Bacon making question
I'm trying to make my own bacon and need "pink salt" to cure the pork belly. I'm in Prague and am having trouble finding it. Has anyone ever made bacon or knows of a good substitute for pink salt?
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4 Comments:
You might have the best luck ordering online. I got mine from sausagemaker.com, but I don't know if they ship internationally. Also, you might have better luck searching for it under one of the brand names rather than just "pink salt" or you might end up with the fancy hawiian stuff instead if the curing salt.
dbcurrie at 5:55PM on 04/04/09
Try searching for "Insta-cure #1" or "DQ Curing salt."
Those are brands of the curing salt known as "pink salt"
derosa at 7:35AM on 04/05/09
One can forego the pink salt route entirely by making your own cure with a tsp. or so of saltpetre (poatassium nitrate). I've done this with excellent results.
lagomorph at 11:51AM on 04/06/09
Pink Salt, Prague Powder, Sure Cure, Insta Cure are all trade names for a mixture of 6.25% sodium Nitrite 93.6% salt, and a liquid denaturant so you don't mistake it for salt.
If you can get to a phamacy, you may be able to get a pharmaceutical grade Sodium Nitrite. 1/4 oz will cure 100 LB Meat, so use it carefully. Direct injestion of the pure Sodium Nitrite can kill you, so mark it obviously and store it under lock and key if you have people in your house who may actually mistake it for salt. Use an eigth of a teaspoon in 2 pounds of salt or so, mixed very well to use as a dry rub. Don't coat it heavily or the bacon will be too salty. You can add sugar to the cure if you want it a little sweeter, but don't go over 25% of the salt content unless you want to taste the sweetness, rather than cut the saltiness. Rinse it after a two or three days, and rub it again. It should cure through in 7-10 days depending on the size and fattiness of the belly..
Meat guy at 12:29PM on 04/06/09