Cure question ....

[neut68]

I am going to try my hand at making Canadian Bacon for the first time. My question is about the cure... Is it safe to use the cure that comes in a Jerky kit or do in need a different cure?  I am going to use Pops Brine and going to cut it in half because i am only going to smoke a small loin. I just want to make sure i use the correct cure salt.  Any help is appreciated.   Thank you!!! 

 

[daveomak]

I am going to try my hand at making Canadian Bacon for the first time. My question is about the cure... Is it safe to use the cure that comes in a Jerky kit or do in need a different cure?  I am going to use Pops Brine and going to cut it in half because i am only going to smoke a small loin. I just want to make sure i use the correct cure salt.  Any help is appreciated.   Thank you!!! 

I can only recommend you purchase Cure #1 from one of many sources to do this safely.... And when making pops brine/cure, you make the batch with the same ratios called for in the original recipe...

Search for Pink Salt, Cure #1, Prague Powder #1 and many sources are available... Amazon, Butcher & Packer, Sausage Maker, Michlitch etc.....
Beware if you get curing salts from your local butcher.... Many of them have specialty cures made for them..... and the nitrite concentrations are different from the Cure #1 and cannot be substituted.....

 

[pearlheartgtr]

Jerky kits come with pink cure #1 (I've never bought a kit, just used recipes) which is the same cure used with bacon, hams, keilbasa, etc. Some people use Morton's cure but if this is the CB cure brine you're looking at:

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

then, you're good to go. If it's one that uses Morton's, there's a thread around here with directions on how to substitute Morton's for pink and vise versa.

 

[wade]

Just check on the pack that comes with the kit to make sure that it is cure #1. If it does not tell you specifically what it is then don't use it.