# prague powdwe #1



## kewl32 (Feb 2, 2014)

I have used several types of pink salts and cures, but i use prague powder #1 in fresh sausages, does anyone know if prague will work in curing bacon. the ratio for sausage is 1 teaspoon for 5 lbs of meat. i like to make a large batch of bacon cure and have it on hand, but am not sure of the prague powder and how much to use per pound of salt. the cure i use now is 1# salt to 6 ounces of sugar to 10 teaspoons of pink salt. any help would be appreciated


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## dward51 (Feb 2, 2014)

Isn't Prauge #1 the same as Insta-cure #1 and plain old generic cure #1 (all being 6% sodium nitrite and 94% table salt)? I'm pretty sure all the "whatever" cure #1's are the same and are interchangeable pink curing salts.

Morton Tender Quick is not the same and is not interchangeable by weight/volume as the mix ratios are totally different.

As to using #1 for bacon..... of course you can. There are a ton of threads where people have done it on this forum.  Most use a variation of "Pop's Brine" method which is here.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

Here is a search response for "Pops" and "Bacon" on the forum

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/newsearch?search=pops+bacon


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## daveomak (Feb 2, 2014)

I think I'm figuring this correctly.....


10 tsp. cure #1, cures 50 #'s of meat.... @ 156 Ppm nitrite
1 # of salt in 50#'s of meat is 2% salt....
6 oz. sugar in 50 #'s of meat is 0.75 % sugar


10 tsp. of cure #1 is 2 oz....

2 oz. + 16 oz. + 6 oz. = 24 oz. salt and sugar and nitrite(3.55 gms)

For bacon...  you want a max. 120 Ppm nitrite with skin off... or 0.054 gms nitrite per pound

3.55 gms / 0.054 gms = 65.7.....  the above mix will cure 66 #'s of  bacon at 120 Ppm nitrite.....

or 24 oz. x 454 = 10896 gms..  / 66 =  
   165 gms per pound of the mix, for the proper amount of cure... 
    120 Ppm nitrite,  0.56% sugar and 1.77% salt


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## kewl32 (Feb 6, 2014)

Thanks so much daveomak, So if I figured right. I should be using .6 oz of the above mix per pound to cure the bacon. I think


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## daveomak (Feb 6, 2014)

Correct....    0.6 oz or 165 grams of the mix you described per pound of bacon.....   bacon needs 120 Ppm max nitrite......

After you add the mix, you might find the bacon needs more salt...  1.77% salt is a little low....   I use 2% and around 2-2.5% is closer to normal for folks that don't have a problem with salt.....   

everything but the cure is personal preference....


Dave


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## ak1 (Feb 6, 2014)

OK, I think there may be a problem with your numbers.

I just bought some cure #1 and 4oz(113.4g) is good for 100lb of meat according to the label. That would suggest that 0.04oz(1.134g) per pound.


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## daveomak (Feb 6, 2014)

AK1 said:


> OK, I think there may be a problem with your numbers.
> 
> I just bought some cure #1 and 4oz(113.4g) is good for 100lb of meat according to the label. That would suggest that 0.04oz(1.134g) per pound.




Darko, afternoon.......  We are talking bacon......   where as meats are allowed 156 Ppm, bacon is allowed 120 Ppm max....

120 / 156 = 0.76 x  1.134 gms/# = 0.87 gms/# for bacon....

Did I explain that right ..... 

Dave


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## ak1 (Feb 6, 2014)

I get it. Thanks Dave. But, if you look at the numbers you posted in post#5.

Ah, never mind. You were talking about the complete mix. I was thinking that you were posting numbers for cure#1 only.

My bad!


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## kewl32 (Feb 7, 2014)

Well thank you, sometimes i just need a little reassurance that im still on the right track. All My grandfathers curing recipes are for use in a salt box. So i sometimes get the thinking messed up a little. I just have to remember that using nitrites is a total different method than the old ways.


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## daveomak (Feb 7, 2014)

kewl32 said:


> Well thank you, sometimes i just need a little reassurance that im still on the right track. All My grandfathers curing recipes are for use in a salt box. So i sometimes get the thinking messed up a little. I just have to remember that using nitrites is a total different method than the old ways.




And safer.....  The salt  box method is "fine" if you add nitrites at the correct level...  BUT when the meat gets thicker, or the salt, nitrites etc. don't adhere to the meat at the "expected" ratios, a big problem can occur.....   
An electronic scale makes life so much safer... and easier to insure the correct amounts have been added....


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