Cures... Nitrates and Nitrites

When is it best to use them and which one? If you don't use either one, what is the possibility your sausage and/or bacon will have a deadly bacteria such as botulism?

gNow that we have the option of freezing, I hope nitrates and nitrites will become a part of culinary history. Both have been long associated with esophageal and stomach cancers. There was recent buzz again in the news about it; but I can remember hearing about this back in my health food co-op college days, 35+ years ago.

I do make my own ground fresh sausage, but I buy my bacon and ham, and get it nitrate and nitrite free. My DH does not always eat at home or what I prepare, and has had a long history of eating lunch meats, bacon, and ham while out. Coupled with a history of GERD, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 esophageal cancer on December 6th, 2012. According to the American Cancer Society, five year survival rates for this type of cancer is 5-15%.

I don't think I can ever be hungry enough to eat anything with nitrates or nitrites. Not after I've seen the suffering my DH has endured. Yeah, chances are he could have gotten this cancer even if he'd never eaten any; but with a known connection to nitrates and nitrites, and with ways of making these foods without it, why take the chance?

And yes, I know the cost of these nitrate-free meats is more. But after a year of medical bills that is well past the $100,000 range, the difference in cost becomes a very weak point.

JMHO.

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Its nearly impossible to get smoked ham, bacon or sausage etc that is nitrite free, in fact it must contain a small amount determined by the USDA if the meat has been processed by a USDA licensed facility. Sausage products in particular are most susceptible to botulin reproducing.

Nitrate is used for old world dry curing... but this method supposedly requires a LOT of salt for a lengthy period of time and is practically inedible unless the cured meat is soaked and cleaned long enough to remove much of the saltiness. Using nitrate is becoming less and less used.

I've been reading up on it and as I understand it anything that is smoked must have one or the other unless the meat is cooked thoroughly and consumed quickly. Fully cooked meats expire quickly so if you're preserving your meats then you want to cold smoke to prevent over-cooking. Someone posted elsewhere that ham must be cured to be considered ham, that is not true as you can have fresh ham which is not cured.

If you are buying nitrate free bacon check the labeling. You'll probably find celery powder as an ingredient. Celery powder naturally contains nitrates. They do a little chemistry to figure out how much celery powder they need to use and voilà, your still getting nitrates. Nitrate free bacon is not nitrate free, it's a marketing ploy.

I appreciate you pointing that out. I only have a couple of pounds of organic bacon left, and I will give it away. Thank you for the heads up, Fatman.

__________________
‎"The trouble with quotes over the Internet is that you never know if they are genuine." - Abraham Lincoln

What has a lot of nitrates, nitrites in them?

http://chriskresser.com/the-nitrate-...-to-fear-bacon

Admittedly, it would be good to see the medical studies conclusions on nitrates and nitrites and health from a reputable source. Or even from the USDA.
I use nitrates and nitrites in my food preparation, canadian bacon is an example.
You are likely to ingest more nitrates/nitrites by kissing (swapping spit) or from eating greens, root vegetables, and celery, than from preserved meat. Saliva from a just brushed mouth has less nitrates/nitrites than an unbrushed mouth.

I'm open to other opinions.

Regarding the OP.

Instacure #1 (aka Prague powder #1) just nitrites and mostly salt, usually dyed pink (fast curing) cure all meats that require cooking, brining, smoking, or canning. This includes poultry, fish, ham, bacon, luncheon meats, corned beef, and pates.

Instacure #2 (aka Prague powder #2) nitrites and nitrates and mostly salt, usually dyed pink (slow curing) Dry curing, not smoking.

Nitrites and Nitrates straight without being used in a salt or salt sugar mixture are too hard to distribute and could be dangerous to use alone, without proper mixing which is easy to do because of the infinitesimal amounts used.

Morton's Tender Quick--is mostly salt (97%), then sugar (2%), then nitrites and nitrates. (0.5% Sodium Nitrate (Preservative), 0.5% Sodium Nitrite (Preservative), Propylene Glycol)

No problem, I like my bacon, I don't eat that much of it if truth be known. You can make your own nitrate free bacon it's just that there is a risk of botulism in the environment of a cool smoker.

Feather is giving you the correct information. Cures containing nitrites are for meat products that will be cooked/smoked, while nitrate cures are for dry-cured products like salami or peperoni that are eaten uncooked.

A text that have a lot more information is Rytek Kutas' "Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing".
http://www.amazon.com/Great-Sausage-...ds=rytek+kutas

Please read up on a published text before experimenting with undocumented internet recipes. If you don't follow USDA guidelines you're likely to give yourself a case of botulism poisoning.

If the meat is going to be additionally preserved by refrigeration, freezing or canning -- then use nitrites (Cure #1) or none at all.

If the meat is only going to be preserved by additionl drying -- then use nitrates (Cure #2) which will breakdown into nitrites over time.

Smoking is a secondary issue.

Hot-smoked meats which are cooked while smoking in a fast process and will be eaten immediately, refrigerated or preserved by freezing or canning can be brined with nitrites (Cure #1) or none at all. You cannot dry hot-smoked meats for long-term preservation. This is appropriate for all fish and cooked sausages (bologna, franks) and uncooked sausages (brats).

Cold-smoked meats must be cured to prevent spoilage during and after smoking since it is a longer process. If it will be cooked and eaten immediately, refrigerated, or preserved by freezing or canning, then use nitrites (Cure #1). If it will dried and hung, then use nitrates (Cure #2). Dry sausages (salami, pepperoni), dry hams and dry slab bacon use nitrates.

ETA: Tenderquick is only intended for meats that will be cooked (including hot-smoking) and eaten immediately, or frozen/canned. It is not appropriate for cold-smoking as it does not contain enough nitrite/nitrate to prevent spoliage during the cold-smoke process.

As for the health risks of eating nitrites and nitrates -- for normal people with a rounded diet, this is only a concern if you eat massive amounts of cured meats or if you BURN the cured meat (burning/excessive heat is what creates the carcinogenic nitrosamines). A diet rich in antioxidants will counteract normal ingestion of cured meat and other foods high in nitrites/nitrates... so drink a glass of orange or tomato juice with your bacon and sausage and enjoy

People suffering from gout should limit/avoid cured meats since high levels of nitrates can alter blood chemistry enough to increase the reactivity of purines. Similarly, they should also limit/avoid celery, leafy greens, red wine and well water in high farming areas.