How long is cure good for?

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Blackriver
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How long is cure good for?

Post by Blackriver » Fri Feb 24, 2012 19:17

I bought a large jug of insta cure #1 in 2008. I was wondering how long the cure is good for? Does cure ever go bad?
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Post by crustyo44 » Fri Feb 24, 2012 19:40

Hi Blackriver,
The brains on this forum will certainly solve your dilemma. I am in the same boat.
Most of use use such small amounts of cure that we all having this problem unless you are making huge amounts of smoked sausage and cured meats.
I for one look forward the the answers you receive.
Personally, I think it is dependant on how you store it. In a proper sealed container? and the temperature?
Regards,
Jan.
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el Ducko
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Post by el Ducko » Fri Feb 24, 2012 19:45

With the exception of some baby formula items, food expiration dates are voluntary, or so it says on the internet. (...so it must be the truth, right? "...wanna buy a bridge?" :lol: )

That said, cure #1 is mostly salt, plus 6.25% sodium nitrite. As long as you keep it dry and tightly sealed, it should be good for a long time. If the package is damaged or it clumps when you open it, though, something besides water may have gotten in, so toss it and get some new. Cure #1 isn't THAT expensive. :cool:
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Post by Chuckwagon » Sat Feb 25, 2012 07:50

Hi Scott,
Do you know that you`re only the second person to ask that question in the two years we`ve been online. (See this link: http://wedlinydomowe.pl/en/viewtopic.ph ... =u.s.+army).

The United States Army recommends that the Cures be used within seven years although there has been no evidence of deterioration when Prague Powder is kept dry and out of direct light.

Many people have the wrong perception of "the chemical". It is simply a salt - a salt that breaks down into another composition called a "reduction". When NaNO3 (sodium nitrate) is placed into meat, it eventually begins to react with the staphylococcus and micrococcus bacteria present in meat. The reaction creates NaNO2 (sodium nitrite) - the reduction needed (nitric oxide) in the presence of oxygen to start the curing process.

However, if the meat does not contain adequate numbers of staphylococcus and micrococcus to begin with, the curing process will become very much restrained. In this case, NaNO2 (sodium nitrite) is added directly to the meat without having to endure the reductive process. It goes to work almost instantly, immediately beginning the curing process.

Often, meats brined in chlorinated water will have their naturally-present staphylococci and micrococci reduced by the chlorine. Hence, very little reaction will take place to reduce NaNO3 to NaNO2. To insure safety, sodium nitrite is often added directly to meat to remove the risk of insufficient numbers of reductive bacteria.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
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Post by nuynai » Sat Feb 25, 2012 23:01

IMHO- I got a 1 lb bag. It lasted and served me well for the entire time I used it, till it ran out.
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Post by ssorllih » Sun Feb 26, 2012 01:58

How would someone know if it had gone bad? I shouldk that sodium nitrite is as durable as sodium chloride. Sodium chloride in the presence of iron and water breaks down both itself and the iron.
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Post by el Ducko » Mon Feb 27, 2012 23:00

I guess I'd just err on the side of being conservative. If it's still free-flowing and retains its pink color (which is really a dye)... in other words, looks okay... it's probably okay. If it's not, then don't use it.

Both the chloride and the nitrite are ionic salts, so are tightly bound and highly stable if kept dry. If it looks like something changed, though, that something is probably airborne and is most likely humidity. When water and an ionic salt are combined, the water can hydrolyze the salts and the ions can rearrange and interact chemically or physically with whatever else is handy. Usually that means a caked mess, or worse, something nearby corroding.

So, if it looks different, toss it. Why take a chance?
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Post by el Ducko » Mon Feb 27, 2012 23:15

Oh, yeah- - don't store the stuff in a jar with a metal lid or in a metal can. Glass and plastic are best. Otherwise, like Ross said, it'll interact with the iron in the container. Interaction = not good.

Somewhere back along this thread, someone mentioned what the chemists call the electromotive series. For metals and ionic compounds, you can see where the various ions fall in the series and predict what they will react to form. Many metals (like iron) are pretty reactive. Glass (usually not on the list) is pretty low in reactivity, although a strong acid will eat it up. ...same deal with plastics- - most of 'em don't interact with ionic compounds for the most part (although there are exceptions).

Store cure as you would table salt. Dry conditions are ideal. Activate the stuff by dissolving it in water, which has the added advantage of making it more evenly and easily distributed in the meat.

This chemistry lesson was brought to you by... :razz:
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Post by Blackriver » Sun Mar 11, 2012 14:18

Ok one more question about shelf life. I have some powder dextrose and corn syrup solids I bought in 2008 are they still good? They are from the sausage maker and are in plastic jugs?
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Post by ssorllih » Sun Mar 11, 2012 17:14

They may cake up but if they aren't contaminated they will last forever.
Ross- tightwad home cook
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Post by nuynai » Sun Mar 11, 2012 22:47

Best thing is to call them. Never had a problem with customer service.
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Instacure#1 / Prague Powder Question

Post by sawhorseray » Tue Sep 25, 2012 01:08

I'm assuming that these two items are identical in the functions they perform, 6.25% sodium nitrite. I just ordered ten pounds of the stuff, the more you order the better the price it seems. Does this stuff have a shelf life? I plan to shrink-wrap it in 1lb bags and keep them in the pantry. Do I need to freeze the bags? Hope the questions don't sound too stupid, still learning with miles to go. Thanks in advance for your help. RAY

PS: The reason I bought 10 lbs was that brining meat seems to take a lot of cure, while curing sausage seems to take very little. After the huge success of my chicken smoking I want to smoke my own hams, and then try my hand at smoking my own bacon. Soon it will be cool enough here that I don't have to begin smoking at midnight and stay up till dawn while setting the alarm clock every four hours to add chips or make temperature adjustments. RAY
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Post by redzed » Tue Sep 25, 2012 01:38

Yes they are both the same and since most of it is salt, store it in a dry place so that it does not harden.
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