Cure #1 and Cure #2 - What's the difference?

There is a lot of confusion about the usage of curing salts. Let's make it simple.

Curing salt is to be used when you are curing meat and you WILL BE STORING THE MEAT IN AN EVIRONMENT THAT IS NOT CONDUCIVE TO STORING MEAT. Basically this means that if you make a fresh sausage that will go straight to the normal fridge or freezer and you will be eating it in a day or two, then you DO NOT USE CURING SALTS.

If , however you are going to keep the meat for longer than it will normally last outside a fridge then you will use curing salts. For example, if you are making a sausage that you want to age for a few weeks in a curing chamber or at higher temperatures than you have in your fridge, then you will use a curing salt, because without the curing salt, the meat will become rotten. It will be contaminated very quickly with bad and harmfull bacteria.

So now that you know when to use curing salt, let me explain when to use curing salt #1 and curing salt #2.

If you are going to age your meat for LESS THAN 30 DAYS and you plan to cook the meat before eating it. then you use curing salt #1.

If you are going to age your meat for LONGER THAN 30 DAYS, and you plan to eat it uncooked, then you use curing salt #2.

Curing salts comes in various brands but they almost always have #1 or #2 in the name. But sometimes they do not. Best way is to check the ingredients.

Curing salt #1 contains ONLY Nitrites.

Curing salt #2 contains Nitrites AND Nitrates.