Below the calculator, you’ll find information on what it does, how to use it, dry and wet curing, tips and advice, and links to relevant articles.

Here it is first, so you can bookmark this page and see it easily. Then I’ll cover the details below.

What This Calculator Does

Calculates the weight of the salt as a percentage of the weight of the meat you are using for the bacon, with or without curing salt #1.

This calculator also applies to both dry and wet curing.

This method has many benefits, and the calculator makes it easy. Less salt is used, you can control the saltiness, there’s a flexible curing time, and you get consistent results.

Specifically for bacon curing, this calculator offers adjustable amounts, with some suggestions. To make it simple, I’ll include the most common quantities in a table that I and many others use for homemade bacon.

I’ll also add tips and tricks about bacon curing and smoking. I’ve written many articles on the topic, I’ll link to.

In the USA and many other Western countries, curing salt is added to the sea salt mixture. The calculator will include the curing salt #1 (for under 30-day meat curing projects), either with or without it.

How to Use it

Weigh the meat you’re using for the bacon; I’ve suggested 2.25% for the total salt content. This is what I’ve used for about a decade, with numerous people finding it to their taste.

Dry Cure Method

It won’t seem like a large amount, but it will work when ground up with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle into a fine powder. Then apply it to the meat in a bowl, until it’s evenly covered. Try to get as much cure as possible into a ziplock or vacuum bag with the meat.

Inside the bag, the salt will distribute evenly throughout the meat over time, resulting in a consistent salt concentration throughout.

Key Points:

• Preference for Bacon Curing – 2.0% to 2.75% – for bacon that is not too salty
• A minimum of 2% total salt is needed
• Skin can be left on or removed before salt curing.

If you use curing salt #1 nitrite, it works out the amount based on the 0.25%, recommended amount (calculation/links below also). Since curing salt #2 is for over 30 days of meat curing projects (like pancetta or braesola) it’s not used for bacon.

Wet Brine Method

It can take a few attempts to work out the amount of water you need. In the calculator, you can adjust the percentage to measure the water amount, and then use it.

Often, I’ve needed 40-50% water to submerge the meat. How tightly fitting you have the container to the shape of the meat. The easiest way I’ve found to do this is to place the meat in your snug curing container, then add fresh cold water until the meat is submerged.

Remove the meat, and measure or weigh the amount of water you used. Input this into the calculator.

Below is a detailed article on wet/dry salt curing.

My advice about using pink curing salts or other styles of nitrates/nitrites is that it’s a personal choice. Take into account

Dry Cured Bacon = % of Sea Salt + 0.25% Pink Curing Salt to the Total Weight of the Meat

Wet Brine Bacon Curing = % of Sea Salt + 0.25% Pink Curing Salt to the Total Weight of the Meat In addition, 1L=1Kg weight, so 40% water is calculated for the total meat weight

The calculator above is based on the US-USDA (regulatory authority) standard of 156 ppm (parts per million).

Bacon Curing Tips

• Cold-smoking bacon in a 5-8-hour session and resting allows more smoke vapor to adhere to the bacon.
• Less smoke is always better than too much; airflow is essential to making the bacon—ideally, both the airflow into the smoker and also existing the smoker. The most undesirable design for a cold smoke I’ve used had no outflow for the smoke.
• I prefer a 50% or less sugar-to-salt ratio, i.e., 2:1. Often, it’s touted as a 1:1 ratio for bacon — this is too much sweetness.

Learn More About Bacon Curing

For another angle on the same approach, here is the gastrochemist blog approach.

Frequently Asked Questions

Feel free to ask anything below, I’m always interested in your thoughts.