Curing salt concerns and substitutes explained.
Curing salt substitutes explored.
As I started to dive into the world of home cured meat I was met with a lot of conflicting and misinformation about the safety of curing salt, which i quickly came to realise was born out of consumer push back regarding ‘Nitrates in food’ and a link to cancer. However I also came to understand that Nitrates aren’t necessarily the ‘bad guy’ and half the battle is simply understanding the “suggested” risks so we can make our own informed decisions. In an effort to guide you through some of the things I was confused over, this post is intended to be a dispassionate reference guide to the different types of salt and what they do.
Different types of curing salt
At some point while shoping for healthier deli meats, I flipped over a package of procittio ham and nearly fell over when i read the ingredients were simply two things: pork, salt.
How could this be ? When i was so used to reading through lists of words I can’t pronounce added in my packaged bacon or sausage, I couldn’t believe I was really seeing a 2 ingredient preserved meat… I had to know more, because maybe this would be something i could do at home?!
The biggest barrier to learning to cure meat ( I think) is learning what curing salts are and what they do. Below, I compiled a list of all the different types of salt used in curing which I hope can get you started on your own curing journey.
Saltpetre - Potassium Nitrate ( KNO3) Historically meat was salt cured using ‘saltpetre’ a naturally occurring mineral found in limestone caves. In the last century a switch was made to Sodium Nitrate because it had more consistent results in the end product. Through research scientists discovered that the nitrate compound was the substance responsible for lasting colour and flavour in cured meat.
Artisanal Salt - Naturally occurring mineral salt, celtic salt (from the sea), himalayan salt ( from rocks) etc. Typically not used in curing because the minerals can react with the meat to produce variable or ‘non uniform’ outcomes.
Kosher Salt - A processed salt. This is a refined form of Sodium Chloride (NaCl) it has no other minerals present and used for producing kosher meat. Since it does not contain a Nitrate compound it does not stabilise meat colour or flavour.
Table salt - A processed salt. Often called refined sea salt ( demineralised) Sodium Chloride ( NaCl) often has Iodide added or anti caking agents. Typically not used in curing because the additives can react with the meat to produce variable outcomes.
Curing salt - A synthetic salt. Also known as pink salt, this is synthetically produced sodium nitrate curing salt. Note that the salt is not naturally pink, rather it is dyed pink so that it is not mistaken for regular table salt. There are 2 forms of curing salt:
Curing salt #1 also called prague powder 1 - a blend of sodium nitrate and sodium chloride, used to preserve meats that require less curing time. EG bacon, ham, sausage
Curing salt #2 or prague powder 2 - a blend of sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite and sodium chloride, used to preserve meats that are aged over time. EG. prosciutto, speck, and dry-cured sausages
Veg cure 504 More recently scientists have worked to produce preserving powders from naturally occurring nitrites. Plant derived nitrites come from plants such as celery and kale whereby the plant is juiced, the juice is dried into a powder and used in the same way to cure meat. Although produced from plants the resulting nitrite compound should still be regulated in its use. It can be used in place of curing salt #1 or #2
What is also worth noting is that The plant derived compounds are nitrites and not nitrates. Sodium Nitrate NO3 reduces into Sodium Nitrite NO2 over time and scientists, through Extensive research eventually showed that nitrite (NO2) not nitrate (NO3) was the substance responsible for the cured meat color and cured meat flavor.
Is cured meat harmful to health?
If you have read that cured meat is bad for your health it has probably come from the research that has linked Nitrites to cancer.
As you have read above both Nitrates and Nitrates are compounds that can be used in curing meat. They are used to form a chemical reaction with the haemaglobin in meat to stablize the colour and flavour. What you might not realise is that nitrates are not just in processed meats but are used in cheeses, preserved fish, they occur naturally in vegetables like beets and kale and we even make our own in the human body. Therefore if Nitrates in themselves were harmful to health then consuming a normal daily diet would be a health risk!
What does the science say?
According to scientific research the link between cancer and processed meats is due to the nitrite compounds forming NOC’s during digestion, as a result of sticking themselves to other proteins in the gut. Once NOC’s are formed it is speculated that they can initiate tumour development by damaging cellular DNA. It is also true however that tumours can only develop in the presence of other compounds such as AGE’s and HCA’s which are themselves present in multiple foods and effected by multiple factors such as heat, oxidation and cooking time. So i suppose you ‘could’ make a decision to avoid nitrates at all costs and stick to meats that are cured with a ‘salt only cure’. But that still doesn’t get around the risk of AGE’s and HCA’s. Perhaps given the complexity of the science a better approach is to enjoy things in moderation, making sure that you use healthier cooking methods such as poaching and stewing v’s high heat frying and always balancing meals with a good side of antioxidants from your favourite home grown fruits and vegetables!
What do you think?
