Pink salt, do I really need this,,,,,,,, DONE ;)))))))

[FloatnFly]

Pink salt is not dyed. It's a naturally occurring salt from the Himalayas. Purest, best quality salt in the world. The only dyed pink salt that I know of is either dyed salt licks or the pink salt used by some merchants to make their meats appear fresher. This may or may not be good for your application but it is what it is. Happy brining brudder.

 

 

im sorry, but you are wrong on this, pink curing salt is tinted pink because the nitrates and nitrites are toxic at high levels, so its tinted to not confuse it with regular salt, the himalyan pink salt is naturally occuring and a completely different shade of pink. pink curing salt is not sodium chloride (NaCl) but it is made of sodium erythorbate

 

regular table salt and himalayan salt will not work well for curing meats because they aren't full of nitrates and nitrites

 

from http://barbecuebible.com/2014/08/26/guide-nitrites-prague-powder-curing-salts/

 

: Nitrates and nitrites can be toxic when not used at recommended levels. That’s why most curing salts are tinted pink—to make sure you don’t confuse them with ordinary table salt. (Do not confuse them with Himalayan pink salt, either.)

Edited January 11, 2016 by FloatnFly

[bigbuck]

Himalayan pink sea salt is the in thing these days. It is the ourest sea salt with a unique chemical makeup. It is supposed to be the healthiest salt to consume. The Nitrates in meat preservatives (pink curing salt) are known carcinogens. That is why you sometimes see Sodium Erythorbate on some packaged goods as it neutralizes the carcinogen in nitrates. Even the so called Naturally cured stuff you see in grocery stores has naturally occurring nitrates in them, they are nitrates just the same. If you do not need to use the stuff, better not to. Either freeze what you make or eat it quicker which won't be hard to do. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm......BACON!!!

[FloatnFly]

Himalayan pink sea salt is the in thing these days. It is the ourest sea salt with a unique chemical makeup. It is supposed to be the healthiest salt to consume. The Nitrates in meat preservatives (pink curing salt) are known carcinogens. That is why you sometimes see Sodium Erythorbate on some packaged goods as it neutralizes the carcinogen in nitrates. Even the so called Naturally cured stuff you see in grocery stores has naturally occurring nitrates in them, they are nitrates just the same. If you do not need to use the stuff, better not to. Either freeze what you make or eat it quicker which won't be hard to do. Mmmmmmmmmmmmm......BACON!!!

 

 

even the nitrate/preservative free stuff, has a nitrate/preservative in it, the cultered celery extract is the nitrate preservative, by law it has to be there to be sold in a retail store, like I said earlier, we tried to sell the schnieders 'naturals' ham in our deli counter, max shelf life was at most 2 weeks, but for the most part a week to a week and half and we had to chop it for dog food or throw it out.

 

 

btw, everything we eat in our day to day has some form of known carcinogen or another, everything from sugar to manufactured flavour enhancing chemicals that no one can pronounce

 

hell, even my fishing rod has a warning label on it, 'This product contains a chemical that is known to cause cancer in the state of California'

Edited January 11, 2016 by FloatnFly

[HTHM]

 

 

even the nitrate/preservative free stuff, has a nitrate/preservative in it, the cultered celery extract is the nitrate preservative, by law it has to be there to be sold in a retail store, like I said earlier, we tried to sell the schnieders 'naturals' ham in our deli counter, max shelf life was at most 2 weeks, but for the most part a week to a week and half and we had to chop it for dog food or throw it out.

 

 

btw, everything we eat in our day to day has some form of known carcinogen or another, everything from sugar to manufactured flavour enhancing chemicals that no one can pronounce

 

hell, even my fishing rod has a warning label on it, 'This product contains a chemical that is known to cause cancer in the state of California'

Simple, stay out of California....

[DanD]

I get cure 1 from my local butcher shop; he has it in bulk (does a lot of cured meats for his store) and will sell you whatever amount you want.

What I've found when not using curing salt, is that the meats do not look "normal" as too what people's perception of what cured ham should look like, compared to what grocery store cured meats look like.

I have cured whole hams and pork belly (beacon) both ways and the both tasted exactly the same; but the one without the curing salt was much grayer in colour; looked more like an oven roasted meat, than cured and smoked.

The fridge life of the cure 1 ham was also much longer; even vacuumed sealed the non cure 1 ham, after 4 or 5 days in the fridge, started to go off.

 

Dan.

[misfish]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I am feeling more comfortable now, not that I wasn't before.

 

Yes there will be no sitting in the fridge after curing is done. Will be cooking some up and freezing like Cliff recommended.

[misfish]

So as the pork belly has been flipped on day three, I have been reading more about this.

 

I came across one that said 7 days is best for the size of slab I have. Not 5. Two days makes that much of a difference? Im thinking its more time for the salt to draw out the moisture. I also came accross that once I wash it, it should be patted dry and put back in the fridge for an additional 48 hours uncovered. Then put in the oven for the time it takes at 200 deg til the meat reaches 150 deg internal.

 

What I am asking is, 5 days or 7? Wash and back in the fridge uncovered for 48 hours ? The oven time I have that covered. No brainer.

[Big Cliff]

5 days, 7 days, a matter of preferance, the extra 2 days isn't going to draw out much more moisture and will make the bacon dryer.

 

I wash then pat dry and put it back in the fridge 4 hours, 12 hours, 48 hours isn't going to make much differance, you are just allowing the surface to form a pelicule (sp) which seems to allow the smoke to adhear better.

