My bulk scale is a UltraShip 55 with a max weight capability of 55 pounds. It seems to work great and I can tare out the weight of even my stainless mixing bowls.
The precision gram scale I use is a American Weigh Scalemate SM-501. For a precision scale you need one that will display 0.01 grams (1/100th of a gram). Also make sure to purchase the correct calibration weight with you precision scale. You want to be able to verify the accuracy and re-calibrate the scale if necessary. I turn on the scale, and check the calibration with the weight (mine is 100g), then I weight my spices, cure, etc....; when done I again check the calibration with the weight. If it reads the 100g calibration weight correctly at the start and end, I know my spice & cure weights are also correct between the 2 calibration checks.
The reason I don't weight spices and cure with the bulk scale (the UltraShip), is for 0 to 2 pounds the resolution of that scale is 0.1 ounces. 0.1 ounces is 2.84 grams (and that would be a plus or minus 0.1 ounces or plus or minus 2.84 grams which is a 5.68 gram range). How do you run a 5 pound batch of meat that needs 5.67 grams of cure #1 when your scales can be off by as much as 5.68 grams. You could end up with twice the needed cure or dang near no cure. It gets even worse if you are trying to measure a 1 pound trial run of a new recipe and need only 1.13g of cure! You could have 500% too much cure if you use the bulk scale. But if I'm weighing out 5 pounds of meat and I'm off 0.1 ounces, who cares. That is what a bulk scale is for.
With a precision scale that reads in 1/100th of a gram and with a accuracy of plus or minus 0.02g you are much better off. So that same 5.67 grams on my precision scale "could" be 5.69 or 5.65 grams. But I think it is spot on as I'm checking the accuracy of the scale before and after weighing and the calibration weight reads 100.00 grams 99% of the time, and occasionally 100.01 or 99.99 the other 5% of the time. Close enough to be perfectly safe. The key is a precision scale that has 1/100th of a gram (0.01g) resolution.
So use a bulk scale for meat and tarring out your mixing containers (higher weights) and use a precision scale for your spices and cure.
The precision gram scale I use is a American Weigh Scalemate SM-501. For a precision scale you need one that will display 0.01 grams (1/100th of a gram). Also make sure to purchase the correct calibration weight with you precision scale. You want to be able to verify the accuracy and re-calibrate the scale if necessary. I turn on the scale, and check the calibration with the weight (mine is 100g), then I weight my spices, cure, etc....; when done I again check the calibration with the weight. If it reads the 100g calibration weight correctly at the start and end, I know my spice & cure weights are also correct between the 2 calibration checks.
The reason I don't weight spices and cure with the bulk scale (the UltraShip), is for 0 to 2 pounds the resolution of that scale is 0.1 ounces. 0.1 ounces is 2.84 grams (and that would be a plus or minus 0.1 ounces or plus or minus 2.84 grams which is a 5.68 gram range). How do you run a 5 pound batch of meat that needs 5.67 grams of cure #1 when your scales can be off by as much as 5.68 grams. You could end up with twice the needed cure or dang near no cure. It gets even worse if you are trying to measure a 1 pound trial run of a new recipe and need only 1.13g of cure! You could have 500% too much cure if you use the bulk scale. But if I'm weighing out 5 pounds of meat and I'm off 0.1 ounces, who cares. That is what a bulk scale is for.
With a precision scale that reads in 1/100th of a gram and with a accuracy of plus or minus 0.02g you are much better off. So that same 5.67 grams on my precision scale "could" be 5.69 or 5.65 grams. But I think it is spot on as I'm checking the accuracy of the scale before and after weighing and the calibration weight reads 100.00 grams 99% of the time, and occasionally 100.01 or 99.99 the other 5% of the time. Close enough to be perfectly safe. The key is a precision scale that has 1/100th of a gram (0.01g) resolution.
So use a bulk scale for meat and tarring out your mixing containers (higher weights) and use a precision scale for your spices and cure.
