Cure calculation

[markie_q]

Hi guys,

 

Does this calculation sound correct?

Meat weight 958g

Cure  2.3g

Salt 21.65g

Sugar 11.98g

 

[Wade]

If you are using Cure#1 that is spot on 

[markie_q]

1 minute ago, Wade said:

If you are using Cure#1 that is spot on 

Yes cure #1

I did it with your spreadsheet, was just concerned I'd done it wrong!

 

Thanks as always for the advice. 

[Wade]

The salt and sugar is fine weighed to the nearest gram but the cure is best weighed to the nearest 0.1 gram. If you can only weigh it to the nearest gram then don't be paranoid as there are large safety factors built in.

[markie_q]

11 minutes ago, Wade said:

The salt and sugar is fine weighed to the nearest gram but the cure is best weighed to the nearest 0.1 gram. If you can only weigh it to the nearest gram then don't be paranoid as there are large safety factors built in.

I followed the advice on one of the other threads and picked up some jewellery scales from Amazon. It's not easy getting it to the nearest 100th of a gram. A tenth is doable 😂

[Wade]

The nearest 1/10th of a gram is ideal though if you cannot do this then you could weigh to the nearest lowest gram.

In your example

2.3 grams of Cure#1 gives 150 mg/Kg of Nitrite - This is the maximum that is permitted for commercial bacon

2.0 grams of Cure#1 gives 130 mg/Kg Nitrite - This is still within the effective concentration range of the Nitrite

3.0 grams of Cure#1 gives 196 mg/Kg Nitrite - This is way above the commercial maximum and so is not ideal. Eating the bacon in normal quantities with this level would not pose a significant health hazard but it is best avoided.

[markie_q]

5 hours ago, Wade said:

The nearest 1/10th of a gram is ideal though if you cannot do this then you could weigh to the nearest lowest gram.

In your example

2.3 grams of Cure#1 gives 150 mg/Kg of Nitrite - This is the maximum that is permitted for commercial bacon

2.0 grams of Cure#1 gives 130 mg/Kg Nitrite - This is still within the effective concentration range of the Nitrite

3.0 grams of Cure#1 gives 196 mg/Kg Nitrite - This is way above the commercial maximum and so is not ideal. Eating the bacon in normal quantities with this level would not pose a significant health hazard but it is best avoided.

When weighed, it does seem like a really small amount. 

As all the ingredients are white, it didn't feel like there was much cure compared to the a&o ones I've used previously. I guess that's why accurate weighing is essential as if I was eye balling it, I'd definitely have added more. 

[Wade]

The big difference is the concentration of the cure. The A&O and other similar cures only have Nitrite at ~0.6%. The standard Cure#1 is 10x more concentrated at 6.25%. The lower concentration makes it easy for beginners to weigh out - The cure I supply in my bacon making kits id 0,6% for this reason. When I am making up my own Cure#1 from the pure Nitrite and salt I always make a couple of kilos at a time so that the amount of Nitrite that needs to be weighed isn't too small.

When curing my bacon I weigh all of the cure ingredients into my grinder/coffee grinder and then blitz for a couple of seconds to make sure everything is well blended before applying. If you didn't do that then don't worry but it may be something to remember for next time.