Bluemtnman If you’re using a seasoning blend it’s definitely best to use pink salt instead of tender quick - here’s why -
Tender quick is mostly salt with 0.5% nitrate and 0.5% nitrite, their package calls for 1 Tablespoon (3 Teaspoons) per lb of meat.
Cure #1 is also mostly salt, but is 6.25% nitrite and calls for 1 Teaspoon per 5lbs of meat (or 0.2 tsp per lb of meat)
If you used tender quick AND a seasoning blend it’s gonna be way too salty!
Plus, depending on what you’re making with your spice blend, pink salt gives you the option of using cure #1(nitrite) for quick cure items like snack sticks & summer sausage (nitrAte is not usually needed for these items, but there might be times you would want to add it) or cure #2(nitrate) (nitrAte converts to nitrite over time and acts as a “time release” cure) for long cure items like prosciutto, pancetta & fermented sausages like salami etc…
Best of luck!
