How Much Curing Salt?

[Ken Porter]

The information on how much curing salt is quite varied for such an important ingredient. I ultimately used 1/8 teaspoon per pound in my cure of 2 cups brown sugar and 1-1/4 cups salt, along with other taste ingredients. Will 1/8 teaspoon per pound be a safe cure after 7 days refrigerated. 2-1/4 teaspoons for 17 pounds.

 

[tropics]

The information on how much curing salt is quite varied for such an important ingredient. I ultimately used 1/8 teaspoon per pound in my cure of 2 cups brown sugar and 1-1/4 cups salt, along with other taste ingredients. Will 1/8 teaspoon per pound be a safe cure after 7 days refrigerated. 2-1/4 teaspoons for 17 pounds.

Ken here is the proper amount to use any time you are curing
Cure #1 & 2
general rule, cure #1 and cure #2 are used at the same rate
which is 0.25% cure or 1.13 grams per pound or 2.5 grams per Kg....
Richie

 

[daveomak]

1/8th tsp will be ~95 Ppm... Not what the USDA recommends... they recommend 156 Ppm.... 1/5th tsp. per pound..
Or 1.13 grams per pound..

 

[Ken Porter]

tropics ...Thank you. For my current 17 pound batch, that means 19.21 total grams of curing salt, which is 4.57 teaspoons. If I only used 1/8 teaspoon per pound (Total 2-1/2 teaspoons)on my current batch, will it turn out safely?

 

[tropics]

tropics ...Thank you. For my current 17 pound batch, that means 19.21 total grams of curing salt, which is 4.57 teaspoons. If I only used 1/8 teaspoon per pound (Total 2-1/2 teaspoons)on my current batch, will it turn out safely?

I do not know I would just add the extra cure to make it right. I am sure someone would be able to help in giving yo a time line using your formular.
Richie

 

[PolishDeli]

tropics ...Thank you. For my current 17 pound batch, that means 19.21 total grams of curing salt, which is 4.57 teaspoons. If I only used 1/8 teaspoon per pound (Total 2-1/2 teaspoons)on my current batch, will it turn out safely?

The USDA limit of NaNO2 in "dry cured products, such as country ham, country style pork shoulder, prosciutto, etc. is 625ppm. This translates to ~4.5g Cure#1 (~3/4 teaspoons) per pound of meat. See pages 24-27 of the USDA FSIS Processing inspectors' calculations handbook.

For Dry Cured Bacon, the limit is 200ppm. This translates to ~1.45g Cure#1 per pound of meat. See pages 27-31

Converting units and calculating your recipe according to the equation on page 24:
1/8 teaspoon ~ 0.70g Cure #1
0.70g * 0.0625 = 0.044g NaNO2
1 pound meat = 454 g

NaNO2 ppm = 1000000 * 0.044g * (0.70g/454g) / 0.70 = 96 ppm
(This is assuming that the meat is skin off. With skin on, factor a 10% correction; i.e., 0.9*454g = 409g).

“As a matter of policy, the [USDA] requires a minimum of 120 ppm of ingoing nitrite in all cured ‘Keep Refrigerated’ products...There is no regulatory minimum ingoing nitrite level for cured products that have been processed to ensure their shelf stability...However, 40 ppm nitrite is useful in that it has some preservative effect.” page 12

*Note, USDA sodium nitrite legal limits depend on the processing method and cut of meat:
156ppm NaNO2 for Comminuted products (e.g., sausages)
200ppm NaNO2 for Immersion/pumped (other than bacon)
625ppm NaNO2 for Dry cured (Hams, prosciutto. etc)
120ppm NaNO2 for Immersion/pumped bacon
200ppm NaNO2 for Dry cured bacon

 

[daveomak]

Polish Deli, morning.... You have cited incorrect information... The dry cure you are citing is for hams etc. that take months to cure....
Bacon etc. that take 2 weeks is 200 Ppm nitrite...
Immersed and pumped is 120 Ppm...
You got comminuted correct... 156 Ppm nitrite...

Please change your numbers to reflect the proper amounts....

 

[daveomak]

NITRITE USED IN CURED, DRY PRODUCTS
Introduction
The amount of ingoing nitrite used in dry cured products, such as country ham, country style pork
shoulder, prosciutto, etc., is based on the green weight of the meat or poultry in the product
formulation. These products are prepared from a single intact piece of meat or poultry that has
had the curing ingredients directly applied to the surface, and has been dried for a specified period
of time. For large pieces of meat, the curing ingredients must be rubbed on the surface several
times during the curing period. The rubbed meat or poultry cuts are placed on racks or in boxes
and allowed to cure. Nitrite is applied to the surface of the meat or poultry as part of a cure
mixture.


