This question was posed to me recently. And admittedly I don't have enough knowledge to answer it with much authority.
So I am reaching out to the experts here for a better understanding.
- What is curing salt?
- when should I consider using it?
Curing salt is sodium nitrite mixed with salt, normally pink and has like 6.25% sodium nitrite. It is called many different things but will usually have the #1 in it. There is also a #2 that has both nitrite and nitrate, you would rarely need that one and is intended for really long curing like as in months.
You have to be really careful when using curing salt. You would not use it by itself and you need to get the measurement accurate or you can be poisoned either by to much or not enough. Nitrite poisoning is a real thing.
I use curing salt/ pink salt/ Prague #1/ etc for curing pork belly for bacon, making smoke sausage, beef sticks, dry beef, pestrami, sometime jerky, hocks, jowel, turkey, home made ham, and so on. I use it in both wet and dry mixtures along with salt and sugar or sausage seasoning. Sometimes I will pump my meat. The amount of time it stays in the cure just depends on the the meat and the process. Sausage being ground is pretty much ready once it is stuffed. Bacon is 10-14 days. Turkey is only 3-4 if it has been pumped.
It gives the meat a pink ham like flavor and texture. The reason to use it is to preserve the meat so it won't spoil or get food born illness while it is in the danger zone for extended periods of time. Meat will last longer.
Before you start using curing salt make sure you do your homework on curing salts and cures. There are many different types out there but I only refer to #1 as curing salt having 6.25% sodium nitrite. Also do your homework on what type of meat you are going to cure. And don't cure something that's already been cured.
