Overcuring Meat

[tjkoko]

Here is an article that indicates a pitfall when meat has been cured too long. Anyone have experience with this problem?

Allow enough curing time for the meat to absorb the salt. Keep careful track of the curing time. If you cut it short, the meat may spoil. If you cure too long, the meat loses quality. Keep meat under refrigeration or hanging in a cold place (38 to 45 degrees F) after curing to dry and to give the salt time to spread evenly throughout the meat.

 

[K Kruger]

To what problem are you referring?

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Allow enough curing time for the meat to absorb the salt. Keep careful track of the curing time. If you cut it short, the meat may spoil. </div></BLOCKQUOTE> No. If you cut it short the meat won't cure all the way through. Unless you're looking at warming temps it is quite unlikely that spoilage rate will be affected.

If you want to cut the cure time but be assured of thorough curing, inject.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> If you cure too long, the meat loses quality. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Well, 'too long' varies, depending on meat type, thickness, cure ratios; whether the cut loses 'quality' depends on the same, plus meat structure.