Grey Bacon ?

[theseahorse]

The use of Potassium nitrate (Bengal Saltpetre) is illegal for all curing in the states, but not in Europe. In the states they must use Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpetre) instead. Although the use of Potassium nitrate isn't illegal in Europe, I think that it is illegal to use Nitrates for bacon. If it's not illegal it's certainly not commonly used anymore.

But this is about the use of nitrates v's nitrites for bacon, not about potassium v's sodium or the nitrates in bacon give you cancer rubish.

It's important to understand the difference between the two. It's nitrite that cures the meat not nitrate. Nitrate slowly releases nitrites when at the correct temperature and when exposed to bacteria, only then will it start curing your meat. In the past nitrates were used as its derivative nitrite hadn't been discovered yet. Nitrates worked well then due to people not having refridgeration and the nitrates converted to nitrite quickly, but as we all cure in fridges now it slows down the conversion. The other thing nitrates need is bacteria, recipes that require nitrates (aged meats eg. anything you don't need to cook) will usually have a high sugar content as the bacteria feeds off the sugar, multiplys and then the nitrate releases more nitrite.

No one uses nitrates in bacon any more as it's hard to control the release of nitrites when curing something for just a few days. Sodium nitrite starts working instantly, whereas with nitrate it will take 3 or 4 days to even start to cure your meat and when a dry-cured belly takes about 7-8 days to cure, half of the time it's just sitting there getting salty, not curing.

Having said all of this, it is possible to cure make bacon with nitrate, just be aware it may take a few days longer (resulting in a saltier bacon) and it will need to be kept at a higher temp than a fridge is usually set at - between 8-10 C is perfect, not much lower as nitrate will go lethargic at around 4 C and the curing process will stop.

But good luck with the bacon and let us know how it comes out.

[kikoman]

I have been curing bacon for a number of years, use both wet cure and the dry cure. I use Nitrite Brine Salt which I purchased here in Thailand, from Royal Exquisite Food Ltd. Part. in Pattaya #038 425 096, that company also has offices in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samaii. I do not remember how much it cost, not more than 300 baht for one kilo.

Enough to cure all the home curing you want, you can buy salt peter at most local markets that Thais use in their curing. Some people do not like to cure with Nitrite, but if you do you can purchase it in Pattaya, I first tried to order it from the Bangkok office which I never received a reply from my e-mails and phone calls, I have found the Pattaya office a great place to do business with.

I forgot to mention I receive my order by mail.

Cheers:

Edited July 27, 2012 by kikoman

[Boyce]

I have been curing bacon for a number of years, use both wet cure and the dry cure. I use Nitrite Brine Salt which I purchased here in Thailand, from Royal Exquisite Food Ltd. Part. in Pattaya #038 425 096, that company also has offices in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samaii. I do not remember how much it cost, not more than 300 baht for one kilo.

Enough to cure all the home curing you want, you can buy salt peter at most local markets that Thais use in their curing. Some people do not like to cure with Nitrite, but if you do you can purchase it in Pattaya, I first tried to order it from the Bangkok office which I never received a reply from my e-mails and phone calls, I have found the Pattaya office a great place to do business with.

I forgot to mention I receive my order by mail.

Cheers:

Hi there thanks for that , i forgot about this company , someone told me before about them, i'm in pattaya next week i'll give em a call.

Cheers

[dazk]

I have been curing bacon for a number of years, use both wet cure and the dry cure. I use Nitrite Brine Salt which I purchased here in Thailand, from Royal Exquisite Food Ltd. Part. in Pattaya #038 425 096, that company also has offices in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samaii. I do not remember how much it cost, not more than 300 baht for one kilo.

Enough to cure all the home curing you want, you can buy salt peter at most local markets that Thais use in their curing. Some people do not like to cure with Nitrite, but if you do you can purchase it in Pattaya, I first tried to order it from the Bangkok office which I never received a reply from my e-mails and phone calls, I have found the Pattaya office a great place to do business with.

I forgot to mention I receive my order by mail.

Cheers:

thanks for the info

[theseahorse]

I have been curing bacon for a number of years, use both wet cure and the dry cure. I use Nitrite Brine Salt which I purchased here in Thailand, from Royal Exquisite Food Ltd. Part. in Pattaya #038 425 096, that company also has offices in Bangkok, Phuket and Koh Samaii. I do not remember how much it cost, not more than 300 baht for one kilo.

Enough to cure all the home curing you want, you can buy salt peter at most local markets that Thais use in their curing. Some people do not like to cure with Nitrite, but if you do you can purchase it in Pattaya, I first tried to order it from the Bangkok office which I never received a reply from my e-mails and phone calls, I have found the Pattaya office a great place to do business with.

I forgot to mention I receive my order by mail.

Cheers:

I use the same stuff. It's a European style curing salt (different to the American cure #1) and has a mix of 0.07% nitrite (cure #1 is 6.25%). You just add the salt to your brine or drycure mix without needing to weigh out small amounts of strong nitrite salts, it's very safe and fool proof.

It costs about 100 baht a kilo, or even cheaper if you buy a 25kg sack

Edited July 28, 2012 by theseahorse

[puchooay]

Is your nitrate for bacon? Bacon should really be cured with nitrite, not nitrate. It is illegal in the west to use nitrates in bacon.

It is possible to cure with Nitrate and people have done it for centuries, but it is much harder as there are too many variables (temperature/ bacteria etc) for the nitrate to turn into the nitrites that will do the curing. To get a properly cured peice of meat you will find it takes much longer to cure and will often taste salty. It's one of the reasons that cured meats used to have to be soaked before use.

I have just taken my latest batch out of the brine. I will now leave it in the fridge,dry,and uncovered for 2 days to dry out. I will then have tasty, pink bacon.

Same ingredients as usual.Salt, less that 20baht a kilo, some sugar and a pinch of KNO3.