Without a doubt one of the most intelligent and well-presented charcuterie videos I have seen on youtube! Grazie!!

Sodium Nitrate will oxidize into Nitrite over time. But for most curing applications (unless you plan on dry curing something for more then 6 months), Nitrite will work the best, and in the examples you give, is what you want to use. I buy pure sodium nitrite online which is a fine, white salt. When I make my own curing mix, I'll weigh kosher salt in grams and multiply by .002 (.2%) which will give me the amount of Nitrite I need to mix in. This is good for dry curing. Continued...

There are some forms of ham, especially in Spain, that don't use sodium nitrate at all; just pure salt. Glad this video helped you understand the concept a little better.

Personally, I'm not worried. I don't make cured meats a large part of my diet, and my understanding is that in moderation, the amount of nitrites found in cured meat will not be enough to adversely effect your health. I would encourage anyone who is concerned to do their own research and use their best judgement, since I approach this topic from the perspective of a cook, not a medical researcher/practitioner. Plus, who wants to live life with out the occasional piece of bacon? ;-)

Finally, a detailed but understandable explanation. Thank you!

I'm a food technology graduate and is about to start my job as part of the research and development team in a meat processing company. I'm currently trying to refresh my memories for some knowledge and this video helped me a lot. Thank you very much!

Thanks. It feels good to get back into the swing of things after a few really busy months. My New Years resolution is more videos, lots and lots of videos!

Glad you are making videos again! Your channel is by the far the best educational cooking channel here.

Thank you! It was shocking difficult to find an actual informational video about curing salt that isn't just speculating about health effects

Thank You, for your comprehensivedescription of the various Salts. Regards Johno

Himalayan and some forms of Hawaiian Salt are pink because of the surrounding area they are removed from (the unrefined minerals in the salt are what turn it pink). Sodium Nitrite and Nitrate are white in their pure form, however they're commonly dyed pink so they don't get confused with regular salt. This form of salt will be labeled as "Pink Cure Salt" or something similar. So you have nothing to worry about.

Finally‼️ A Real Human‼️ A Real Explanation‼️

Thank Jacob for not talking down to us, I got pissed when told to look a word up but those teachers knew how to teach.

Jacob Burton....That was the answer, thank you very much. Beside the point...... what I hate the most on You Tube is the number of "Coffee shop expert" giving advice when they don't know sheet about the subject.Keep up the good work. Merci beaucoup.

When making something like a pate or terrine, I will take the total weight of my meat, and multiply that by .002-.004 which will give me 0.2-0.4% sodium nitrite by weight. This is then mixed with kosher salt and other spices, and then added to the meat mix. This way, I can control the salt content of my terrines and pates, whereas the curing salt mix I talk about above, is good to dry curing items where the surface is salted such as pancetta, duck confit, etc.

Thanks GigaBoost. I think these Q&A segments will be a nice addition to this channel's recipe and technique videos which I will continue to produce. As this channel and the Stella Culinary website continues to grow, I get a lot of people asking me the same questions through various outlets. These video Q&As will allow me to quickly throw the camera on in my office and get questions answered. I'm also looking into buying a better web cam so we can do some live Q&A sessions as well. Cheers.

Great straightforward, to the point, and clear to understand explanation! I love it when I happen upon a KZfaq channel like this one that makes their content well explained and to the point, AND does so without all of the extra gimmicky videographer flair that has come to define the more popular channels with high production values here on KZfaq. Being able to overly animations and more high production features definitely has its place as it can help fill the gaps to fully understanding what is lesser seen on video, but I feel like something about a more barebones KZfaq vlog or tutorial goes a long way toward making videos easier to watch and more personable like these videos are. I think after becoming so heavily bombarded with animations, overlays, and overused cliché video trends it's nice to just get a guy in front of a camera pressing record as if I were back watching KZfaq tutorials in 2008 with shitty block letter title frames made in a free downloadable video editor and a 1-5 star based rating system, when nobody had professional mics and just recorded using a $100 digital camera. It's not until you see a more down to earth channel like this one that you realize just how hackneyed the whole "Like, Share, Subscribe, and Ring that Bell!" KZfaq culture has become over the years. The ONLY thing I would recommend to make this channel even better would be a second camera angle fixed where the hosts head is, and aimed directly downward to capture his cutting board and workstation in a way most similar to how he himself sees the techniques he's explaining in the videos. A camera mounted directly above him looking down at what he's doing would be the perfect shot to show exactly what chef sees as if you were looking through his eyes. That shot is so helpful with learning the finer points of techniques that are hard to capture on camera. It would allow him to do the techniques as he normally would when not filming a video, but still catch all of it perfectly as if watching it as him. It makes it so much easier to put yourself in his shoes and see EXACTLY what it's supposed to look like when doing a certain technique, and not what it looks like when trying to perform the technique for a fixed camera that might not have the best angle on the shot.

