Where In Los Can I Find Prague Pink Nitrite [6.25%] Salt For Curing Bacon?

[jaideeguy]

I've googled all over the place for a source of Prague pink nitrite salt [6.25%] and I did find a source of what is called 'nitrite brine salt' from a restaurant supply company [Royal group] with offices in BKK, Pattaya and Phuket and ordered 2 kilos. It arrived with no specs as to the % of nitrite and only after tracking down the manager, who sent me the spec sheet that I copied below and you can see that they % of nitrite is way low @0.8-0.9%. Not really acceptable to me as the rest of the world uses the 6.25% pink salt as standard.

Does anyone know of a source in LOS for the standard 6.25% [Prague cure #1] nitrite??

Thanks in advance..........

[lvdkeyes]

I had the same problem finding Prague salt. I finally resorted to having a friend bring some from the US. I, too, would be interested to find a local source.

[jaideeguy]

Too bad, as I don't have any friends coming over in the near future and may have to resort to the mail, but the postage would be much higher than the product. Let's keep on trying and maybe we'll find a local source.

I see that I forgot to paste the technical info from the product that I did source here, so here it is..............

What confuses me is that you will notice that they use 0,8% instead of 0.8%....is that a European thing??

I have used it 3 or 4 smokes and haven't died yet, but I would feel much safer with the 6.25%.

Product Specification

INDASIA-Art.no: I64700

INDASIA Marking: Nitrite salt 0,8-0,9%/ E250, iodized

Description: Nitrite salt

Usage: as needed

Storage: Cool and dry

Minimum shelf life: 24 months from the date of production

Ingredients: salt iodized, peservative E250

Allergy declaration: none

Conditions: powder

Microbiological status: Bacterial content:

Mould:

E.coli:

Salmonella:

<102 /g

negativ

negativ

negativ in 25 g

Traceability: ensured

traceability information: articel number & BBD

GMO (Gene Modified Organisms):n.d. (PCR-Method / DNA-Amplification)

According to regulation (EC) 1829/2003 and regulation

(EC) 1830/2003 the product has not to be labelled.

Irradiation: n. d. (method "Thermolumineszenz")

All data are average values, small variations are normal.

Cross contamination from allergens traces (gluten containing grain, eggs, peanuts, soya, milk, nuts,

celery, sesame, mustard and products thereof) cannot be ruled out.

The bacterial figures can only be ensured within the framework of the statistical assurance of our

sampling procedure according to DIN 10 220 (taking samples to test quantity or quality

characteristics of spices and additives.)

17.03.2011 - 10:52:21 Uhr - Art.Nr.: I64700 17.03.2011 - 10:52:21 Uhr

[jaideeguy]

There is another alternative to packaged Prague salt and I almost
went thru with it, but managed to find a small amount of the pink salt
to delay actually doing it.

I bought some food grade 100% sodium
nitrite from a chemical supply house here in CM and it doesn't seem like rocket science to measure out 6.25grams of nitrite and 93.75 grams of salt = Prague salt, right??

I know the 'standard' is to use pink Prague salt, but I know a quite
famous [unnamed] sausage maker that simply does that and he has been distributing
his product all over the country for years.

My last resort.............

Or if anyone does know someone coming to CM and would schlep a kilo or 2 over for me, I will pay for their kindness in excellent home made bacon or Baht.

[butterisbetter]

There is another alternative to packaged Prague salt and I almost

went thru with it, but managed to find a small amount of the pink salt

to delay actually doing it.

I bought some food grade 100% sodium

nitrite from a chemical supply house here in CM and it doesn't seem like rocket science to measure out 6.25grams of nitrite and 93.75 grams of salt = Prague salt, right??

I know the 'standard' is to use pink Prague salt, but I know a quite

famous [unnamed] sausage maker that simply does that and he has been distributing

his product all over the country for years.

My last resort.............

Or if anyone does know someone coming to CM and would schlep a kilo or 2 over for me, I will pay for their kindness in excellent home made bacon or Baht.

