure® mix for a particular
recipe or must make more than one application, prepare
a smaller amount by blending 1 ¼ teaspoons of
the accompanying spice mix with one (1) cup of unspiced
Morton® Sugar Cure® mix. If any portion of the
complete mix with spice is not used within a few days,
it should be discarded. It is not necessary to mix the
spices with the cure mix if spices are not desired.
The unspiced Sugar Cure mixes contain the curing agents
and may be used alone.
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To learn more about Meat Curing,
purchase
the "Morton Salt Home Meat Curing Guide:
An Illustrated Guide to curing ham, bacon, small
cuts and sausage making" from our Salt Shop!
|
Meat
Curing Methods
1. Dry Curing - Dry curing involves applying
the cure mix directly on the meat. Curing is done in
the refrigerator. After curing, the meat is rinsed to
remove the excess salt and then cooked. Dry curing is
used in curing hams and bacon as well as smaller cuts
of meat.
2. Brine Curing - Brine curing is also
popular for curing meat. This method is also called
a sweet pickle cure. Brine curing involves mixing the
curing salt with water to make a sweet pickle solution.
The meat is cured with this brine by injecting the brine
using a meat pump or by soaking the meat for a specific
time. Curing takes place in the refrigerator and the
meat is cooked after curing.
3. Combination Cure - Combines the dry
rub cure with injection of brine solution (also known
as a sweet pickle solution). A combination cure is used
for curing hams. This method shortens the curing time
required and reduces the chance of spoilage because
the cure process takes place inside and outside the
ham. Curing takes place in the refrigerator and the
ham is cooked after curing.
4. Sausage Cure Method - The method for
making cured sausage is different from the curing methods
described above. Curing salt and spices are mixed with
ground meat. Curing takes place in the refrigerator
and the sausage is cooked after curing.
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Tips
and Recipes
The featured
recipes were developed by meat curing experts at
Morton and made easy for everyone to enjoy. As you begin,
please keep in mind that home meat curing is not an
exact science. If you should experience difficulty in
the preparation of an individual recipe, refer to the
following meat curing tips to help ease the process.
Remember patience is the key to perfection!
Morton® Sausage and Meat Loaf seasoning
mix is not a curing salt. It is a
blend of spices and salt that imparts a delicious flavor
to many foods. The
seasoning mix can be added to sausage, poultry dressing,
meat loaf and casserole
dishes or it can be rubbed on pork, beef, lamb, and
poultry before cooking.
Just follow the instructions on the package, use in
recipes, or add to taste.
The Morton® Sausage and Meat Loaf seasoning mix
can be found in the Spices and
Seasoning section of the on-line store.
The Morton Salt Meat Pump is made of stainless
steel and holds 4-ounces of
curing pickle. The six-inch needle unscrews from the
tube for easy storage.
When attached, the overall length is 15 1/2 inches.
There are 12 holes drilled
into the needle so the curing pickle will have good
distribution when pumped
into the meat. The pump is available from the on-line
store.
Tips
1. Dry Curing - After applying the cure,
place meat in a plastic food storage bag and tie end
with a twist tie. For large cuts of meat and poultry,
use large-size food storage bags which are available
in most grocery stores. Do not use garbage bags.
2. Brine Curing - To prepare the brine,
use non-corrosive bowls, such as plastic, glass or stainless
steel. Crocks work well, too, but will take up more
space in the refrigerator. Prepare enough brine so that
meat is fully submerged. Use a bowl or plate as a weight
to keep meat fully immersed in the brine.
3. Meat cuts differ in thickness and amount
of bone and fat which affect cure penetration rate.
You may have to lengthen curing time if using a thicker
cut than specified in a recipe.
4. Feel free to experiment with spices
when curing to suit your family's taste. However, do
not exceed the curing levels indicated in the recipes.
5. To eliminate guesswork, label and date
meats before curing. We recommend labeling day and time
the meat is to be removed from the cure.
6. If meat is too salty, soak or boil
in water to remove excess salt. Next time, remember
to rinse cured meat under running tap water to remove
excess salt or reduce curing time slightly.
7. Cure meat in the refrigerator (36°
- 40°F). At colder temperatures, meat will not cure
properly. Warmer temperatures encourage growth of spoilage
microorganisms.
8. After curing, meat and poultry are
still raw and must be cooked before being eaten. For
your convenience, most recipes include suggested cooking
instructions. Should you decide to give a home-cured
delicacy as a gift, let the recipient know if you have
cooked it.
9. Cured meat turns a pink or reddish
color when cooked. If meat is fully cured, it will be
pink throughout the cut. For poultry, use a meat thermometer
to determine doneness, as meat will appear light pink
when fully cooked.
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