Great job explaining. I'm getting ready to make some deer jerky and did not want to use celery powder/salt to cure as I would be paranoid about getting sick. But thank you for breaking it down, now I know I don't need "pink curing salt" that my sodium nitrite/w-salt packet will be just fine!

Great video, very clear. The only problem that I saw was that you said that saltptre was sodium nitrite, while it is actually potassium nitrate.

My pleasure. Thanks for the question.

Oh man, so unusual to see you in front of the camera Jacob, I like it! You're always so informative, it's great. You don't just explain the differences, but give us a nice brief history, explaining the background and explaining WHY, not just how.

Very informative Jacob, thanks a lot.

Found this while trying to find ways to use all the fresh venison I’ve been so fortunate to harvest so far this year. Very well done and explained video, you have a new sub a week before Thanksgiving 2019.

thankyou for this - an uncluttered description - really helpful. cheers.

I love it! This channel is immensely helpful, even for me as an amateur chef, and it's really interesting to see how things are done in a professional kitchen. You seem to have done a lot of research for this topic, I hope you keep that up, it's great.

What a great video. I have been using Saltpetre for many years in my home Charcuterie and you are spot on with it being a Nitrate. It is an area which confuses so many and this video will be a great reference. When the food industry discovered S Nitrite was a short cut to curing, it became the favorite way to speed up bacon and ham making. You needed so much less nitrite. Agh to short a text limit to discuss it but I would like to say well done ;) Steve

You have a well-explained, if not incomplete, video on this subject. Should have addressed more of the potential short/long term adverse health impacts of using this stuff.

This was awesome Jacob thanks. Looking forward to talking to my daughter about this who actually went to Culinary School and looking forward to trying to make a Pancetta.

It's hard to say because charcuterie has always been a highly respected art form among chefs. I think the idea that people can attempt charcuterie in their home kitchen has largely caught on in the last decade due to some great books on the subject and the ability for people to trade tips, tricks and recipes through online forums. Something like prosciutto di parma would be impossible to duplicate at home, but there are other great projects like confit, pates and terrines that are achievable.

just a brilliant explanation. thank you. theres tons of bad information out there. ive read up on this like crazy. You sir, nailed it down perfectly.

Thanks for sharing Jacob.....why do ignorant people exist? You share your knowledge and get attacked by idiots! We have a wealth of knowledge at our disposal, it's your responsibility as a consumer to educate yourself and not fall for the latest "scare tactic". " You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him think"

thanks I'm raising pigs this year and want to try curing some cuts this was a great informational video

Great to see you back. Got some questions: Has charcuterie been becoming much more popular in the last decade? or was it always popular, and I was just a student? Is a lot gained from making charcuterie yourself vs prosciutto di parma or things of that ilk?

Hello Jacob, Awesome videos, you are a great teacher! I had a question: Last night I started an EQ cure on three meats with this configuration: Beef Brisket (1.5 inches thick) Weight: .926 Kg Salt: 32.5 (3.5%) Nitrites at 6.25%: .5 tsp (2.5g) Pork Butt (3.5 inches thick) Weight: .897 Kg Salt: 31.39 (3.5%) Nitrites at 6.25%: .5 tsp (2.5g) Beef Ribeye (2.5 inches thick) Weight: .773 Kg Salt: 27.05 (3.5%) Nitrites at 6.25%: .5 tsp (2.5g) The nitrite content was calculated based on the directions of 1/3 tsp per pound of meat. I basically used the smallest meat weight which was 1.7 lbs and it gave me a rough .5 tsp. I applied this to all meats and the meats are currently vacuum sealed in the fridge. I am worried about a couple things: 1. I may have used too much regular salt with 3.5%. I probably should have used 2.5% or so. Because of this, can I somehow compensate by cutting down my cure time? The reason it is unclear to me is the whole concept of equilibrium curing requires the meat to reach a salt penetration equilibrium. Usually this is at three weeks from what I have read. I was hoping to pull the meats at say.. 7-10 days, but will this leave the middle uncured? 2. I am hoping that the amount of pink salt I used is not toxic when used in equilibrium curing (Not cut with a bunch of regular salt). I keep hearing that 4 g is a toxic level and I believe this would equate to 2.5 g.. Which is weird because I followed the exact directions and used the lowest possible amount per weight ratio. Question RECAP: When should I pull each meat from the vacuum seal in order to spice and hang them. My goal is for them not to be overly salty but fully cured. Thank you in advance. :)

Thanks for this clear explanation and for all the ratios etc., One of the best videos I've seen on the subject.

