Questions from a newbie

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lazza32

Newbie
Original poster
May 21, 2015
2
10
Hi Guys,

I am wondering if someone can help me with my dilemma. I am making pancetta and would like to hang it after a 7 day cure, so basically i would like to eat it without cooking(antipasta). The problem I have is that I have only used nitrite for the cure and I beleive for cold curing you also need nitrate. After 2 days dry curing is it too late to add nitrate? Also the only nitrate I have is mixed with nitrite so I would be almost doubling up on nitrites, will this be a problem?

Thanks
 
Evan's pancetta.....

Looking at the cure #2 descriptions... the nitrate can be different from different vendors... I have no idea if that makes some difference..... Martin, (DDF), first pointed that out to us on the forum some time back....
Anywho, I'm guessing the meat is in the fridge... I would read up on making pancetta using cure #2...

What directions, for making pancetta, are you using/following....



http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...steccata-and-pancetta-arrotolata#post_1354756

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Prague Powder #2[edit]

Also called Pink curing salt #2. It contains 6.25% sodium nitrite, 4% sodium nitrate, and 89.75% table salt.[3] The sodium nitrate found in Prague powder #2 gradually breaks down over time into sodium nitrite, and by the time a dry cured sausage is ready to be eaten, no sodium nitrate should be left.[2] For this reason it is recommended for meats that require long (weeks to months) cures, like hard salami and country ham.


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Sold by RTM-Distributors and Fulfilled by Amazon. Gift-wrap available.

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• Use 1 tsp per 5 pounds of meat
• InstaCure #2 contains salt, sodium nitrite (6.25%) and sodium nitrate (1%).

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and 3.63% nitrate...

 
Last edited:
@lazza32

Hey! You are totally fine with no nitrate! I say this ONLY because Pancetta is a whole muscle, and the center is sterile. You see, if this were a ground product I would like the added safety over the drying time. That would require nitrate, so that over the drying period it could slowly convert to nitrite, which preserves and retards pathogens. 

Whole muscle with nitrite added to it will be perfectly fine. I would eat it!
 
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