This file use to be public. Not sure if it is still anywhere? Its called EQ Bacon Cure Calculator V3
Thanks Eric, I have one more question. My cure #1 is a couple of years old. It's sealed and has been kept in a cabinet away from sunlight and excessive temperature swings. I'm pretty sure it's still safe and as potent as it was when I bought it, but I just want to make sure.Chris, the 6.25% is the amount of nitrite present in cure #1 by volume and is standardized there in the USA, it’s different in other countries sometimes. The reason that the DDF calculator is set on .25% is because that is the application rate to meat weight of cure #1 to impart 156ppm nitrite. This is the maximum allowed in ground meats like sausage, but also works well on whole muscle as well as in brines, it’s a safe and effective application rate, so that .25% number never changes. Feel free to reach out if you have questions on your upcoming project.
Eric.
Brian are you talking about your spreadsheet?This file use to be public. Not sure if it is still anywhere? Its called EQ Bacon Cure Calculator V3
Yes. I downloaded several years ago. I was able to find version 2.Brian are you talking about your spreadsheet?
Chris
Yes, kept that way cure #1 is good for years and years. I had some that was exposed to excess sun light and it really faded in pink color, almost to white, but still cured meat perfectly. What you have though is GTG.Thanks Eric, I have one more question. My cure #1 is a couple of years old. It's sealed and has been kept in a cabinet away from sunlight and excessive temperature swings. I'm pretty sure it's still safe and as potent as it was when I bought it, but I just want to make sure.
Chris
Appreciate it Eric, and again sorry for the hi-jack pixieYes, kept that way cure #1 is good for years and years. I had some that was exposed to excess sun light and it really faded in pink color, almost to white, but still cured meat perfectly. What you have though is GTG.
Use any pure salt. No iodine added. This can be kosher, canning and pickling, sea, or plain table salt, just no additives.Hi All,
I am going to be curing some pork belly this evening.
I have my Prague powder, I am wondering when using the main salt, what can use instead of kosher salt?
Would ground sea salt be OK or course sea salt?
I have in the past use a premixed Prague and salt mixture but I wanted to do it myself this time, but have become stuck so any advise would be appreciated.
Thank you View attachment 669410
i got thisUse any pure salt. No iodine added. This can be kosher, canning and pickling, sea, or plain table salt, just no additives.
That said, I prefer granulated sea salt. The grain size mixes well with the cure salt and stays mixed. Where as the kosher salt wants to separate from the cure salt.
you are fine GMC, you have asked questions i would of asked so thank you for hijacking it worked out well :)Appreciate it Eric, and again sorry for the hi-jack pixie
Chris
The spreadsheet is set up for a 2% salt level. You can change the salt % on personal preference. If you notice the digging farms is defaulted to 2%.I have looked at both the excel sheet and the diggdogfarm link and I am getting two different weights for the salt to use. I am confused as the is a 10gram difference. Pic below View attachment 672652View attachment 672653
I did wonder that, as I added them up and then they match.The top one is including the salt in cure #1, the bottom one is not. So total salt on the top one is 1.75%, on the bottom one total salt is 2% once you add the .25% cure #1
I did wonder that, as I added them up and then they match.
Thank you so much
Nice! Two days ago I put 10 pounds of pork belly to cure for bacon as well! Next Saturday I'll smoke it. I'd wait more than 9 days but can't, that is when I can get to it and so I gotta do what my schedule dictates :DOk so my bacon has been sat for 7 days and it looks alright, I am leaving for 24 hours before smoking tomorrow. View attachment 673259
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