Sugar

Post Reply
Aaron
User
User
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 00:37
Location: Albany W.A

Sugar

Post by Aaron » Sat Feb 14, 2015 13:00

Hello all!
As my wife is on a no sugar diet I was wondering if cures for meat etc need the sugar as an ingredient as part of the curing process......Or...Can salt be enough???
User avatar
Devo
Forum Enthusiast
Forum Enthusiast
Posts: 515
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 19:25
Location: Ontario

Post by Devo » Sat Feb 14, 2015 13:17

It is needed for proper fermentation, depending on how much you add will affect the PH drop. Different sugars react differently but yes it is needed.
User avatar
Bob K
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 2232
Joined: Sun Jun 02, 2013 15:16
Location: Northwest Ct

Post by Bob K » Sat Feb 14, 2015 13:44

If you are making a cured/fermented product, sugar is required for good results.

If you are curing with salt and/or nitrites you don't need to use sugar. The sugar is used to make the salt taste less harsh.
User avatar
Devo
Forum Enthusiast
Forum Enthusiast
Posts: 515
Joined: Sat Nov 19, 2011 19:25
Location: Ontario

Post by Devo » Sat Feb 14, 2015 14:53

Bob K wrote:If you are making a cured/fermented product, sugar is required for good results.

If you are curing with salt and/or nitrites you don't need to use sugar. The sugar is used to make the salt taste less harsh.
Very true, I was assuming you where making dry cured sausage. Is your wife just not using sugars and using a sugar substitute? I have heard of people using a sweetener in place of sugar.
Aaron
User
User
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 00:37
Location: Albany W.A

Post by Aaron » Sun Feb 15, 2015 01:37

Devo wrote:
Bob K wrote:If you are making a cured/fermented product, sugar is required for good results.

If you are curing with salt and/or nitrites you don't need to use sugar. The sugar is used to make the salt taste less harsh.
Very true, I was assuming you where making dry cured sausage. Is your wife just not using sugars and using a sugar substitute? I have heard of people using a sweetener in place of sugar.
Thanks Bob and Devo for your replies

My wife's diet doesn't allow sugar/fructose of any sort or yeasts or grains such as rice pasta bread etc....She's allowed animal fats and vegetables, probiotic cultures such as yogurt kefir etc....I have learned to make some tasty food using these limitations......
I do make already my own bacon using just salt and herbs in a salt box for a few days and then hot smoke but I don't keep it for longer than a week...it tastes lovely!
but for longer periods without nitrites I was wondering if I could leave out the sugar from the cure ingredients if I was storing for longer periods?
User avatar
redzed
Moderator
Moderator
Posts: 3852
Joined: Fri Apr 20, 2012 06:29
Location: Vancouver Island

Post by redzed » Sun Feb 15, 2015 09:34

Hey Aaron, what exactly are you wanting to make? Sugar is not an essential igredient in sausages, brined or dry cured products. Just watch that you don't over salt. And the amount of sugar in fermented products is a very small amount and it, in turn, is consumed by lactic bacteria so there really is no "sugar" in the salumi. But on the other hand, there are naturally occuring sugars in just about everything we direct into our mouths. :sad:
Aaron
User
User
Posts: 89
Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2014 00:37
Location: Albany W.A

Post by Aaron » Sun Feb 15, 2015 10:41

redzed wrote:Hey Aaron, what exactly are you wanting to make? Sugar is not an essential igredient in sausages, brined or dry cured products. Just watch that you don't over salt. And the amount of sugar in fermented products is a very small amount and it, in turn, is consumed by lactic bacteria so there really is no "sugar" in the salumi. But on the other hand, there are naturally occuring sugars in just about everything we direct into our mouths. :sad:
Thanks Redzed......I'll let my wife know that the sugar is consumed by Lactic bacteria...She should be OK with that explanation....it's just that she has done so well with adhering to her diet she didn't want to ruin it by having something she shouldn't...

I want to attempt a Spanish dry cure chorrizzo....I've been making breakfast chorizo for a while now and it is beautiful...some times I slightly hot smoke too but it is soon time to move on to making my first salami

thanks
Post Reply