NITRITE USED IN BACON
Introduction
Because of problems associated with nitrosamine formation in bacon, MPI Regulations, section
318.7(b)(1) and (3) prescribe the amounts of nitrite and sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate
(isoascorbate) to be used in pumped and massaged bacon. For the immersion curing and dry
curing of bacon, maximum amounts of sodium and potassium nitrite are prescribed in section
318.7(b)(5) and (6) of the MPI Regulations.
Establishment management must submit pickle formulas and the method(s) of preparing pumped
and/or massaged bacon to the processing staff officer at the appropriate regional office. The
pickle formula and targeted percent pump or pick-up must meet the limits listed below. Once the
procedure is approved, production may begin.
Regardless of the curing method used, restricted ingredient calculations for bacon are based on
the green weight of the skinless belly. For rind-on bacon, e.g., where the skin is sold as part of
the finished product, a restricted ingredient conversion calculation is necessary. Nitrate is no
longer permitted in any curing method for bacon.
! Ingredient Limits
< Pumped and/or Massaged Bacon (rind-off): An amount of 120 ppm sodium
nitrite (or 148 ppm potassium nitrite), ingoing, is required in pumped and/or massaged bacon,
except that 100 ppm sodium nitrite (or 123 ppm potassium nitrite) is permitted with an
appropriate partial quality control program, and except that 40 - 80 ppm sodium nitrite (or 49 -
99 ppm potassium nitrite) is permitted if sugar and a lactic acid starter culture are used. 550 ppm
sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate (isoascorbate), ingoing, is required in pumped and
massaged bacon, in addition to any prescribed amount of nitrite.
< Immersion Cured Bacon (rind-off): A maximum of 120 ppm of nitrite or
equivalent of potassium nitrite (148 ppm) can be used in immersion cured bacon. Note: the
calculation method for nitrite in immersion cured bacon is the same as that for nitrite in other
immersion cured products. Refer to pages 21-24.
< Dry Cured Bacon (rind-off): A maximum of 200 ppm of nitrite or equivalent of
potassium nitrite (246 ppm) can be used in dry cured bacon. Note: the calculation method for
nitrite in dry cured bacon is the same as that for nitrite in other dry cured products. Refer to
pages 24-27.
< Pumped, Massaged, Immersion Cured, or Dry Cured Bacon (rind-on): The
maximum limit for ingoing nitrite and sodium ascorbate or sodium erythorbate must be adjusted if
bacon is prepared from pork bellies with attached skin (rind-on). A pork belly's weight is
comprised of approximately 10 percent skin. Since the skin retains practically no cure solution or
cure agent, the maximum ingoing nitrite and sodium ascorbate or erythorbate limits must be
reduced by 10 percent. For example, the maximum ingoing limit for nitrite and sodium ascorbate
or erythorbate for pumped pork bellies with attached skin would be 108 ppm [120 ppm ! 12 ppm
(120 × .10)] and 495 ppm [550 ppm ! 55 ppm (550 × .10)], respectively.

 

[daveomak]

FWIW, here's an FSIS explanation.....

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/porta...at-preparation/bacon-and-food-safety/CT_Index

 

[Ken Porter]

What are you making? What temperature does the refrigerator maintain? When did you start the cure?

making bacon....38 degree temp.....started Saturday

 

[Ken Porter]

What are you making? What temperature does the refrigerator maintain? When did you start the cure?

tropics ....Can I just make a new batch of dry cure, wash and dry the pork bellies, and re-apply the new dry cure for an extra few days to get on the correct path?

 

[tropics]

I would mix the additional cure with a very small amount of water (couple of teaspoons) and spread it over the bacon then add a few days to the curing duration.

I think you'll be fine.

I agree with Holly2015 use bottled water or distilled.It would help to know how long it has been curing.I personally recommend 14 days for curing
Richie

 

[Ken Porter]

Thanks for the advice.

I went ahead and mixed the extra curing salt with water, then put equal amounts on all four pork bellies. Since I had only begun the curing process 2 days earlier, I am going to add a few extra days to my curing time.

I have read some posts here that mention they had to throw away their meat and start over. How do you know if the cured pork bellies are bad???

 

[PolishDeli]

Thanks for the correction and link, DaveO.
My post has been edited accordingly.

 

[daveomak]

Thanks for the correction and link, DaveO.
My post has been edited accordingly.

PolishDeli... thank you... We try to keep folks on the correct path here... There are too many sites that give out false information OR do not explain stuff thoroughly... There are many processes that require different methods for proper curing... The biggest error is trying to use commercial curing processes in the home... Some folks don't understand commercial language when it comes to processing meats.. and they try to convert those for home use... Doesn't work too well... One has to read between the lines to understand what the end goal is that they are trying to achieve... Marianski has a great forum... I believe the folks there think everyone knows what's going on.. Marianski knows about curing but doesn't get into the nitty-gritty at times... At other times, he's the best... you just have to know about as much as he does to get a real grasp on his methods...
Anywho, thanks again... enjoy the forum... If you have any questions, we are here.... there are many knowledgeable folks willing to give their time and explain stuff...

 

[Ken Porter]

Thank you...

 

[SonnyE]

Hi Ken!
Welcome to:

Rough start. But great Information and a quick turn around.
You'll do fine now.

I've been basking in the fruits of my own labors with Bacon Makin and following Dave's, and Disco's help.
Yesterday, (Christmas with the Family and breakfast), I cooked up 3 pounds of Pork Belly Bacon dry cured Dave's way, smoked in Apple Wood Dust from dissolved Pellets.
Everybody loved the home cured and smoked Bacon!
After you do some successfully, and you are on your way now, you will find you may have a batch in the making each month. And you can freeze it too.
Expect it to take ~25 days a batch. I'm doing one slab a month right now, but will probably be cutting back.
But have a batch of Back Bacon (Canadian Bacon) in process.

I'm not one to obsess over Cure #1, Prague Powder. If it isn't burnt out in the oven or frying pan, it sure gets neutralized in the stomach acids.
Besides, at my age I need to be preserved.