Basic Dry Cure - Morton's Tender Quick substitute

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Basic Dry Cure - Morton's Tender Quick substitute
From Habanero Smoker

This recipe/formula comes from Charcuterie, by Ruhlman and Polcyn, with a slight adjustment to bring the percentage of cure #1 up to 10%. I've found it to be a good substitute for Morton's Tender Quick. For cuts of meat 4 pounds or less, I measure the cure the same way I measured TQ. For cuts above 4 pounds I use to use 2.25 teaspoons of cure per pound (I now use 1 tablespoon per pound even if the meat is over 4 pounds). The 1 tablespoon per pound, is well within safe limits, and easier for measuring.

Basic Dry Cure:

• 1 pound/450 grams pickling salt
• 8 ounces/225 grams granulated sugar
• 2.4 ounces/68 grams pink salt (InstaCure #1; or DQ Powder; or Prague Powder #1; or Cure #1; or TCM)
  Makes about 3 1/2 cups

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix well. It is important to mix this thoroughly to ensure that the pink salt and other ingredients are equally distributed.
   • I used a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (do not use the whisk). I mixed the ingredients at speed #2 for two minutes. Scraped the sides and mixed for two more minutes.
   
   
2. For meat up to four pounds measure 1 tablespoon per pound.
   • The actual measurement should be 2 ounces per 5 pounds of meat. Which comes to about 2.25 teaspoons per pound, but you don't have to be exact when using a dry cure. So you can round off to 3 teaspoons or 1 tablespoon per pound.
   
   
3. Store in an air tight container away from sunlight, and it will last indefinitely.
   • If hard lumps form during storage discard and make a new batch. If the lumps fall apart easily with a little pressure the cure is still good to use.
   
   
4. To use the Basic Cure Mix as part of your favorite curing recipes, measure out the amount per pound that your need, then you can add your additional seasonings such as additional sugar, garlic, onions and/or herbs (do not add additional salt).

Additional Instructions/Notes:

If like the flavor of Turbinado sugar, and if you have some patients you can use that instead of granulated sugar. Turbinado sugar comes in large crystals, but in a dry cure you want all ingredients about the same size so that they evenly mix, and don't separate during storage. So you will need to grind the Turbinado sugar to white sugar granular size, without turning it into powder form. I have a small blade grinder and the best way I've found to do this is to pulse 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time until you get the right uniformity. There are about 8 tablespoons in 8 ounces of Turbinado sugar.

Comment by Habanero Smoker: I like Morton's Tender Quick for it convenience, but most of today's recipes call for pink salt, and Morton's TQ is not easy to find in my area. I have a plenty of pink salt, and I was happy when I came across this recipe. I've been using this cure a lot, not only as a substitute for Morton's Tender Quick, but it is handy to have this cure mixture on hand instead of starting from scratch each time I want to cure bacon, or pastrami.

Source:

• Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn. Charcuterie. The Craft of Salting, Smoking and Curing. NY/London. W.M. Morton Co.; 2005