Buzzy said:
so it does not dry out
it's called NOT over cooking. Use a thermometer
GO FOR IT!!!
Take Meat that has NO Fat in it...Stuff it in a Casing and smoke it to the Temp NEEDED to kill off Bacteria....your going to come out with DRY Meat!
Meat with NO Fat in it or a Fat Substatute is going to dry out....
Have you ever read any books on Fat Substatue or Fat itself and WHY it is mixed in??
It is to Hold Moisture...
When you take meat to a temp of 155-165, it Dries out...
Take Lean Pheasant breats, Grind them up and SEE what you get when it gets to 165 degrees in a casing... it is DRY, if you do not add some sort of Fat or Fat Substatute!
I USE Thermometors......1 inserted into the Meats being smoked (Sausage, bologna, snacksticks, whole legs) and 1 in the smoker to know the inside Temp of the Smoker...
When Thermometor in Meat hit 155 Degrees, the Smoker gets turned OFF and the meat is left to go to 165 to kill off the Nasty Bacteria that can still be there that will make people Sick....When the meat hits 156 and has
no Fat or Fat Suibstatute in it, it is already Dry like Cardboard!
Your NOT posting to Someone who just started doing this yesturday...I been around smoking and Curing meats since I was 5 and learn from there and Understand what is needed and why!
From the Sounds of you saying that..your 1 of those who believe that Soduium Nitrite has no course of use other then to turn the meat a Red Shade and feel it is not needed to be used in Smoke Cured Meats??