First timer help questions

[Leglessracing]

hi guys,

I’m new to this so please bare with me. I’ve tried the search function but it didn’t bring an answer to my question up.

I’ve got a smoker and I’m looking around at different cure recipes. Ideally, I’m looking to dry cure.
I see a lot of people using pink salt, instabcure, curing salt etc. Is something like this needed? Or can I stick with unrefined sea salt and Demerara sugar?
Because I’m in the uk, trying to find pink salt isn’t the easiest thing!

 

[wild west]

Welcome to the forums. Yes you need some type of curing salt such as pink salt. Its the nitrite it contains that keeps the meat from spoiling during the long process of curing and then smoking at low temps. The other ingredients such as sea salt and sugar give the flavour profiles you want in your bacon. You should join the UK members section. I know there are UK members that cure their own bacon that could possibly help with where to purchase curing salt.