In article >,
Peter Parry > wrote:

> On Tue, 4 May 2010 16:14:58 -0400, "Virginia Tadrzynski"
> > wrote:
>
> >look for sodium nitrate, from what I am told, that is the same thing.
>
> Saltpetre is potassium nitrate. The use of nitrates in cures has
> largely been replaced by nitrites, so the "standard" cure (Prague No1
> (Insta Cure #1)) now contains 6% sodium nitrite and 94% salt (coloured
> pink by some manufactures to clearly distinguish it from salt or
> sugar). Older recipes would have been potassium (or sodium) nitrate
> and salt.
>
> The required nitrate level in the US is about 150-160 parts per
> million so 4 ounces of the no 1 curing salt to 100 pounds of meat or
> 0.4 ounces or 11 grams per 10 lbs. of meat is necessary to achieve the
> proper level of nitrite addition.
>
> Catering and butchery suppliers will usually only sell salt/nitrate
> pre-mixes as otherwise it is very easy to use too much nitrite (or
> nitrate) and both are quite poisonous. 4 gm of either sodium or
> potassium nitrite is usually a lethal dose.
>
> I believe the US limit for Potassium Nitrate is just under 3 oz per
> 100lbs of meat, the European limit is much lower (178 mg/kg potassium
> nitrate or about a third of an ounce per 100lbs).

That is good info., thanks! I've only ever done wet curing and used a
recipe I ran across adding 1 part Potassium Nitrate to 15 parts salt. I
then used 2 Tbs. per gallon of that mix for pork curing.

I later did another portion prior to smoking the meat using only salt,
sugar and herbs.

The difference in the color and texture of the meat was rather drastic.
All other "treatment" was the same.

Anyway, I've cured about 15 lbs. of pork loin this way (see my picasa
albums for canadian bacon details) and I've not died, nor have any
people I've given portions of it to.

But I do agree that you have to do a LOT of research prior to using this
stuff to do it safely!

I'd have to do a lot more research before daring to use it in a sausage
recipe and quite frankly, it is not needed unless you are going to make
a dried/smoked sausage.

All the sausage I've made has been frozen, including the smoked beef
sausage which was wonderful except that it crumbled easily. I've since
read up on using binders and settled with whey protein powder.
--
Peace! Om

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Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat. --Alex Levine