Actually, the safest way I know of to do this is mix the salt and sodium nitrite together, then add some water and stir it around a lot to make a slurry. Then boil it down until it's a dense sludge and either use an oven or leave in the sun to evaporate the rest. Then find some way to grind it or smash it back into a powder. This way, you can be sure that the sodium nitrite is evenly distributed. Best to use pure salt too (not iodized or containing additives such as aluminosilicate whatever)

[jaideeguy]

There is another alternative to packaged Prague salt and I almost

went thru with it, but managed to find a small amount of the pink salt

to delay actually doing it.

I bought some food grade 100% sodium

nitrite from a chemical supply house here in CM and it doesn't seem like rocket science to measure out 6.25grams of nitrite and 93.75 grams of salt = Prague salt, right??

I know the 'standard' is to use pink Prague salt, but I know a quite

famous [unnamed] sausage maker that simply does that and he has been distributing

his product all over the country for years.

My last resort.............

Or if anyone does know someone coming to CM and would schlep a kilo or 2 over for me, I will pay for their kindness in excellent home made bacon or Baht.

Actually, the safest way I know of to do this is mix the salt and sodium nitrite together, then add some water and stir it around a lot to make a slurry. Then boil it down until it's a dense sludge and either use an oven or leave in the sun to evaporate the rest. Then find some way to grind it or smash it back into a powder. This way, you can be sure that the sodium nitrite is evenly distributed. Best to use pure salt too (not iodized or containing additives such as aluminosilicate whatever)

BB, Have you actually done this yourself?? or read it somewhere and could you provide me with the link? It sounds like a good way to evenly distribute the nitrite.

The salt that I use is pure mined salt from the ground. it's the kind that they coat the Tabtim fish with, then bar-b-q. non iodized and only 10thb/kilo at any public market.

Thanks.........

Edited April 11, 2013 by jaideeguy

[butterisbetter]

There is another alternative to packaged Prague salt and I almost

went thru with it, but managed to find a small amount of the pink salt

to delay actually doing it.

I bought some food grade 100% sodium

nitrite from a chemical supply house here in CM and it doesn't seem like rocket science to measure out 6.25grams of nitrite and 93.75 grams of salt = Prague salt, right??

I know the 'standard' is to use pink Prague salt, but I know a quite

famous [unnamed] sausage maker that simply does that and he has been distributing

his product all over the country for years.

My last resort.............

Or if anyone does know someone coming to CM and would schlep a kilo or 2 over for me, I will pay for their kindness in excellent home made bacon or Baht.

Actually, the safest way I know of to do this is mix the salt and sodium nitrite together, then add some water and stir it around a lot to make a slurry. Then boil it down until it's a dense sludge and either use an oven or leave in the sun to evaporate the rest. Then find some way to grind it or smash it back into a powder. This way, you can be sure that the sodium nitrite is evenly distributed. Best to use pure salt too (not iodized or containing additives such as aluminosilicate whatever)

BB, Have you actually done this yourself?? or read it somewhere and could you provide me with the link? It sounds like a good way to evenly distribute the nitrite.

The salt that I use is pure mined salt from the ground. it's the kind that they coat the Tabtim fish with, then bar-b-q. non iodized and only 10thb/kilo at any public market.

Thanks.........

Yes, I have done it myself. And I did it because I read somewhere or other that this is the way the manufacturers do it to ensure that the sodium nitrite is evenly distributed. It's good to keep stirring it up from time to time especially as it starts to get very dry in the oven. That way you will get more moisture out of it and it will be easier to grind up at the end.

[theseahorse]

I guess you're American.

Actually the rest of the world uses this Brine Salt, cure #1 and #2 are an American thing. It's just that most books/websites on home curing are written by Americans. In the states you add your cures to kosher salt, whereas the rest of the world just has it premixed. Like this it's impossible for you to add too much nitrite.

To use your brine salt just add the amount of cure #1 and the amount of kosher salt in the recipe and it will be the same.

[tolsti]

Too bad, as I don't have any friends coming over in the near future and may have to resort to the mail, but the postage would be much higher than the product. Let's keep on trying and maybe we'll find a local source.

I see that I forgot to paste the technical info from the product that I did source here, so here it is..............

What confuses me is that you will notice that they use 0,8% instead of 0.8%....is that a European thing??

I have used it 3 or 4 smokes and haven't died yet, but I would feel much safer with the 6.25%.

I guess you're a Merkin. .The use of the comma as opposed to the full stop is widespread in Europe.