Very helpful videos - thank you. I have a smokehouse in the UK and I make bacon. One week cure before a 24hr cold smoke. Some of my customers don't like the use of refined sodium nitrite so I use celery salt (which of course I know is rich in sodium nitrite) as a substitute. Don’t you have any opinions on this?

Great video! Thank you for clearing all that up. One quick question: where do you get your pure sodium nitrite? I like the idea of making my own curing mixes and you are the first person who I've seen that does this. Very cool!

I remember which is which 1 or two by "two long". Instacure #2 is for ham and long term curing.

Great video. Thank you. I have a question - how to reduce the risk of formation of nitrosamines? At high temperatures sodium nitrite has been shown to combine with amines and form toxic compounds known as nitrosamines. Thanks again!

Thanks Chef for taking the time - great job too.

Thanks breertobee, glad you found the info helpful. If you're just getting into charcuterie, I would try your hand at some duck confit. I have a video in the charcuterie playlist if you're interested.

Saltpeter is potassium nitrate, not sodium nitrate.

Good info too, nice historical tidbits thrown in. Well put together.

Jacob, WOW... Excellent explanation, thank you. Your trollmanship is impeccable however, I believe you spent far too much time addressing the mentally undressed. I am your newest subscriber, thanks again.

Mate, this video was so informative, I loved it!!!

I am trying to make curing salt for pastrami meat . what is the measurements of salt and sodium nitrate that i should use?

No. Everything in moderation. Nitrite is commonly found in nature, with a very common natural source being celery. If you eat a balanced diet, you should be fine unless your doctor tells you specifically to avoid nitrites. Michael Rhulman has a couple great articles covering this subject on his blog if you're interested.

I've seen some recipes for salami without the curing salt at all but instead just use regular sodium chloride, any thoughts?

when curing pork at home with just regular salt, what caused holes in the soppressatta?

My office when I was an Exec was in the dry storage room...yours is in the wine room!?!?!? sweet! hahaha Nice to see you back Chef!!!

Thanks

Have a couple cure #1 questions. When I cure meat for sausage I first cut it into 1” to 2” cubes weigh it then add the appropriate amount of cure and the salt the recipe calls for then cover with a towel and refrigerate for 2 days. Then grind, mix, stuff and smoke to ~ 155° F. I have noticed that some recipes such as kabanosy after smoking say to hang at room temp. for 20 days and others say to bloom for 2 hrs. then refrigerate and if not consumed within a few days to freeze. So my questions are how long can I safely hang sausage prepared as above to dry before smoking and how long after smoking? also does the cure penetrate the fat or just the meat? Thanks in advance Also I have read many cure related subjects and watched countless videos and found a lot of useful information on witch cure to use, when and how but nothing definitive on what the time limitation is at room temp

Just found your site what a great job. I am looking to making my own bacon. Your site has so much great info

Thank you very much Jake.

Very educational, thank you for the great video.

On the spot information , accurately presented. Thanks for sharing. From what drying time on would you recommend #2 over #1?

Great video! Thanks for the explanation

Thank you, very good presentation.

I understand that consumption of vitamin c helps to counteract the carcinogenic effects of the nitrites,is this true?

please correct me if im wrong but I was under the impression that nitrites are oxidized into nitrates, not the other way around. That is in the circumstances of a fish tank at least where nitrifying bacteria "fix" ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) into nitrite (NO2-) and from there a second similar type of bacteria oxidizes further into nitrate (NO3-). im not clear on this next part but the NO3- either functions on its own or bind binds with ammonium to produce NH4NO3 (which is literally garden fertlizer, which is why planted aquariums are more stable and require few to no water changes to prevent toxicity to fish, as the plants will consume all the converted waste products) im not sure quite what form the nitrate takes to be absorbed by plants but the outcome is the same. is this process reversed in aerobic conditions such as curing meats, opposed to the anaerobic systems that occur in fish tanks? of course, in a fish tank, ammonia is the starting point whereas curing starts directly with nitrites, so it could be an entirely different chemical process. p.s just realized this video is seven years old, but the information is of course still relevant today as it has been throughout centuries of curing. Thanks in advance for any insight on this.

Thanks Steve. I'm glad you enjoyed the video. I'm always down to geek out on charcuterie. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail if you ever want to discuss it with more than 500 characters.

Did the pink panther used to consume a large amounts of pink salt? That's why he turned pink or it's a myth made by the table salt companies?

