Beginner's mixup - hopefully all isn't lost

rgauthier20420 · Post by **rgauthier20420** » Wed May 14, 2014 15:42

I began the first step in my first batch yesterday evening. I cut up a 3.3lb pork shoulder into 1 in pieces or so and left myself with about 3 lbs of meat which is what I was using as a measurement of my spices. I'm cubed the pieces and added the salt, Cure #2, and sugar to the cubes and combined well and popped it into the fridge.

Something was eating at me about the meat, so I looked at redzed's posts about him salt/curing for 48 hours before grinding and stuffing and realized I added the sugar into the mix when he does not. Thinking that fridge temps are not cold enough to stave off bad bacteria from eating the sugars, I immediately put the meat container in the freezer to protect it from infection before grinding and stuffing. It was in the fridge MAYBE 5 minutes before I made this realization and move.

I plan on taking it out of the freezer and putting it into the fridge 6 hours before grinding and stuffing to allow a little thawing and to keep it partially frozen. Is this ok?

Please tell me my meat is ok.

Tasso · Post by **Tasso** » Wed May 14, 2014 17:08

I don't know about the sugar, but cure #2 contains both sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. The sodium nitrite will not cure the meat at freezing temperatures. The sodium nitrate doesn't cure meat directly. It has to be broken down to sodium nitrite over time by the action of bacteria in the meat to become effective. By freezing the meat, you've stopped all curing and bacterial action. Your meat is now in cryogenic suspended animation!

rgauthier20420 · Post by **rgauthier20420** » Wed May 14, 2014 17:12

Tasso wrote:I don't know about the sugar, but cure #2 contains both sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. The sodium nitrite will not cure the meat at freezing temperatures. The sodium nitrate doesn't cure meat directly. It has to be broken down to sodium nitrite over time by the action of bacteria in the meat to become effective. By freezing the meat, you've stopped all curing and bacterial action. Your meat is now in cryogenic suspended animation!

I guess this was sort of the plan since I was worried about the sugar being mixed in. The cure will kick into action once the meat is back up to proper temps and ground and stuff though....correct?