BedouinBob
New member
Anyone tried bacon cure without pink salt? I have a nitrate adverse friend who wants to make some. Bad idea?
Bacon Without Pink Salt?
- Thread starter BedouinBob
- Start date
gregbooras
Moderator
Bob,
I want to say, I have only done bacon once and used the salt. A quick search on the net and it sounds like you could use celery juice or powder instead. It sounds like if you do not use the cure or the celery juice your bacon will turn brown/gray when cooked.
If I was going this route, I would do more research, maybe Pork Belly and some other will chime in here.
Home-Cured Bacon
by Michael Ruhlman
http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/
Pink curing salt means “sodium nitrite,” not Himalayan pink salt. It’s what’s responsible for the bright color and piquant bacony flavor. You don’t have to use it, but your bacon will turn brown/gray when cooked (you’re cooking it well done, after all), and will taste like pleasantly seasoned spare ribs, porky rather than bacony.
Recipe using celery juice instead of pink salt
http://slimpalate.com/homemade-bacon/
Optional: 1½ teaspoons celery juice powder (I used this celery juice powder) you could also use pink salt if you wish
For the use of celery juice powder or pink salt: This is also optional but I chose to use celery juice powder and explained why in this post. If you don't want to use the celery juice powder or the pink salt don't worry because it's completely optional. The only difference is that your bacon might turn brown or grey after it is cured and lack the distinct piquant cured taste. If you want to learn more about the use of nitrates in cured meats and why I do not fear them Chris Kresser and Michael Ruhlman both have great articles on it.
Greg
I want to say, I have only done bacon once and used the salt. A quick search on the net and it sounds like you could use celery juice or powder instead. It sounds like if you do not use the cure or the celery juice your bacon will turn brown/gray when cooked.
If I was going this route, I would do more research, maybe Pork Belly and some other will chime in here.
Home-Cured Bacon
by Michael Ruhlman
http://ruhlman.com/2010/10/home-cured-bacon-2/
Pink curing salt means “sodium nitrite,” not Himalayan pink salt. It’s what’s responsible for the bright color and piquant bacony flavor. You don’t have to use it, but your bacon will turn brown/gray when cooked (you’re cooking it well done, after all), and will taste like pleasantly seasoned spare ribs, porky rather than bacony.
Recipe using celery juice instead of pink salt
http://slimpalate.com/homemade-bacon/
Optional: 1½ teaspoons celery juice powder (I used this celery juice powder) you could also use pink salt if you wish
For the use of celery juice powder or pink salt: This is also optional but I chose to use celery juice powder and explained why in this post. If you don't want to use the celery juice powder or the pink salt don't worry because it's completely optional. The only difference is that your bacon might turn brown or grey after it is cured and lack the distinct piquant cured taste. If you want to learn more about the use of nitrates in cured meats and why I do not fear them Chris Kresser and Michael Ruhlman both have great articles on it.
Greg
Pork Belly
Moderator
It is not Bacon without the Pink Salt.
Using Celery Juice you likely have a stronger concentration of nitrate then using the pink salt.
Adverse as in "thinks they shouldn't eat it or adverse as in allergic?
If the answer is yes to either of those questions, then they should never eat, cold cuts, hot dogs or big green leafy salads. Everything including bacon and nitrates is fine in moderation.
But if you really don't want bacon (no nitrate) a close compromise is slicing the raw uncured belly into medium thick slices, dredge these in AP flour and fry in a hot dry skillet. They will make their own grease and crisp up nicely. Season with salt and pepper when thoroughly cooked.
Making homemade bacon allow you to control the amount of nitrates you consume. Commercial bacon is injected with a brine that exceeds the required amount to cure. This method allows for a rapid cure in hours not days. You can calculate weights and do an EQ type cure or simply dredge meat in basic dry cure and shake off the excess either way you are better off than store bought.
BedouinBob
New member
Thanks for the comments guys. I asked the question based on a video I saw that I swear the guy did bacon without the pink salt. I always figure if I can simplify a recipe it is better but I get that the flavor may not be the profile we expect when we think of bacon. I personally am not averse to pink salt and PB's cure is about the best I have come across. It makes the best bacon I have ever had.
