SC - Lord's Salt experiment. upcoming trial with venison

[david friedman]

I am weeks behind the list; I hope this is still of some use.

At 5:39 PM -0500 11/10/99, Hauviette wrote:
>I am going to try out this recipe this weekend. I have some basic questions
>before I start out.
>
>1.Strong vinegar- someone posted that you need to use 7% versus the ordinary
>5% acid level, where could I obtain such a vinegar, or is there a name for it
>that would be universal

When we first did this recipe, I read up on botulism. From what my 
sources said, vinegar that is 5% or better will prevent the botulism 
bugs from growing in your stuff, and boiling for 15 minutes will 
destroy the botulin toxin if it has developed. We figured that the 
vinegar is getting somewhat diluted by the meat juices and that it 
would therefore be safer to start with stronger vinegar.

>5. Is there a test that I can perform to determine the level of bacteria
>before eating it? Is there something that I can obtain to scientifically
>demonstrate that it is safe before I condemn my fellow cooks to a day of
>vomiting and other nasties, if that is the least of the problems to result
>from bad food. I just want to be very careful in what I serve to others, so
>please forgive the anal retentiveness on this.

I don't know about a test. We have usually served this to others in 
dishes cooked at least 15 minutes, but have often eaten it ourselves 
out of the jar. The original batch we made sat on the kitchen counter 
for three or four weeks, being opened every couple of days so we 
could take out another piece and eat it. We haven't poisoned 
ourselves then or since, and we have been doing the recipe for years. 
Our version is in the Miscellany.

Elizabet6h/Betty Cook

David Friedman
Professor of Law
Santa Clara University
ddfr at best.com
http://www.best.com/~ddfr/
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