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  • #1 by Ssteppe on 02 Jan 2018
  • Have a 5-lb pork belly, getting ready to make some bacon, and I have a question about the amount of pink salt you use (for those who cure their own bacon).

    First time I made bacon, I used the following dry cure (which turned out too sweet for my tastes, hence my notes):
    3 oz kosher salt
    2 oz granulated sugar (ELIMINATE NEXT TIME)
    1/2 cup dark brown sugar (CUT BACK - TOO SWEET)
    2 teaspoons (15 grams) Prague Powder #1 (pink salt)
    2 Tablespoons freshly ground coarse black pepper

    Since I want a more savory, less sweet bacon, I went back to square one, but I'm finding some recipes call for 1 teaspoon pink salt per 5-lb and others call for 2 teaspoons pink salt per 5-lb. That's a big difference to me - twice as much in some recipes. (One guy on Youtube uses 1 1/2 tsp, and another recipe called for 4 Tablespoons!!)

    Steve Raichlen uses 2 tsp, and that's what I used first time, so I'm leaning toward keeping that amount, but would like others to weigh in.
  • #2 by hughver on 02 Jan 2018
  • For the bellies that I currently have in the refrigerator, I used about 1/3 cup of sugar for 5 lbs., brown sugar for one and maple sugar for the other. I used the same cure #1 and pepper ratios that you listed. Today is the 6th day of cure for mine, I'll rinse and dry until tomorrow. I'm contemplating double smoking one of them, anyone else done this? If so, what was your process?
  • #3 by Bentley on 02 Jan 2018
  • For what its worth...I use Modern Cure#1 in my curing...And they don't say it, but these amounts are for a rub and not a brine.

    Source...
    The National Center for Home Food Preservation
    Guide and Literature Review Series:
    Smoking and Curing
     
    2.3. Cure Mixtures
    For the home food preserver, measuring small batches of cure for nitrites or nitrates would require an analytical scale that few consumers have access to. Therefore, some manufacturers sell premixed salt and nitrate/nitrite curing mixes for easy home use. Caution is needed when using pure saltpeter instead of commercially prepared mixes, since accidental substitution of saltpeter for table salt in recipes can result in lethal toxic levels (Borchert and Cassens 1998).

    Some examples of commercially prepared cures include:

    2.3.1. Prague Powder #1, Insta Cure, or Modern Cure.
    This cure contains sodium nitrite (6.25%) mixed with salt (93.75%). Consumers are recommended to use 1 oz. for every 25 lb. of meat or one level teaspoon of cure for 5 lb. of meat.

    2.3.2. Prague Powder #2
    This mix is used for dry cured meats that require long (weeks to months) cures. It contains 1 oz. of sodium nitrite and 0.64 oz. of sodium nitrate. It is recommended that this cure be combined with each 1 lb. of salt and for products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which contains sodium nitrate, acts like a time-release cure, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. The manufacturer recommends using 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or one level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat.

  • #4 by bregent on 02 Jan 2018
  • Use a cure calculator. I estimate you are using 3X the recommended amount. I shoot for 120PPM for skin off belly. Also, don't confuse dry-brine that you rub on vs wet brine. You use a lot more cure for a wet brine.


    http://diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html
    https://www.meatsandsausages.com/sausage-recipes/cure-calculator
    http://www.localfoodheroes.co.uk/calculator/dry_cure_bacon/
  • #5 by Bentley on 02 Jan 2018
  • Ok, so how many teaspoons is 5.42 grams or 0.2 ounces?  That is what I hate about that calculator, metric, which is fine if you have a digital scale.  I guess if you are going to do this stuff, you really need a digital scale...but I like to roll the dice.
  • #6 by bregent on 02 Jan 2018
  • Ok, so how many teaspoons is 0.2 grams?  That is what I hate about that calculator, metric, which is fine if you have a digital scale.  I guess if you are going to do this stuff, you really need a digital scale...but I like to roll the dice.

    A digital scale with .01 gram resolution is $10.
  • #7 by Bentley on 02 Jan 2018
  • Doh!

    Will have to check again, my analog were $15 10 years ago and the cheapest digital were about $35...

    Lowest one I can find for $10 only goes down to 1 gram, point me to the one you are talking about please...

    I am not sure I could see 1/100 of a gram...
  • #8 by hughver on 02 Jan 2018
  • The data that I found for dry curing called for .25% cure #1 and 2.75% salt. That equates to 5.6g cure and 62g salt for 5 lbs. My scale only has a resolution of 1g so I used 5+ grams. Some sites call for 1/2 tsp./lb. which is , as you pointed out, 2X more than 5.6g for 5 lbs.. As close as I can measure, a tsp. of Prague #1 weighs ~6g/tsp. The Prague container recommends 1 tsp. for 5 lbs.
  • #9 by bregent on 02 Jan 2018
  • Doh!

    Will have to check again, my analog were $15 10 years ago and the cheapest digital were about $35...

    Lowest one I can find for $10 only goes down to 1 gram, point me to the one you are talking about please...

    I am not sure I could see 1/100 of a gram...

    Remember that if you need accuracy to the 1/10 of a gram, you should get  scale with a resolution of 1/100 gram. If you only need accuracy to the whole gram, then get one with a resolution of 1/10th - those will have a greater max weight.

    Here's what I use: https://www.amazon.com/AMIR-Electronic-Function-Stainless-Included/dp/B076HCG949

    This one has lower resolution but higher max:  https://www.amazon.com/American-Weigh-Scales-AWS-600-BLK-Nutrition/dp/B000O37TDO
  • #10 by bregent on 02 Jan 2018
  • Here's another with high resolution and higher max capacity: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HCKQG7G
  • #11 by mowin on 02 Jan 2018
  • The first scale posted is the one I have also. Works great.
  • #12 by Bentley on 02 Jan 2018
  • Thanks!

    I see, this max weight is about 1/2lb, so it is tailored to very small amounts...I cant imagine needing anything smaller then say 1/2 teaspoon and I would imagine that is about 2 grams, so I will go with the 1g one.  I would prefer the higher max weight...
  • #13 by mowin on 02 Jan 2018
  • I'd Get the .01 model.  The first time you weight out the proper amount of cure for say a 5 lb belly, you'll probably think like I did and say there's no way in xxxx that little amount is going to work..lol.  but it does. 
  • #14 by Bentley on 02 Jan 2018
  • I need it to have a higher end then just a little over a pound.  If any of you are at home and have access to your scale, would you weigh a 1/2 table spoon of salt and tell me how many grams it is?
  • #15 by mowin on 02 Jan 2018
  • I had my .1 scale handy . 7.4g.  Now this was course sea salt.
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