Cure Accelerator Options (ECA taste?)

[deanlorensen]

So I made a 10lb batch of pepperoni following Jons meatgistics video. I used roughly a 40/60 venison to pork ratio including 1lb of straight course ground pork back fat. I used the Excalibur pepperoni seasoning with cure #1 and encapsulated citric acid. Mixed, stuffed, straight to the smoker in less then 90min. The ECA gave it the “tang” everyone talks about. Both my wife and I were not a fan of it. However, 24 hours later the tang seems to of lessened a bit so I left them in the fridge and will try tonight.

What other options for cure accelerators are there that dont add any flavor? Sodium erythorbate has to be measured the 1000ths of a gram right (I’d need a new scale if I go that route) I do alot of small batch stuff 5-15lbs.

[TexLaw]

I typically use straight ascorbic acid, 1/4 teaspoon per 5 lbs meat.

[rich]

WHERE DO YOU GET ASCORBIC ACID

[cdavis]

deanlorensen I’m not a fan of the tang so I’ve been using smoked meat stabilizer and I love the results.

[cdavis]

deanlorensen and by the way your pepperoni looks great. Good job.

[Chef]

rich Just need a bottle of plain vitamin C and crush them up.

[deanlorensen]

Chef Like just vitamin C daily supplements then run them through a spice grinder?

[Chef]

deanlorensen That’s correct. Don’t want the chewable ones, they have a lot of sugar mixed in. The regular vitamins does have a small component of filler, but not enough to make any difference.

[Jonathon]

deanlorensen Smoked meat stabilizer has less of a tang but it is a mix of acids so it does impart some tang as well. Sodium erythorbate is 7/8 of an oz to a 100 lb batch. So that is .875 of an oz per 100 or .00875 oz per lb of meat. So that would be .24 gram per lb of meat.

[rich]

Chef how must vitamin c per lb

[Chef]

rich Like TexLaw stated, About 1/4 teaspoon per 5 pound meat block. I even use this for when I cut fresh fruit to keep it from turning brown; I find it better then lemon juice.

[rich]

thanks chef and texlaw