Curing salt 1 contains only sodium nitrite and it is the sodium nitrite that acts during curing on the meat protein. Curing salt 2 contains, in addition to sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate. Sodium nitrate is slowly converted to sodium nitrite during the process. In other words, sodium nitrate only works after being converted into sodium nitrite! The issue with curing salt 2 is exactly this, prolonging the curing action during this slow time in which it is converted into sodium nitrite. Using curing salt 1 will give you a quick cure that will deplete the nitrite present quickly, which is why sodium nitrate (from curing salt 2) is used, so that curing is prolonged in products that take time to be ready, such as, for example, salami and copa.
You may get the curing result such as color and cured flavor, but the process will be quick and consequently the protection will also be shorter. The ideal is to use type 2 curing salt, as the product will have prolonged exposure to sodium nitrite.
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Can I ferment salami in a refrigerator, with just temperature control? I currently don't have a humidity controller.
Alessandro, salami fermentation is done outside the refrigerator, at room temperature. After fermentation, the weight loss and maturation process begins, which takes place in a colder environment, such as the refrigerator. But the humidity needs to be high to prevent the exterior of the salami from drying out. You can make a plastic box like this salami recipe in the fridge: Handmade salami made in the fridge
What is the ideal temperature for canopy maturation?
12ºC
I'm using type 2 curing salt on beef but when I add it to the meat it immediately darkens, is this normal?
It shouldn't darken the meat. What the curing salt does is fix the reddish color, but this takes a while and becomes more evident after cooking. The darkening may be due to the dynamics of myoglobin in contact with oxygen. Read this post to assess whether this is the case: Understand the color of meat
Is it a problem to cure bacon for 7 to 10 days with #2 curing salt???
Hi Bruno, no problem, you can do it with curing salt 2.
Good morning! To sell artesansl sausage, in addition to curing salt 1, is it necessary to use a curing accelerator?
Another question, after finishing the sausage, can I vacuum pack it and freeze it immediately and the curing salt will be activated in the same oven, or do I need to leave it refrigerated for a period of time, packaged or not, for the curing salt to take effect?
Is it possible to use Cura #2 on fresh products??
Hi Luis, yes you can. Large slaughterhouses generally use curing salt 2 in fresh sausages as the sausages spend a long time in storage until consumption. The ideal is curing salt 1 but you can use 2 as well.
Good afternoon, I ended up adding curing salt 1 to make cup, will I have any major problems other than the shorter shelf life of the final product?
Matthew, no problem. You just won't have the longer exposure to the additive provided by sodium nitrate. But there is no other negative interference.
What happens if, during the beginning of the salami's maturation, it freezes and then thaws?
I believe the only problem may be some change in the final texture. Maybe it will be less compact and more brittle. But just see the result to be sure. As for the rest, I don't see any problems, you can continue the process.
What would be the fermentation and maturation time, made with curing salt I?
Hi Raphael, it really depends on the product and the recipe. Fermentation generally takes place over 72 hours at a temperature of around 25ºC. Maturation varies greatly depending on the product, the ideal is to control it through weight loss. Salamis and cups need to lose between 35% and 45% of weight, which can vary between 20 and 40 days depending on the loss rate and thickness of the product.
Even though it's curing salt 1?