Can I use expired curing salt?

First make sure you understand how curing salt works. If you have questions about its functions in meat products, read the post curing salt what it is and how much to use

There are several curing salts with different compositions and manufacturers, but in general they are mostly composed of common salt (NaCl), sodium nitrite and/or sodium nitrate. Some manufacturers have 1 year and others 6 months of validity. Why does this occur? Validity can be considered as the guarantee of action of the additive that each manufacturer offers to its product. Some manufacturers prefer to have greater protection while others welcome this extended warranty. Curing salt doesn't spoil, it just loses its action. The product is composed of 90% or more of common salt, so within a year there will be no contamination in the product. Store correctly, away from moisture and direct light. If it gets wet, moistened or exposed to direct sunlight, the degradation of the product will accelerate.

I use the curing salt until I notice that the action of the sodium nitrite has started to become weak. It usually continues to work very well for more than 1 year. How do I know the curing salt is still working? It's easy to identify the action of curing salt, just cut a piece of pork, add a little curing salt, leave it in the fridge for a few hours and grill it in the pan. When cutting, observe whether the meat is reddish or grayish. If it turned red inside it means that the curing salt (sodium nitrite) is still acting. If the meat turns gray, the sodium nitrite has lost its power and the curing salt must be discarded.

Using an expired product will never be a recommendation but rather a personal decision for artisanal use and personal consumption. In large volumes, curing salt action tests are carried out by sampling and it is very difficult to guarantee that an entire batch of curing salt is acting correctly. It is not advisable to take unnecessary risks. Understand how curing salt works, test the additive's action and use it if you feel safe.