Curing pork belly for bacon.

[steve3327]

Hello All,

First post on the forums but long time viewer of the forms. I am doing my 2nd attempt at bacon. I was unable to find pink curing salt, or Prague powder #1. However what I did find, was a Original Wild West brand curing salt, $2 per 70g bag, containing 6.25% sodium nitrite and is white in colour, so is this essentially the same as the pink curing salt?

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yes, according to application it is. However it is directing you to use about 3g/Kg which is safe for whole muscle but we here use 2.5g/Kg.

Use it at 2.5g/Kg will work perfectly.

 

[rexster314]

Hello All,

First post on the forums but long time viewer of the forms. I am doing my 2nd attempt at bacon. I was unable to find pink curing salt, or Prague powder #1. However what I did find, was a Original Wild West brand curing salt, $2 per 70g bag, containing 6.25% sodium nitrite and is white in colour, so is this essentially the same as the pink curing salt?

I buy my pink salt from an eBay seller

 

[Fueling Around]

Happy to hear the Canadians have a source for cure at the 6.25% levels we use in the US.
If you plan to dry cure or wet cure it changes the amount used.

 

[nlife]

Cure #1 is readily available here in Canada, though it isn't always pink. I first started with using the same cure source as you did S steve3327 , but I eventually found a source that sells 1 lb bags here in BC. Alberta will have it too. I'd suggest that you check your local butcher.

 

[steve3327]

Thanks for the replies. Yes I found these on clearance at Cabela’s for $2 per bag. Bought 4 but barely used any. I googled a simple bacon dry cure mix and trying it. Salt sugar pepper and cure. I made bacon using high mountain brown sugar kit wasn’t impressed

 

[SmokinEdge]

Thanks for the replies. Yes I found these on clearance at Cabela’s for $2 per bag. Bought 4 but barely used any. I googled a simple bacon dry cure mix and trying it. Salt sugar pepper and cure. I made bacon using high mountain brown sugar kit wasn’t impressed

So, you are on here asking questions, but then googling for answers? Good grief.