Curing salts might seem like a mysterious subject, but we have found a steadily growing number of restaurants and home pit masters who are now curing and smoking their own bacon, ham and jerky. There are two types of curing salts used - Prague Powder #1 and Prague Powder #2, and they should never be substituted for each other.What's the Difference? One of the most common curing salts is Prague Powder #1, sometimes called Pink curing salt #1 or Insta Cure #1. Prague Powder #1 is used for meats that require short cures and will be cooked and eaten relatively quickly. Prague Powder #2 is used with meats that require long (weeks to months to even years) cures, like country-style hams, prosciutto, salami, pepperoni, and other dry sausages. These meats do not typically require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration before use.History of Salt and Meat PreservationFood preservation has been done for nearly 11,000 years, with the earliest evidence showing that our Neolithic ancestors (who existed from 9000 B.C. to 3000 B.C.) found that salt increased the amount of time food could be stored by drawing moisture out of food. Early Chinese and Egyptians also preserved their meat using this technique, and the ancient Romans were the first to document the color- and flavor-enhancing effect of nitrates/nitrites on animal proteins.How to UseUse 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat.When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.What's In It Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt).Sodium nitrate is a salt that performs as an anti-oxidant. It blocks the growth of botulism causing bacteria and imparts characteristic color and flavor into the meat. Sodium nitrite has been shown to prevent the growth of Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium that may cause illness in some at-risk populations. Do Nitrates/ Nitrites Cause Cancer? If you're old enough, you may remember the controversy that erupted in the mid-1970s over nitrates/nitrites_ã”but may remember the outcome as curing salts were found to be ok for human consumption. The National Toxicology Program, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, conducted a multi-year study to evaluate the safety of sodium nitrite. Their conclusion? When used at FDA-approved levels, nitrite is not only safe, but may help counter heart attacks, sickle cell disease and vascular problems.Helpful HintsWe have a growing number of sausage seasonings including Andouille, Breakfast Sausage, Hot Italian and Sweet Italian.
