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salts--nitrites vs nitrates

poster
poster Posts: 1,348
in EggHead Forum
Starting on my bacon project after seeing a lot of people on here having great results. I found the curing salt at my butcher today. he recommended a salt (white in colour) that is sodium nitrite vs. sodium nitrate which is usually pink (where I shop anyways). I was told to use the pink for long hanging type cures but to stay away if possible for short or refrigerated cures. Nothing bad will happen but there is a slight health benefit? Lots of the recipes I see just call for pink salt but aren't specific as to requiring sodium nitrite or nitrate. Would I expect the same results using either salt? Is there any benefit to using sodium nitrite when possible (short cures like bacon) Also heard that Canada (where im from) has a bit different nomenclature maybe even colouring than the US for these 2 salts? So is what I've found the same where you guys are from? or completely different. Either way I'm getting kinda excited to make my own bacon
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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    There's a difference. Quick cures use nitrite (pink salts, prague powder #1, etc). 

    this is called a quick cure because it cures quickly. Bacon, ham, etc. uses this kind. It's not for air dried sausages

    Nitrate is found in prague powder #2, Tenderquick, etc. in addition to nitrite

    over time the nitrate breaks down into nitrite and continues to guard against butulism (mostly in sausages).  

    You can make a ham or bacon with #2, it's just the nitrate is superfluous


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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    poster said:
    Starting on my bacon project after seeing a lot of people on here having great results. I found the curing salt at my butcher today. he recommended a salt (white in colour) that is sodium nitrite vs. sodium nitrate which is usually pink (where I shop anyways). I was told to use the pink for long hanging type cures but to stay away if possible for short or refrigerated cures. Nothing bad will happen but there is a slight health benefit? Lots of the recipes I see just call for pink salt but aren't specific as to requiring sodium nitrite or nitrate. Would I expect the same results using either salt? Is there any benefit to using sodium nitrite when possible (short cures like bacon) Also heard that Canada (where im from) has a bit different nomenclature maybe even colouring than the US for these 2 salts? So is what I've found the same where you guys are from? or completely different. Either way I'm getting kinda excited to make my own bacon

    Canada Compounds makes a curing mix which is ready to use. I think it's called ready-cure. You can get pink salts here but you need to mix it with Kosher salt to get to the right percentage of nitrite/nitrate. Oy vey the arithmetic I went through to figure out that it was a ready to cure mix. If you are making bacon you can just pour the ready-cure in a big Tupperware thing and dip the belly in it just making sure that all sides are in contact with the salts and drop the pork in a big ziplock.  I find that using maple sugar flakes works better than syrup. That's probably what you have.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • KiterTodd
    KiterTodd Posts: 2,466
    Good question.  Thanks for asking. 

    It made me do a little research and I saw THIS article.  I have never heard of this website so I don't know if it is worth it's salt ;) but this article basically states we shouldn't worry.  Or does it?
    LBGE/Maryland
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    And poster, please don't listen to Mr. Crenshaw. He hasn't really got the hang of this whole charcouterie thing. I heard that he made a few guys real sick on a fishing trip with something he called guanciale. I heard he actually served them a pig's face. One guy was so bad he left something horrible in the rented cottage. He is currently wanted in the state of Virginia for attempted manslaughter or so they say.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • poster
    poster Posts: 1,348
    thanks guys. The stuff I got says use 450g for 60 lbs of meat. I love the metric/imperial ratios, lol. Anyways sounds pretty concentrated (2 tablespoons for 5lbs) to me so I believe it is not ready-cure?, and I need to cut with kosher
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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817

    I don't know about that kind of strength. Sounds like commercial stuff. Where are you at?

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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  • Darby_Crenshaw
    Darby_Crenshaw Posts: 2,657
    Sounds like commercial stuff to be added to salt and sugar
    [social media disclaimer: irony and sarcasm may be used in some or all of user's posts; emoticon usage is intended to indicate moderately jocular social interaction; the comments toward users, their usernames, and the real people (living or dead) that they refer to are not intended to be adversarial in nature; those replying to this user are entering into a tacit agreement that they are real-life or social-media acquaintances and/or have agreed to or tacitly agreed to perpetrate occasional good-natured ribbing between and among themselves and others]

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  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    OK Husker! You agree with something Crenshaw says AFTER I already said it. You were so close to being on the list.

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

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