When it comes to pink curing salt, there is one major use for it. The purpose of this ingredient is to remove and kill any bacteria or microbes in your food. This is done by breaking down the particles of sodium nitrate and then converting them into sodium nitrite instead. This chemical will drain all the moisture from your dish that is required by bacteria to survive.
Even though pink curing salt can be a crucial ingredient for various recipes, there can be times when you have run out of salt. At times like these, it is vital to know what other substitutes can you use as a replacement. This is why today; we will be discussing all the different substitute options that you can use in place of pink curing salt. So, let’s have a look!
Some Great Pink Curing Salt Substitute Options
- Saltpeter
Talking about this, Saltpeter is one of the most common products that you can use. This is also commonly known as potassium nitrate. The best thing about Saltpeter is that people have been using it as a preservative since Middle Ages. The only reason people have now started to avoid using this chemical is because of its inconsistent results.
Although, if you just want to preserve meat at your home then Saltpeter should be more than enough. You can easily purchase it from most stores as it is widely available. The features of this ingredient are the same as pink curing salt which is why you will not have to worry about them.
- Non-Iodized Sea Salt
Aside from Saltpeter, another ingredient that you can use for preserving food is simple salt. You should note that it is not essential that you use nitrates when trying to cure meat. Instead of it any type of salt can work as it drains moisture from food. However, there are some other things that you have to vary of. Using iodized salt might kill the bacteria from your meat.
However, this leaves it with a weird taste that most people find unpleasant. Considering this, you must avoid using it when trying to cure meat. On the other hand, Non-iodized seal salt works just as efficiently as pink curing salt. The great thing about it is that you can find this ingredient in almost every store.
Most people already have it in their homes so using it should be no issue. The only problem when using non-iodized sea salt is that it will not drain as much moisture as nitrates. This is why you will have to keep your meat preserved for a shorter time. This is essential because leaving your meat for a long time will increase the risk of bacteria forming over it.
- Celery Juice
Finally, one last ingredient that you can use as a substitute for pink curing salt is celery juice. The reason why this is a good preservative is that celery juice naturally contains tons of nitrates. This helps in absorbing all the moisture to kill the bacteria in your meat. Most companies used celery juice and advertise their products as nitrate-free.
This makes it an organic option as you don’t have to use any chemicals. Although, keep in mind that this will also change the taste of your dish. Considering this, there are tons of alternatives that can be used. However, choosing one of them depends on the user’s personal preferences. Just make sure that you go through all of these to find one that will work best for you.
Can You Use Table Salt As A Substitute?
While it is possible to use table salt, it is important to note that curing salts are toxic and are mainly used for curing purposes. Compared to it, regular salt might have certain additives that prevent the salt from sticking, which can in terms end up affecting the curing procedure. So, it isn’t recommended to use table salt as a substitute.
The Bottom Line:
Above, you can find some of the best alternatives that you can find for pink curing salt. All these substitutes can be safely used in place of curing salt when you find yourself in a pinch.