As for your bacon concerns a decent attempt at a search on here will reveal all you need to know about home made bacon,

Good luck.

[Ticketmaster]

You can buy it at a chemical supple house. To find the one nearest you, go to the local high school and ask the chemistry teacher where it is.

[puchooay]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

[jaideeguy]

Yep...excuse me for being a 'merkin'. I had no choice in where I was born.

I had assumed that the use of the comma was a European thing and now confirmed, thanks.

I do have [what the sales person claims] food grade nitrite and nitrate and may use that in the manner that Butter described if no 'merkan' cure becomes available here

"Actually the rest of the world uses this Brine Salt, cure #1 and #2

are an American thing. It's just that most books/websites on home curing

are written by Americans. In the states you add your cures to kosher

salt, whereas the rest of the world just has it premixed. Like this it's

impossible for you to add too much nitrite.

To use your brine salt just add the amount of cure #1 and the amount of kosher salt in the recipe and it will be the same."

So seahorse, even tho the amount of nitrite in my 'European cure' is approx 8 times less than the US cure, I should use the same amount of Eurocure per kilo of meat??

Seems to me that to keep the nitrite levels in the safe range [according to the USDA] , I should use more cure.

Thanks for the feedback.........

Edited April 12, 2013 by jaideeguy

[jaideeguy]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

Hey Puch,

Would you mind sharing your recipe or at least the basics of it??

thanks in advance

[theseahorse]

Yep...excuse me for being a 'merkin'. I had no choice in where I was born.

I had assumed that the use of the comma was a European thing and now confirmed, thanks.

I do have [what the sales person claims] food grade nitrite and nitrate and may use that in the manner that Butter described if no 'merkan' cure becomes available here

"Actually the rest of the world uses this Brine Salt, cure #1 and #2

are an American thing. It's just that most books/websites on home curing

are written by Americans. In the states you add your cures to kosher

salt, whereas the rest of the world just has it premixed. Like this it's

impossible for you to add too much nitrite.

To use your brine salt just add the amount of cure #1 and the amount of kosher salt in the recipe and it will be the same."

So seahorse, even tho the amount of nitrite in my 'European cure' is approx 8 times less than the US cure, I should use the same amount of Eurocure per kilo of meat??

Seems to me that to keep the nitrite levels in the safe range [according to the USDA] , I should use more cure.

Thanks for the feedback.........

Take a look at the recipe you want to use. A dry-cure mix recipe with cure #1 will probably say something like 450g of kosher salt and 50g of cure #1 (plus some sugar etc.). To use your brine salt just add the two together, so you'd use 500g of brine salt and no kosher salt. This will give you the same ppm of nitrite as the American style cures.

[puchooay]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

Hey Puch,

Would you mind sharing your recipe or at least the basics of it??

thanks in advance

Certainly. I only make lean bacon. I but about 6kg of pork loin at the local fresh market.

I boil about 4 litres of water with 400g of salt and 50g brown sugar. When the water is cooled I pour it into a plastic box with the pork. Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons of KNO3 into the water. Some other things I often place in too is a cinnamon stick and some black pepper corns. Cover and leave in the bottom of the fridge for about 4 days. I then remove the water and leave the bacon in box, covered, for a further 3 days to dry out.

This is great for bacon. You can cut it as thin or thick as you like. I also like to boil some of it to make boiled ham.

[butterisbetter]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

In the commercial world, using nitrates with food that is going to be fried is prohibited. This is because when exposed to the hight heat of frying, the nitrates in the bacon (or whatever cured meat you're using) combine with the proteins in the meat to form nitrosamines, a potent carcinogen. That's why nitrites are used instead.

[butterisbetter]

You can buy it at a chemical supple house. To find the one nearest you, go to the local high school and ask the chemistry teacher where it is.

I've looked in several of the chemical supply houses in Chiang Mai and so far no luck. Well, one place did have something called Prague powder but it contained amounts of nitrites and nitrates that were different from the proportions that I've used.

[jaideeguy]

BB, I've searched [by internet] all over the country and haven't come up with anything until yesterday when I got a link to a supply house on BKK, but their website is down now and I'll check after these damn holidays are over and post results. How much are you looking for?? Maybe we could go together on an order if we find it. If it is the 'real deal' then I would go for up to 5 kilos. Let us know if you find it.

