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Tenderquick

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warren.miller

Knows what a fatty is.
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does any one use tender quick on their competition meats?
Will it make your pork taste like Ham?
How does it work on Brisket?
How does it work on Chicken?
Thanks
 
Tender Quick is a curing agent used in the production of meats, jerky, ham, sausage, etc. If used on meat for a short period of time and then rinsed off, it will have an affect on the "smoke" ring by making it more pronounced and deeper. There are some who sware they can taste the difference on their palet. I am not one so gifted but do not use TQ as it is not necessary. The judges are taught that the smoke ring is not to be considered in their evaluation of the product and we all know that they follow this teaching. :rolleyes:
 
I have read of people using it to make their smoke ring look better. Something about nitrites or nitrates reacting with meat turns it pink... I don't think it will taste hammy unless you let it cure... Also not sure if its legal with KCBS. Finally i would never do it, i want my smoke ring naturally :)
 
Really, TQ will have little effect in the time allowed for cooking at an event. Hmmm you MIGHT get some "hammy" out of your ribs, but I don't know that that would be a good thing. I enjoy "hammies" once in a while, cure them for 2 days. On chicken, it would give a brine effect, but will also contribute to the "red joint" look...disconcerting to judges at best. Well, unless they surmise the boid was cured. I HATE having to make sure the juice runs clear on a chicken hunk before I eat it.

The smoke ring is in fact cured- by the nitrate/NO content of the smoke.
 
We used it a few times on brisket. Don't leave it on for more than 30 minutes. We had a thin brisket that we used it on once and we ended up with about 80% smoke ring through the meat.

Needless to say, we have put TQ on the shelf and notched it up to experience.
 
pomah25 said:
... Also not sure if its legal with KCBS
Click to expand...

Yes it's legal for KCBS comps. That being said, I have seen brisky slices turned in with a bright PINK so-called smoke ring that only left about 1/4 inch in the center that was meat colored.
 
Richtee said:
Really, TQ will have little effect in the time allowed for cooking at an event. The smoke ring is in fact cured- by the nitrate/NO content of the smoke.
Click to expand...

Key point in that last statement that many people don't know what the smoke ring is. It's just the outer edge that's been cured by the smoke, that's why it's pink.

Actually you have plenty of time. If you put TQ on a brisket for as little as 2 to 5 min, you'll get more SR than you want. Leave it on 10 to 20 you could actually have such a thick ring it would we pretty obvious.

TQ does the same thing as you mention, it actually cures the meat. Time and amount are the biggest determinants of how much.
 
SmokinOkie said:
Actually you have plenty of time. If you put TQ on a brisket for as little as 2 to 5 min, you'll get more SR than you want. Leave it on 10 to 20 you could actually have such a thick ring it would we pretty obvious.
Click to expand...

Yanno...I should have thought of this... I should have said "effect on flavor".. since you are not going for a full cure I discounted the "ring" production capability. Of course.."removing" it by a rinse or a scrape...only removes from the surface, and some nitrate will remain to carry on thru the temp reaching 140°.

Thanks Okie. I need to think a bit more sometimes.
 
I had some competition ribs this past weekend that almost certainly been dusted/soaked in Tender Quick. They were "hammy" and the pink was more like a christmas ham than a properly smoked rib.

Here is a poor photograph of some ribs I cooked about two weeks ago, notice the lighter pink smoke ring. To me, tenderquick gives it a strange sort of pink, much darker, like a baked ham.

5100550908_430d1905ef.jpg
 
Sorry, I did not clarify, the ribs in the poor quality photo do not have tender quick. I was only illustrating what I think a good smoke ring looks like. For me, a smoke ring on a rib is lighter in color. The ribs I claim might have had some TQ added had a smoke ring that looked dark pink. I do not have a photo of the ribs I think had been "enhanced" with TQ.

Just my opinion...it seemed obvious to mek mostly by the hammy flavor, but that could have been from a brine containing too much sugar.
 
warren.miller said:
Has anyone used it on pork butt or chicken?
Click to expand...

Warren...get over the TQ thing for comps. Read my earlier post about poultry and TQ.

Butts...great if you wait a week or so. Good shoulder ham.

But TQ has really no place in KCBS type competitions. It's not a magic bullet.

You are much better served working on your rubs and techniques. And brines, if so inclined. But leave the nitrates out.
 
Richtee said:
Warren...get over the TQ thing for comps. Read my earlier post about poultry and TQ.

Butts...great if you wait a week or so. Good shoulder ham.

But TQ has really no place in KCBS type competitions. It's not a magic bullet.

You are much better served working on your rubs and techniques. And brines, if so inclined. But leave the nitrates out.
Click to expand...

Most judges can tell what the deal is.
 
What are you looking for more smoke ring? use more wood.
What are you using for a smoker?
 
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