Seasoning & Additives 101 - Why We Recommend Excalibur Seasonings

[Jonathon]

Seasoning & Additives 101 - Why We Recommend Excalibur Seasonings

Attend this entry level class from Meatgistics University by watching the video, reading the article and post any questions you have!

Why We Use Excalibur Pre-Packaged Seasonings

Excalibur seasonings have many qualities that set them apart from other seasoning companies. One of the main benefits is their SQF Level 3 certification. Having that certification means that Excalibur has put their ingredients, their processing, and their facility through rigorous testing and retesting to ensure that they are producing the safest and highest quality ingredients possible.

Every input and output is assigned a lot # that is printed on each label and it is put through tests to compare it to previous lot #s to make sure that it measures up to the previous batches in consistency, quality, and taste. This helps ensure that your favorite seasoning will taste just as great this time as last time and next time.

Excalibur also has a Research and Development lab that works tirelessly to perfect the seasonings that they make and to try to make improvements to their production practices to ensure excellent seasoning taste and quality.

Excalibur has also created packages of seasoning that are perfectly designed to season-specific amounts of meat ranging from 5 lb to 100 lb. These prepackaged seasonings have the correct amount of salt, spices, and seasonings to give you the best consistency, appearance, and most importantly taste possible!

Shop waltonsinc.com for Excalibur Jerky Seasonings

Shop waltonsinc.com for Excalibur Summer Sausage Seasoning

[Brianh]

I see the chart for how much seasoning to use per 1 lba and 5lbs of meat. Is there somewhere that details how much Sure Cure to use for smaller batches?

[PapaSop]

Brianh
Go to Walton’s learning center, seasonings and scroll down to the conversion charts.

[Jehar]

Can I use the Wlly’s and Honey Bacon seasoning mix to make jerky instead of snack sticks? Ratio’s still the same, any other ingredients?

[Jonathon]

Jehar Yes you can but when going from snack stick to jerky just be aware that it is probably going to have a stronger taste, that is because the snack stick is designed to be ground into the product while the jerky is just a topical seasoning so less seasoning gives same level of flavor. Best thing to see what I am talking about is to look at the jalapeno summer sausage or snack stick seasoning and then the jalapeno jerky seasoning, the jerky seasoning weighs just about half the sausage ones. Now, 50% isnt always a good basis to start from so the best I can tell you is scale it back 10-15% and then go from there.

[Marshall]

I bought a whole pig, but when I got it, they sliced up the side pork. I wanted to make bacon with it so I coated both sides of each piece wth Excalibur Bacon Rub Cure. I followed the instruction but uses alot more Excalibur then what was called for because the side pork was sliced up already. I smoked it, the taste was good but very salty, any recommendations on how to smoke the rest of the side pork?
Thanks,
Marshall

[Jonathon]

Marshall Are you thinking all in one go or are you wanting to break it down further? Also, for bellies (especially with dry rub) you want to soak it after it has sat in the cure. If you don’t then yes way too salty. I usually recommend people rinse it twice in fresh water for 20 minutes.

[Marshall]

Jonathon, I did rinse it twice for 20 min. each time. Do you think I should only coat one side of the side pork?

[Jonathon]

Marshall Fat generally wont let the cure penetrate, just the protein side so doing just the protein side wont hurt anything really. I might still lightly coat that side but it doesnt need the same coverage

[YooperDog]

Marshall just to make sure I understand. Your side pork was sliced into strips and you want to turn those slices in cured slice’s of bacon. Or is the side pork still a whole piece that was sliced into chunks?

[Marshall]

YooperDog yes the side pork was cut up into strips when I got it. I coated both sides, I think it was to much. was just wondering if anyone had any suggestions.

[Larry Joe Sample]

Jonathon I have a lot of excalibur thuringer and other seasonings, they say best by 2018. Will they still be good to use? If so should I use a little more. They are hard caked and will need to be ground. Thanks for any help you can offer. Larry Joe.

[Tex_77]

Larry Joe Sample They should be good for about 2 years, you are probably approaching their end of life. I’d just grind them up and taste them and see what you think.

[Larry Joe Sample]

That’s what I was thinking. But wanted to see what you thought. Thanks Larry is

[YooperDog]

Marshall I am not sure if anything can be done, just might need to use it as side pork vs cured bacon. I might try brining them, but I don’t know how you are going to smoke them unless you can cold smoke. Maybe Jonathon and the Walton’s team has some ideas.

[Jonathon]

YooperDog Marshall I recommend cutting back on the amount used and certainly the time held as they were cut into strips, you don’t need to hold it as long as it will penetrate quicker. How much less I wouldn’t be able to recommend, it would take some experimentation but I’d start cutting back slightly and go from there.

[1oldfart]

Are there any seasonings listed that could not or should not be used for snack sticks?

[Jonathon]

1oldfart When you say listed, I assume you mean basically anything on waltonsinc.com? Anything CAN be used but I’d not say everything SHOULD be used. For example, a bratwurst seasoning or breakfast sausage is formulated for fresh products, they might not have the salt content necessary to properly aid in protein extraction. That can be gotten around though by using more seasoning per lb of meat. However, there isn’t a standard equation for converting fresh to cured because the salt content is different for each seasoning, so all basically have to be figured out by making small test batches.

[Smokiejoe4]

Do you need to use Encapsulated citrus acid in habanero barbecue seasoning

[Jonathon]

Smokiejoe4 I still add it with that seasoning, in fact there isn’t one I don’t add it to but I like the tang it adds. If that is what you are worried about you can either add Smoked Meat Stabilizer, which adds less of a tang, Sodium Erythorbate which imparts no tang but you need a hyper accurate scale to use this, 7/8 of an oz is enough to cure accelerate 100 lb of meat. Or, you can add no cure accelerator and hold it overnight.