Thanks

[puchooay]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

In the commercial world, using nitrates with food that is going to be fried is prohibited. This is because when exposed to the hight heat of frying, the nitrates in the bacon (or whatever cured meat you're using) combine with the proteins in the meat to form nitrosamines, a potent carcinogen. That's why nitrites are used instead.

The salt in bacon is more likely to do you damage before anything else. Once the Nitrate comes into contact with the bacteria in the meat they are hardly detectable anyway.

[butterisbetter]

I usually wet cure my bacon. I use KNO3, Potasium Nitrate. It is widely available in Thailand and goes by the name "din pbra sil". It is used by the Thai sausage vendors.

It works a treat.

In the commercial world, using nitrates with food that is going to be fried is prohibited. This is because when exposed to the hight heat of frying, the nitrates in the bacon (or whatever cured meat you're using) combine with the proteins in the meat to form nitrosamines, a potent carcinogen. That's why nitrites are used instead.

The salt in bacon is more likely to do you damage before anything else. Once the Nitrate comes into contact with the bacteria in the meat they are hardly detectable anyway.

I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. But I use sodium nitrite. I have a scale that gets down to 1/10 of a gram so it's not a problem for me to measure it. If I'm doing a dry rub, I use Prague #1 that I make myself.

[kikoman]

I have used the "Nitrite Brine Salt" from the Royal Group for years, and have had very good results, no ill effect and have made and eaten much bacon, ham and sausages.

I know a number of other members that are also using it, I always put in the number of teaspoons the recipes calls for of pink salt.

Cheers:

[jaideeguy]

Kiko....you are aware that they nitrite level of Royal's product is only 0.8% vs 6.25% for the pink salt? I have been using it myself in a pinch, but adding a little more Royal cure to up the nitrite. In my post # 3, I list the tech sheet that was sent to me by the manager of Royal.

Edited April 16, 2013 by jaideeguy

[theseahorse]

I have used the "Nitrite Brine Salt" from the Royal Group for years, and have had very good results, no ill effect and have made and eaten much bacon, ham and sausages.

I know a number of other members that are also using it, I always put in the number of teaspoons the recipes calls for of pink salt.

Cheers:

Just so you are aware, you're adding such little nitrite into your mix that it's not worth adding any. If you're adding say even 1 teaspoon of nitrite salt for each kilo of meat you'll still only have a ppm of about 30. You need at least 50ppm to start to 'cure' meat and about 75ppm to start fighting off botulism.

This doesn't mean your products are going to harm you, there's just more of a chance than someone who's curing with sufficient nitrites. You may as well just miss out the nitrite salt and cure your products in plain salt if you like the results you're getting.

[butterisbetter]

I have used the "Nitrite Brine Salt" from the Royal Group for years, and have had very good results, no ill effect and have made and eaten much bacon, ham and sausages.

I know a number of other members that are also using it, I always put in the number of teaspoons the recipes calls for of pink salt.

Cheers:

Just so you are aware, you're adding such little nitrite into your mix that it's not worth adding any. If you're adding say even 1 teaspoon of nitrite salt for each kilo of meat you'll still only have a ppm of about 30. You need at least 50ppm to start to 'cure' meat and about 75ppm to start fighting off botulism.

This doesn't mean your products are going to harm you, there's just more of a chance than someone who's curing with sufficient nitrites. You may as well just miss out the nitrite salt and cure your products in plain salt if you like the results you're getting.

I'm with seahorse on this one. For every teaspoon called for of pink salt, you should use almost 7 of nitrite salt. Of course, this is for dry cures. For wet cures you have to include the weight of the liquid as well. which means even more nitrites.

[theseahorse]

So you are all aware of the amount of nitrites needed and the amount officially allowed here's a few figures to work by-

Wet Cure must be under 200 ppm

Dry Cure under 625 ppm

Comminuted (eg sausages)under 156 ppm (150 ppm in Europe)

Any cured item marked keep refrigerated(eg bacon)must have 120 ppm and as someone mentioned in a previous post must not contain nitrates in the US.

