The main ingredients for curing meats vary between the styles and methods, but one ingredient is always sea salt. I love all the styles I have discovered for cured meat and use rivals at home.
I’ve savored many years making recipes and using the craft of cold smoking, hot smoking, low & slow to dry curing meats.
That one ingredient that unifies is salt, specifically sea salt or kosher salt (nothing with additives or anti-caking agents – not iodized table salt, ideally).
But it’s not so much the
So let me introduce some of these methods below, you will get hooked too!
You also get some types of curing mixtures I’ll touch on.
What are the Main Ingredients for Curing Meat?
Salt is in all meat curing; spices, herbs, and other ingredients can be used. Sweeteners are another main ingredient. Nitrates/nitrites are optional also.
For the above ‘dry curing ‘ cured meat like lonza
I like to think of it like any project that involves salting or brining the food and not always preserving it like hot smoking. If you want to check out the mega world of cured meats, I wrote a post researching 50 different kinds, if you want to see the list check it out here.
Pastrami, prosciutto or bacon – these are made very different, the main ingredient in all of them is salt.
So, I’ll summarize the different curing and smoking projects and some of the main ingredients I use as an overview.
Dry Cured Meat
It’s probably one of my favorite curing types, and it can be done quite easily at home. Once I got into it for a few years I decided to build myself a DIY curing chamber to have a controlled environment to dry cure meat long-term, now over a few decades I’ve made 6 dry curing fridges.
In the most basic definition, dry curing meat involves salting and then drying the meat. Once the meat has dried to 65% of its starting weight, it has become a type of jerky, and you can eat dried meat without cooking. Remember, this is a craft and art, so it involves a decent understanding.
In saying that I have been doing meat curing for a long time, and I can I have probably less
Main Ingredients for Different Meat Curing
Sea Salt
This gets its section since it does most meat curing work. It inhibits meat, holds moisture, or removes it depending on the desired outcome.
It also helps form the dry pellicle protein layer on the outside of the meat so smoke gas/vapor can adhere to it more efficiently, is there anything salt can’t do!
Salt is anti-fungal and kills lots of harmful bacteria.
Do you know that white growth on salamis and other dry cured meat? That is good bacteria, penicillin. It protects the meat and lives a happy life. Of course, penicillin is also used widely in the medical arena (Halo-tolerant, can handle good bacteria).
CURING salts are different, since often these are a mixture of salt, nitrates/nitrities – (you will see more about this below the table).
Many of these variations have DIFFERENT AMOUNTS/RATIOS of nitrates/nitrites; please ensure you have a sound idea of what you are doing with these products.
| Curing Salt Type | Country of Origin |
|---|---|
| Prague Powder #1 | United States |
| Prague Powder #2 | United States |
| Sel rose de l’Himalaya | France |
| Saltpeter (Potassium Nitrate) | Various |
| InstaCure #1 | United States |
| InstaCure #2 | United States |
| Sal de nitro | Mexico |
| Nitrite Salt | Various |
| Celery Juice Powder | Various |
| Fleur de sel | France |
| Bay Salt | United Kingdom |
| Sal de Toscana | Italy |
| Táble Salt (Sodium Chloride) | Various |
| Pink Curing Salt #1 | Various |
| Pink Curing Salt #2 | Various |
Please note that curing salts in food preparation and preservation may have regulatory restrictions in some countries, and their composition can vary.
It’s essential to use curing salts in accordance with local food safety guidelines and regulations.
The choice of curing salt may depend on the specific requirements of the recipe and methodology. This is not regular cooking; this is meat curing (link to charcuterie/dry cured meats category list on this site).
I will elaborate on the two main types curing salt mixtures, and note this represents a small amount of an overall total salt cure for a meat project.
Pink Curing Salt No. 1
This is salt with the little tiny bit of sodium nitrite.
This makes sure the meat doesn’t grow harmful bacteria. It’s a common ingredient in bacon you buy in the store. The Equilibrium Curing guidelines are to use 0.25% pink curing salt to the total weight of the meat that is being cured (per 2 pounds/1 kg of meat, use 2.5 grams).
So, as you can imagine, you’re dealing sometimes with less than a few grams depending on how much meat you are curing. So accurate scales that get down to 1 or 2 decimal places are what I find most useful.
Pink-curing salt goes by many names due to the different marketing involved. These include Instant Cure, Prague Powder & Colorquick. Quite a few others, too.
Examples of Pink Curing salt No. 1 uses:
- bacon
- pastrami
- jerky
- corned beef
(Curing projects generally under 30 days, and projects like bacon that will be cooked)
Pink Curing Salt No. 2
No. 2 is used for dry curing projects lasting over 30 days, including salami. It has the addition of sodium nitrates. Over time, it’s broken down into sodium nitrite. It works the same way to keep the meat safe from harmful bacteria.
Examples of Pink Curing Salt No. 2
- prosciutto
- pancetta
- bresaola
- lonza/Lonzino
- pepperoni dry-cured salami or picante salami
- dry cured salami in general (though I don’t for homemade)
Both these curing salts are very bright pink so they don’t get confused with regular salt because they could make you very sick and should be kept well out of reach and a very safe place home.
If you want more information about the difference between pink curing salt No. 1 and No. 2, check it out here.
Pepper & Lard/Fat
Traditionally ingredients are used to cover exposed meat when making prosciutto or parma ham, this seals the exposed meat to prevent any harmful bacteria and insects from inhibiting the meat.
