Diff between Pink Salt and Tender Quick?

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

dave from mesa

Meat Mopper
Original poster
SMF Premier Member
Dec 8, 2009
279
14
Mesa, az
I see both talked about here. I bought, what I think is pink salt, at my butcher. What's the difference? Are the percentages used the same? 

Now math is not my best subject so ppm mean nothing to me. Percentages I can work with.

thanks
 
They are two completely different products & the quantities can't be interchanged.

Did the butcher tell you how much to use per pound of meat?

Cure #1 or pink salt is used at a rate of 1 level tsp per 5 # of meat.

I don't know what the amount of TQ that you use per pound is, because I don't use it.

If your not sure what you have, I would go by the butchers instructions, since he sold you the cure.

Al
 
The difference is one has nitrites and the other nitrates TQ is 1/2 oz per pound or 1 tbsp I've not used pink salt but Al gave you the break down on that.1 tsp per 5 lb. I posted a question I think last week about curing salts under blowing smoke around the smoker take a look some good explanations on curing salts.

Warren
 
Actually TQ has both Nitrites & Nitrates.

We use 1 TBS (1/2 Ounce) of TQ per every pound of whole meat.

And we use 1/2 TBS (1/4 Ounce) of TQ per every pound of Ground Meat.

Bear
 
 
They are two completely different products & the quantities can't be interchanged.

Did the butcher tell you how much to use per pound of meat?

Cure #1 or pink salt is used at a rate of 1 level tsp per 5 # of meat.

I don't know what the amount of TQ that you use per pound is, because I don't use it.

If your not sure what you have, I would go by the butchers instructions, since he sold you the cure.

Al
Didn't get any instructions. Didn't think to ask. The guy that helped me wasn't even sure if they sold it. He had to ask the boss if they did. Sold it buy the pound. Guess I'll call them and ask.

Here's what it looks like


Edit

Called the butcher and they said pink salt not TQ

thanks
 
Last edited:
Did the butcher say if it was cure #1 or cure #2.....   both can be pink...  sometimes cure #2 will be a whiteish color...
 
He said #1and it looks pink not whitish. So far it has worked in Pop's brine and dry rub. Just cut up some that I did in the dry rub. Tried the brown sugar run and it was good. Have Maple sugar rub that I haven't tried yet. Wish my slicer would cut even slices. POS. Neighbor has a nicer slicer so I will try that next time.

thanks
 
Last edited:
Dave - If it does not tell you what is in it on the label DO NOT GUESS. Go ask your butcher to confirm what he has sold you before you use it. It may not even be a standard cure mix - but one he has created himself.
 
Wade

When I called and asked he said it was #1 cure. When I bought it, a while ago and haven't used it till now, They sold it buy the pound and asked how much I wanted and I said fill that little container. He went in back and got how much I wanted. They don't make there own bacon anymore so I don't think it is there own cure. He did tell me it wasn't TQ. The container is a generic plastic tub like the kind you find at an olive bar at the grocery store. No label on it.

Now you guys thru me another cure in #2. Man I wish I knew this before. SO many diff cures is confusing.

Does the pic I posted look like cure #1?

thanks
 
Last edited:
So they are diff then? Is there any way to tell the diff?

Hope I'm not being a PITA but don't want to screw up here.

thanks
 
Cure #1 and Cure #2 can also be colourless as well. If you are confident that what he has sold you is Cure #1 then use it as such, however if you have ANY doubt then cure #1 is not expensive to buy so I would recommend throwing it away and buying it correctly labelled from a reputable source. I am sure that Dave Omak will be able to point you in the direction of a good online source in the USA.

 
 
So they are diff then? Is there any way to tell the diff?

Hope I'm not being a PITA but don't want to screw up here.

thanks
 Only way to tell is by the label on the package....  ALWAYS purchase from a reputable source like a supplier for sausage stuff...  Butcher and Packer, Spokane Spice, Sausage Maker, Waltons...   I've seen some weird outfits on Amazon I wouldn't buy from...

If you have 1# of Cure #1, that's enough for 400 #'s of meat....  I measure 1.1 grams per pound...  that's equivalent to 1/5 tsp...   a tsp. is good for 5#'s of meat...
 
 
They are two completely different products & the quantities can't be interchanged.

Did the butcher tell you how much to use per pound of meat?

Cure #1 or pink salt is used at a rate of 1 level tsp per 5 # of meat.

I don't know what the amount of TQ that you use per pound is, because I don't use it.

If your not sure what you have, I would go by the butchers instructions, since he sold you the cure.

Al
In my search for finding the differences between #1 and MTQ. 

MTQ is 7.5 tsp per 5 lbs of meat or 1 cup per 4 cups cold water for a brine. 

As Al posted, two completely different products and the quantities can't be interchanged !
no_no.gif
  I use both, #1 and MTQ with no problems.
 
Last edited:
 
In my search for finding the differences between #1 and MTQ. 

MTQ is 7.5 tsp per 5 lbs of meat or 1 cup per 4 cups cold water for a brine. 

As Al posted, two completely different products and the quantities can't be interchanged !
no_no.gif
  I use both, #1 and MTQ with no problems.
That is right for Ground Meat----7.5 tsp for 5 pounds.

However they call for 15 tsp (5 TBS) for 5 pounds of "Whole Meat".

See Post #4 above.

Bear
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky