New Pancetta video

This topic has 8 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 9 years, 11 months ago by Rick.

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January 22, 2015 at 9:51 pm #2189

Jim
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January 23, 2015 at 12:20 am #8858

Bob
Member

FYI

If you choose to eat fried as bacon you should not use Cure #2

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDirectives/7620-3.pdf

* There are more stringent limits for curing agents in bacon to reduce the formation of nitrosamines. For this same reason, nitrate is no longer
permitted in any bacon (pumped and/or massaged, dry cured, or immersion cured). Refer to page 27, Nitrite used in Bacon, for specific information.

January 23, 2015 at 2:04 am #8859

Jim
Member

January 23, 2015 at 2:33 am #8860

Bob
Member

* There are more stringent limits for curing agents in bacon to reduce the formation of nitrosamines. For this same reason, nitrate is no longer
permitted in any bacon (pumped and/or massaged, dry cured, or immersion cured). Refer to page 27, Nitrite used in Bacon, for specific information.

You are referring to sodium nitrite, which is permitted. Cure #2 also contains Sodium Nitrate, which is not.
Cure #2 is listed as an ingredient in the video

January 23, 2015 at 8:32 am #8861

Jim
Member

Indeed that is what the USDA inspection says. It is rather ironic that they allow the use of celery powder that contains both nitrite and nitrate in “uncured” bacon. Though for the most part nitrates convert to nitrites during aging anyway.

January 23, 2015 at 10:27 pm #8864

Bob
Member

Jim I agree with you 100%. Note the double asterisk and the fine print on the label. Naturally occurring nitrates/ nitrites no matter the strength are not covered in current regs.

January 24, 2015 at 12:53 am #8866

Jan Ooms
Member

On the last label, I would be a bit worried about my blood pressure with a 9% sodium content. Am I missing something?
Cheers,
Jan.

January 24, 2015 at 4:16 am #8868

Chris Herrera
Member

Hi Jan,

Here the 9% indicates that a single serving, in this case a single slice, contains 9% of your suggested daily intake of sodium, not that the slice is 9% sodium. :sick:

Take care,

Chris

January 29, 2015 at 2:29 am #8889

Rick
Member

Nice video there Jim.

Some info on cures.

CURES – Cures are used in sausage products for color and flavor development as well as retarding the development of bacteria in the low temperature environment of smoked meats. Salt and sugar both cure meat by osmosis. In addition to drawing the water from the food, they dehydrate and kill the bacteria that make food spoil. In general, though, use of the word “cure” refers to processing the meat with either sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate. The primary and most important reason to use cures is to prevent BOTULISM POISONING (Food poisoning). It is very important that any kind of meat or sausage that will be cooked and smoked at low temperature be cured. To trigger botulism poisoning, the requirements are quite simple – lack of oxygen, the presence of moisture, and temperatures in range of 40-140° F. When smoking meats, the heat and smoke eliminates the oxygen. The meats have moisture and are traditionally smoked and cooked in the low ranges of 90 to 185° F. As you can see, these are ideal conditions for food poisoning if you don’t use cures. There are two types of commercially used cures.

Prague Powder #1
Also called Insta-Cure and Modern Cure. Cures are used to prevent meats from spoiling when being cooked or smoked at low temperatures (under 200 degrees F). This cure is 1 part sodium nitrite (6.25%) and 16 parts salt (93.75%) and are combined and crystallized to assure even distribution. As the meat temperate rises during processing, the sodium nitrite changes to nitric oxide and starts to ‘gas out’ at about 130 degrees F. After the smoking /cooking process is complete only about 10-20% of the original nitrite remains. As the product is stored and later reheated for consumption, the decline of nitrite continues. 4 ounces of Prague powder #1 is required to cure 100 lbs of meat. A more typical measurement for home use is 1 level tsp per 5 lbs of meat. Mix with cold water, then mix into meat like you would mix seasonings into meat.

Prague Powder #2
Used to dry-cure products. Prague powder #2 is a mixture of 1 part sodium nitrite, .64 parts sodium nitrate and 16 parts salt. (1 oz. of sodium nitrite with .64 oz. of sodium nitrate to each lb. of salt.) It is primarily used in dry-curing Use with products that do not require cooking, smoking, or refrigeration. This cure, which is sodium nitrate, acts like a time release, slowly breaking down into sodium nitrite, then into nitric oxide. This allows you to dry cure products that take much longer to cure. A cure with sodium nitrite would dissipate too quickly. Use 1 oz. of cure for 25 lbs. of meat or 1 level teaspoon of cure for 5 lbs. of meat when mixing with meat. When using a cure in a brine solution, follow a recipe.
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