Cold Smoked Meat
Cold-smoking meat is all about fully curing the meat and then drying it out with smoke in a conducive
I didn’t do cold-smoking meats until I learned a lot about it since many people have concerns about the bacteria growth. Cold-smoking dairy products like cream are easy and can be done in an hour, and the same with cold-smoking cheese.
Cold Smoking vegetables can also add some crazy flavor angles, I love smoking beetroot and eggplant.
In Europe and the UK, cold smoking is very established both commercially and at home and there doesn’t seem to be the issues that some people have in the United States, like
So, definitely, salt is the main ingredient for cold smoking (information I created on cold smoking).
Dry Cured Salami
Again, of course, salt is the main ingredient, but dry-cured salami has a few other interesting bits and pieces.
What I have learned is to use a bacteria inoculation; one familiar brand is
Pink curing salt No. 2 is used because, generally speaking, a salami will be drying for more than 30 days. The meat is minced, exposing it to the environment with all the invisible things floating around.
Which means there is a slightly higher risk. So inoculating meat and using nitrates & nitrites is typical commercials; it protects from botulism. That is why salami-making is considered an advanced meat-curing project.
Low & Slow Hot Smoking
In some States is all about just salt and pepper, but in contrast, there are secret recipes for lathering a brisket or pork butt with stickiness and then coating in sweet spices to produce the almighty bark.
Low & slow hot smoking has become a massive category in meat smoking, and it does overlap a bit with curing since some pitmasters swear by using brine injections or wet brine soaks before the slow smoking is done
If you are making hot smoked bacon, you generally use salt, sugar,
When I make hot smoked chicken, for instance, I will also be using salt and sugar (sugar is approximately half the salt amount).
Fast Hot Smoking
So I define this as using direct heat to cook the meat, with wood in between for smoking. There is a rack that keeps the meat and wood apart slightly. Here is my portable smoker in action, great for camping and fishing.
With the under-an-inch fish fillets above, they took only 4 hours brining and 1 hour to form a pellicle from hot smoking for just 12 minutes.
Again, salt being the main
Quick Meat Curing – Jerky & Biltong
Some of my favorite protein snacks involved a little bit of meat curing.
When you look at something like jerky or South African biltong, it is very similar, it is a super healthy high-protein, very low carbohydrate, low salt & low sugar (definitely commercial brands will vary greatly. Also, the USA loves sweetness). Well, it should be low sugar, but a lot of commercial jerky does contain quite a bit of sugar.
For the simplest version of South African-style biltong, which is incredibly tasty, all you need is sea salt, malt vinegar, and coriander seeds.
Acidity is part of the preservation and flavor of Biltong, not jerky. Often, jerky is cooked at a low temperature, whilst biltong is only air-dried.
If you want a quick rundown on making simple jerky and biltong, check out this post here.
Other ingredients for Curing Meat
I just thought I’d mention some of the ingredients that match certain cured meats that are favorites other than salt and sugar.
Cured Pork
Pork always goes with sweetness, so adding maple syrup to things like bacon does help enhance flavor.
I have done some experimenting with Asian-style spices like allspice or this classic five-spice blend.
It’s incredible what can work; I did a whiskey dry cured cold smoked bacon, which turned out good for a hunting trip.
Cured Fish
Gravlax (lox and many other names for similar products) is a classic cured meat dish with salmon; its origins are in Scandinavia. But all you do is put the salmon and a salt tray using the salt box method. Dill is also the classic spice that’s used.
You leave it for 24 hours, take it out, then slice it and try it to check saltiness. If it’s too salty, you can quickly soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes.
Thinly slice and enjoy; there is also a popular beetroot-style gravlax that rocks.
Cured Venison/Beef
Juniper berries, garlic, Rosemary, and toasted black pepper are probably some of my favorite flavors to peer up with red meat.
Cured Jerky/Biltong
When it comes to jerky or biltong, other flavors from the classic I like to use are smoked paprika, Chile, cumin, and garlic.
What is a Meat Cure Made Of?
Meat cure can mean several things. Generally, pink curing salt is included, and for meat cure, there are two types: one for short-term under 30 days of curing, and this is for cured bacon. The other primary meat cure is designed to limit microbes so the meat can be cured for over 30 days.
What is the most essential ingredient for curing meat?
Salt, specifically sea salt or kosher salt without additives or anti-caking agents, is the primary ingredient for curing meat. It plays a critical role in preservation by inhibiting harmful bacteria, retaining moisture, or aiding in drying the meat, depending on the curing method.
What are the differences between Pink Curing Salt No. 1 and No. 2?
Pink Curing Salt No. 1 contains sodium nitrite and is used for curing projects under 30 days, such as bacon or corned beef. Pink Curing Salt No. 2 includes sodium nitrate, which gradually converts to sodium nitrite over time, making it ideal for long-term curing projects like prosciutto or salami.
Can curing meat be done without nitrates or nitrites?
Yes, curing meat without nitrates or nitrites is possible, though it may limit certain styles and preservation methods. For example, traditional methods like dry curing or cold smoking can use only salt and natural processes, but they may require careful monitoring to ensure safety.
Tom Mueller
For decades, immersed in studying, working, learning, and teaching the craft of meat curing, sharing the passion and showcasing the world of charcuterie and smoked meat. Read More