Dried Meats/sausage without the use of instacure

[Elad]

Hi,
I would like to make any Nitrites/Nitrates free meats/sausages but all the recipes asks for them, what do i need to change in the recipe beside not adding them?

[Jim]

Hello Elad,

Instacure or sodium nitrite is used in dry cured meats is for safety reasons to prevent growth of pathogens that can harm a human.
There are dry cured products sold in US that are labeled “nitrite free”, however they utilize nitrites found in vegetables like celery. The processors that sell these products are using celery extract or celery seed to add nitrite to the meat. We do not recommend making dry cured meats without the use of sodium nitrite.

[Elad]

Hi and thanks for the fast reply,
I’m aware of all that you wrote above but I have customers who adopted the “Paleo diet” in which they consume only ” presertive free” Food, so I have to find a way to manufacture nitrite free meats for them.

[Jan Ooms]

Hi Elad,
If your customers are eating green vegetables like spinach, celery etc etc they are already consuming nitrite.
Do NOT make any cured meats without it as Jim wrote.
In Australia we had several deaths years ago just because somebody did NOT include it in commercially made salami.
Jan.

[Charles]

This wouldn’t be a great service to your customers to sell them nitrite free charcuteries. By the way just read a book saying that at the end, celery finally transforms in more nitrites than Instacure does.

[Phil]

I like Michael Ruhlman’s article on this subject http://ruhlman.com/2011/05/the-no-nitrites-added-hoax/ Elad I suggest you do some research on using celery powder before you make up your mind. Another approach is to educate your consumers.

[Joseph Czerniawski]

It’s my understanding that Paleo Era humans only lived to an average lifespan of 30 years. I guess between war, murder and eating rotten food contributed to their short life spans. I myself wont forgo the use of nitrite/nitrates. However I have a book “The Sausage-Making Cookbook” by Jerry Predika, he explains the use of nitrates but he states he does not use them himself. His recipes do not include any nitrates or nitrites. When I use his recipes I always add the appropriate amount of instacure.

[Daryl]

Traditional italian way of making salami only has 3% salt no other additives like starter cultures and curing salt.
I never have made Salami myself but have been asking quite a few italian friends about the traditional ways of making salamis and they all seem to only use salt @ 3% as a curing agent.
I would also like help on this matter! Comments here are all saying NO don’t do it however it was made this way for hundreds of year…last thing i want to do is kill someone! :ohmy:
I am sure there would be someone on this forum that has italian background that can help us 🙂

[Jan Ooms]

Dazmac, You are so correct. All my Italian friends and their very extended families have been making Salame with salt only as a curing agent.They only added hot chile powder/flakes and all home grown too.
They are all still alive and well and several are in their mid 90’s and still helping out in May when it’s salame time here.
Since shifting the the Sub Tropics, I decided that cures are a good safeguard as really cold winter are unheard of where I live.
There are a lot of discussions about cures on the net and on Forums about this touchy subject but personally I will always use cures.
The amounts are really miniscule and work their way out of the meat anyway over a period of time.
I do know that meat/sausages were cured for hundreds of years but people also had a shorter life span and nobody really knew the cause when they kicked the famous bucket unexpectedly.
Use cure my friend, you will sleep better at night!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers,
Jan.

[Phil]

Dazmac if, as you say, the last thing you want to do is kill someone then follow Jan’s advice and the majority of us – use the cure prescribed in the recipe!

[Daryl]

Thanks Crusty and Shuwap..
Another question…….do you have to use the starter culture? a few recipes i have found use cure #2 but starter culture is optional

Comments?

[Jan Ooms]

I have never used a culture yet on Coppa, Bresaola, Lonza and other goodies. No doubt I will try it one day when I have some spare time. Robert Goodrick (Check Facebook or Google) makes charcuterie the old fashioned way, I like to follow his advice. Experience is hard to beat in this hobby.
Just start making what you like, use the correct cure as a sleeping aid and use a culture at a later date when you feel more comfortable in this hobby.
Start mincing, curing, smoking and drying my friend.
Cheers,
Jan.

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