Thanks Jacob, great info and clarification on what could easily become a poisonous use of nitrite to the uninformed. AAAA++++

Sir. My brother makes about the best schinken I've ever eaten. His baseline is simply 20 gm Pokelsalz per 500 gm meat (pork) along with whichever spices such as juniper berries, pepper, rosemary, all rubbed well into the meat. No additional salt, or sugar. It's then left to cure for two weeks in a close bag after which it is removed and well rinsed, dried then smoked and then hung to dry for another 3-4 weeks or such time as the right textureuntil and proper consistencies are reached. It comes out perfectly every time. It comes directly form an old German recipe and we been making eating it ever since. Any thoughts Sir? As I've had a urge to cure up a couple chunks of dead hog myself. Any input from you would be very well appreciated. Thank you.

Very informative explaining it simple thanks

Hi Jacob what is the difference between of #1 pink cure salt and #2 pink meat cure salt? When it required using #2 pink cure salt? Thanks

Thumbs up.. Recently just made my first bacon and pork butt ham at home with #1 prague, so been looking for more info. Will check out your other vids too.

Thank you so much for the information! This is a great video!

Great video I'm very new to this and definitely want to start with the basics. I managed to purchase pink salt and instructions are 2 grams per kilogram finished product. How long would it take to cure 1 kilogram of ground beef ?

what are your views and or concerns on using just sea salt or kosher salt for dry curing meats ? safe, not safe ? would you recommend or not, i try to stay away from nitrates and nitrites...i have met alot of old Italian guys who been using just salt for years and years for there sausages and salami, and they say its all you need, and as long as you have the right cold cellar temp and humidity and inspect your meat for green mold and black mold and no fowl smells you will be just fine. what do you think ???

great presentation, thank you!

Very informative video. Thank you.

Cheers for the video mate very informative and useful thanks

Thank you so much for this youtube series

Thanks for the great explanation. Some sources suggest #2 for cures longer than 4 weeks. Is that appropriate?

thank you,.... from Rio de Janeiro

What do you think about potassium nitrate ?

Regards. How long does it take in the curing process to degrade from Nitrates to Nitrites and in turn degrade these to Nitric Oxide? Thanks in advance for your reply.

Thank you , well explained. i'm going to try a ham for Xmas. we'll see how it goes ?

Cure #1 contains sodium nitrite and Cure #2 contains sodium nitrate.

Very helpful video.

Great educational video. Thanks

If your using pink curing salt, does it have to be refrigerated during the cure process when fully emersded in the water salt sugar and pink salt?

How will I know the effectivity of the curing salt to the meat to determine the expiry dae of the meat product?

hi jacob thanks for the information you did a great job explaining salt i have no plans to ever cure my own meat but its nice to know how its done and why the different salts richard in the tropics

I am a total noob at this and I have found it to be extremely informative and helpful. Extremely informative. I do have a question I was hoping you could answer for me. Even though Cure #1 is recommended for meats curing and being eaten in under 30 days, can it still be used on other applications? Specifically, before I did enough homework, I cured a pork loin to do a Lonza, but I used Instacure #1 rather than #2. Should I throw it out and start over or can this work?

*I was told to use PRAGUE POWDER for my smoked turkey leg brine sometimes hard to find, wondering if how different the others are?*

Great job/video!!

Awesome. Thank you so much!

Great information

Thanks Jacob. I wanted to experiment with about.75lb of pork belly to make bacon. So far I have only salted it with brown sugar. I haven't measured anything. How dangerous is it to age that much meat for 6 or 7 days with only salt and sugar. I intended to keep it in the oven at 200 for an hour before using it as bacon. Should I start over with a 5lb piece and measure everything exactly along with instacure #1? I dont want to kill myself having this much fun. I ran into botulism problems with pressure canning too but had to trust the process at some point.

very useful information

thanks for the explanation!

Hello Jacob - great explanation. Question though - I have a bag of what is called 'Readycure' - it is a mixture of Salt, Sodium Nitrite & Sodium Bicarbonate. Can I use this for Corned Beef and if so, in what quantity? Do I still need Kosher Salt as well? Many thanks...

Wow thanks! That’s good info.

Greetings ... To use cure salt # 2 in a preparation such as Pastrami, Cooked Ham ... etc. there will be some way to make these preparations safe ... of course knowing that the ideal cure is # 1. Thanks in advance for your response.

I made Tocino last night. 2kg pork and I put in 1/4cup prague powder.. After realizing the mistake, I washed the meat 3x.. Will it be good to eat??

Great information, thanks.

great video! Can I use cucumber salt or powder to substitute for S. nitrate? I'm learning how to cure these days. Yum

nice info, Can you use premade bacon cure for turkey legs?