 

If you put it in the oven after that until an internal temperature of 150 then you are just pre cooking it. Some people do it that way, I tried it and didn't like it so now I just cold smoke it and cook it when I take it out of the freezer and put it in the pan (just the same as I do when I used to buy bacon).

 

It's mostly about personal preferances like some people like corned beef, some people prefer Montreal smoked meat.

[misfish]

Thanks Cliff. As for the oven, it,s all I have living in a condo. LOL

 

Im sure once I have this one under my belt ( pun ), I will know if making or just buying, is the way to go. I dont eat alot of it, but if this works, I might be.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Brian B

[Big Cliff]

Want to make a road trip? I'll give you my cold smoke generator, all you'll need is an aquarium pump. I can just build another one in the spring.

[Consigliere]

Just a note on the 5-7 day question. Cut a small piece off after 5 days and fry it and taste. If too salty then stop. If just right wash it. If not salty enough more time. That is the procedure. All cuts and brines will be different.

 

Like cliff said the extra fridge time is only for smoking.

[mr blizzard]

He is having some fun trying to learn as many aspects of curing and smoking bacon etc

 

He is allowed

 

U can google yes but there is nothing like talking first hand with people who have tried the different recipes to find out likes and dislikes.

And besides its just plain fun

[misfish]

No need to defend here John. I was looking for opinions on what I have researched. Some like to read more into things.

 

There are those here that I will take their word. Known them long enough and never know which new members, might do this kind of stuff for a living.

 

No worries DW.

[mr blizzard]

Point taken but as a kid I can remember my grandfather hoisting up some pork from his deep water well to cook some up for dinner he lived to be ninety six No nitrates back then north Bay Area but to each his own lol

[misfish]

Like I said in my opening post, even different ways, both with and without the pink salt, and they were chefs as well.

 

No offence taken by your post btw. I don't take things personal. Lifes to short for that these days.

[FloatnFly]

so if you researched why are you asking again here?you will get your best answer from a google search...no pros here

 

 

because this is a discussion board, and more than enough people are interested and do this kind of thing, so why not share, inform and get advice?

[FloatnFly]

and just cause one guy didnt get sick using a certain recipe doesnt mean another wont.....ive seen botulism and its not pretty

 

i wouldnt cold smoke without the use of curing salt

 

 

if you plan to eat the product as is, than yes, using the curing salt is advisable, BUT, if you're going to freeze it after cold smoking, and then bring it out and cook it before eating, then there is nothing wrong with not using curing salt, coarse sea salt, kosher salt, and others will work. We make our own salt pork at the shop as well, let it sit in kosher salt for 3 weeks in the cooler, vac seal it, customer buys it, takes it home, cooks with it, and all is well.

[Fisherman]

I've learned a bit here and will definitely make an effort to do a bit more canning of veggies and fruits. I've already got a bunch of canned salmon, trout and turkey on the rack. Ya just never know when it may come in handy.

[Big Cliff]

 

 

if you plan to eat the product as is, than yes, using the curing salt is advisable, BUT, if you're going to freeze it after cold smoking, and then bring it out and cook it before eating, then there is nothing wrong with not using curing salt, coarse sea salt, kosher salt, and others will work. We make our own salt pork at the shop as well, let it sit in kosher salt for 3 weeks in the cooler, vac seal it, customer buys it, takes it home, cooks with it, and all is well.

Perfect, that's what I needed to hear, the butcher that I deal with gave me a couple of slabs of fresh pork fat, I usually render it down and use it for making bread and things but I was thinking I'd like to make some salt pork up for when we make pork and beans or scrunchions. I just wasn't sure how long to leave it in the salt. I have a chunk in the fridge in a ziploc bag imersed in coarse salt that has been there for about a month. Guess it should be good to go now!

[FloatnFly]

Perfect, that's what I needed to hear, the butcher that I deal with gave me a couple of slabs of fresh pork fat, I usually render it down and use it for making bread and things but I was thinking I'd like to make some salt pork up for when we make pork and beans or scrunchions. I just wasn't sure how long to leave it in the salt. I have a chunk in the fridge in a ziploc bag imersed in coarse salt that has been there for about a month. Guess it should be good to go now!

 

 

it should be good to go. the key it to keep it away from moisture, we had an issue where the tray was below a condensing coil, and the water dripped into the mixture on the defrost cycle, spoiled the entire batch, gotta keep it dry as possible

[Big Cliff]

 

 

it should be good to go. the key it to keep it away from moisture, we had an issue where the tray was below a condensing coil, and the water dripped into the mixture on the defrost cycle, spoiled the entire batch, gotta keep it dry as possible

Thanks again, I always appreciate your input. I'd love to spend a day fishing with you some time, being a butcher sounds like a really interesting profession, it would be fun to hear more about it.

[FloatnFly]

Thanks again, I always appreciate your input. I'd love to spend a day fishing with you some time, being a butcher sounds like a really interesting profession, it would be fun to hear more about it.

 

 

any time it can be both a fun and a very frustrating profession

[misfish]

I,ll know in about 3 hours or so how it turned out. Just put it in the oven to slow cook.Or is that bake.

 

There was no smell to it so Im guess it didnt go bad.

Edited January 16, 2016 by Brian B

[Consigliere]

Did you fry a piece to check the salt?

 

It will not go bad while bein salted. It is after.

[misfish]

Did you fry a piece to check the salt?

 

It will not go bad while bein salted. It is after.

 

No I did not. forgot. It,s been 6 days, so I thought I would go the in between 5-7 day.