Anything under 120 ppm and you won't get the shelf life that is required, however you will get some extra shelf life with about 40-50 ppm.

ppm = parts per million (eg mg per kg of meat)

Saying this, these are all for commercial curers. If you're making it at home you can remove the nitrite altogether if you wish and just use salt. You just won't have that cured flavour, the redness associated with cured meats, the shelf live or the protection from botulism.

[kikoman]

Thanks for the heads up!

As I have been using this product for 3-.4 years and my family or I have not suffered any ill effects and has worked great for me. We have never had a problem with the shelf life as I make the amount , my family can consume in about six weeks.

As has been stated many people do not use any form of Nitrite at all, in making ham and bacon.

I am on my third Kilo of Nitrite Brine salt, and will continue using it, but I have given away some of my stash and I will try to warn those persons about your concerns, and let them make their own decision to use it or not.

Thanks again for the Warning!

Cheers:

[jaideeguy]

So, what you guys are saying is that the locally available nitrite brine salt @ 0.8% nitrite should be multiplied by a factor of 7 to be 'properly' cured?? In my ignorance, I've been like Kikoman and using it at the same levels as normal [6.25% nitrite] #1 cure, but handle my meat carefully with respect and it cures for 7 to 10days in the fridge, then after a 3 hr smoke @ 225f, it cools and goes directly into my freezer.

This all makes me wonder why Royal sells such a low nitrite product and what is it's intended use??

[Turkleton]

So you are all aware of the amount of nitrites needed and the amount officially allowed here's a few figures to work by-

Wet Cure must be under 200 ppm

Dry Cure under 625 ppm

Comminuted (eg sausages)under 156 ppm (150 ppm in Europe)

Any

cured item marked keep refrigerated(eg bacon)must have 120 ppm and as

someone mentioned in a previous post must not contain nitrates in the

US.

Anything under 120 ppm and you won't get the shelf life that

is required, however you will get some extra shelf life with about 40-50

ppm.

ppm = parts per million (eg mg per kg of meat)

well, "INDASIA Nitritpökelsalz" is a European (german) product and follows European laws, where more than this 0.8% Nitrite isn't allowed.

And this is enough.

An example:

1 kg Indasia = 0,8% Nitrite = 8gr
 

I usually use 40gr per Kg meat (dry cure)

40gr Indasia = 0,32gr Nitrite = 320mg
 

Dry Cure under 625 ppm

1 Kg meat  =  1.000.000 mg | 320mg Indasia = 320 ppm
 

so I am fine!

If you want to decrease the level of Nitrite, just mix Indasia 50:50 with ordinary salt.

[theseahorse]

So, what you guys are saying is that the locally available nitrite brine salt @ 0.8% nitrite should be multiplied by a factor of 7 to be 'properly' cured?? In my ignorance, I've been like Kikoman and using it at the same levels as normal [6.25% nitrite] #1 cure, but handle my meat carefully with respect and it cures for 7 to 10days in the fridge, then after a 3 hr smoke @ 225f, it cools and goes directly into my freezer.

This all makes me wonder why Royal sells such a low nitrite product and what is it's intended use??

It has the same intended use and will produce the same product. When you add cure #1 to your recipe it asks to add salt too (about 6 - 7 times more salt than cure) so you have about 1 part cure to 6 - 7 parts plain salt. With the nitrite salt it is already mixed so you just add the nitrite salt and no extra plain salt. The end result is an identical amount of nitrite. It's just that the US use a different method to the rest of the world and have recently published more on the subject.

Outside of the US this is the standard curing salt although go under various names; Peklosol (Poland), Pokelsalz (German), Sel Nitrite (French), Colorazo (Swedish), Nitrited Salt (UK) and Kuritkwik (Aus)- all are about 0.6-0.8.

@Turkleton, that's sounds perfect. Anywhere between 30g and 50g per kg is right, just depends on how salty you like your bacon. Although the idea of these curing salts is you don't need to add extra salt as it will always give you safe product.

Edited April 18, 2013 by theseahorse

[Turkleton]

Although the idea of these curing salts is you don't need to add extra salt as it will always give you safe product.

I did a research on Indasia's website (indasia.com), but couldn't find any information about this product.

So, to be on the safe side, I contacted Indasia Germany.

I have sent them a photo of the label.

I will keep you informed....

Edited April 18, 2013 by Turkleton