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The Best Pink Curing Salts for Savory Meat Creations
Written By Review Team at the Kitchen Institute
Thinking of preparing the perfect melt-in-your-mouth salami or prosciutto? Even if you’re a newbie, curing meats can be easy if you know what salts to use with different meats or fish. Although the method of curing takes some know-how, there’s nothing that a little bit of practice can’t fix.
With the highest-quality pink curing salts of 2025, you can make any cured meat dish and give it that extra kick of flavor. Whether you’re cooking for a restaurant or just making a modest batch at home, there’s a pink curing salt that’s just right for you! Check out our comprehensive buying guide to learn more.
Top Pink Curing Salt of 2025 Reviewed in Detail
Anthony’s Pink Curing Salt
Best Overall
Are you looking for a healthy choice in curing meats for a gluten-free diet? Anthony’s Pink Curing Salt is perfect for people with allergies and those conscious of consuming GMOs. It comes in both Prague Powder 1 and 2 for quick or overnight cures respectively. The salt itself does not have artificial pink color. Rather, it is made from pure salts of the finest quality.
You only need 1 teaspoon of salt for every 5 pounds of meat to cure it to perfection. You can use the quick-curing salt on things like ham, salami, and sausage. The other option is ideal for dry rubs and longer cures to make foods like pepperoni, prosciutto, and dry sausages. The best thing about this product is that it comes with detailed instructions, so you’ll know exactly how to use it for optimal results.
The Spice Lab Pink Curing Salt
Runner Up
When it comes to curing salt, you can’t compromise on quality. The Spice Lab Pink Curing Salt makes the most of its amazing Prague Powder 1 formula by giving you a pink curing salt that makes meat taste perfect and have a signature cured texture. You can easily buy this salt in three different sizes depending on your cooking needs. The resealable packaging also makes it easy for you to use the salt and store the bag to prevent any moisture from getting in. This helps preserve your salt for longer-lasting use. Overall, it’s perfect for both restaurant and home use.
Wishful Seasoning Pink Curing Salt
Honorable Mention
When it comes to making corned beef, beef jerky, or ham, Prague Powder 1 is the ultimate curing powder. The Wishful Seasoning Pink Curing Salt has the perfect formula consisting of 6.25% sodium nitrite to help you prepare these meats. It comes in a package of 2.5 pounds, which is more than enough to last you a long time, even if you cure meats often. You can easily use this salt for dry curing or make a brine with it.
Not only does it give your food a unique flavor and impact a pink color in the meat, but it also gets rid of toxins and preserves the food. Another important thing to note is that this salt is made with environmentally friendly methods, making it perfect for environmentally conscious people.
Boise Salt Co. Pink Curing Salt
Also Consider
If you’re worried about pink curing salt being a hazard to your health, consider getting one that is made according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations. This Prague Powder 1 of the Boise Salt Co. Pink Curing Salt has a fast-acting formula that makes it perfect for quick cures. This manufacturer does add FD&C Red #3 to add a more pinkish touch to the salt, but it’s well within safety regulations.
This pink curing salt is ethically sourced and made in the perfect ratio to cure your meat without affecting your health. The 4-ounce bag is enough to last many households up to six months. With this pink curing salt, you can master making sausages and bacon in no time.
Finding Your Next Pink Curing Salt: A Buyer’s Guide
Looking to buy pink curing salt, but not sure where to start? This buyer’s guide can help you find the perfect option for your needs. Let’s get right into everything you need to know!
What Is Curing Salt?
Curing salt is a type of salt that is used for curing meats. It is also known as pink salt because it has a pink tint. Curing has been a cooking practice for centuries and is used to preserve meat. Pink curing salt is different from regular salt because it contains nitrites, which can prevent the growth of bacteria.
It also gives the meat a pink color and a distinct flavor, so pink curing salt is most commonly used to cure ham, bacon, and other pork products. It can also be used to cure fish and poultry though. It is widely used in the cooking industry due to its fast curing process.
Benefits of Pink Curing Salt
Some of the benefits of pink curing salt are:
Prevents the growth of bacteria in food
Pink curing salt is perfect for preventing the growth of anaerobic and botulism-causing bacteria in food, thanks to sodium nitrite. Curing salt is a key ingredient in the charcuterie process. It cures meats and fish before they are smoked or cooked. Add it to your curing salt mix to keep your food safer from bacteria.
Gives meat and protein a classic color and flavor
If you’re looking to add a new range of flavor and texture to your proteins, consider using pink salt. You can use it as a curing salt mix or add it to your recipe to give cured meats a classic pink color, salty taste, and dry texture. The dry texture of the meat makes it melt in your mouth as soon as it reacts with your saliva.
Helps remove toxins from food
One of the biggest benefits of curing foods with pink salt is that it helps remove the toxins from it. Many studies show fish have more heavy metal toxins in them, which have proven to be harmful to health. Curing these fish helps remove the toxins and make them fit for human consumption.
Types of Curing Salt
Curing salt is an important ingredient in the curing process of meats. There are two main types of pink curing salt, which are:
Prague Powder 1
Also known as pink curing salt No. 1, Prague Powder 1 is a curing salt that is composed of 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% sodium chloride. It has a distinct, slightly sweet flavor. This type of curing salt is specifically for large cuts of meat, such as ham or bacon.
Prague Powder 2
Prague Powder 2 is a curing salt that is composed of 6.25% sodium nitrite, 4.75% sodium nitrate, and 89% sodium chloride. It also has a slightly sweet flavor to it. This type of curing salt is typically used in smaller cuts of meat, such as sausage or pepperoni.
What To Look for in a Pink Curing Salt?
Mixing
The ratio in which the salt is mixed is essential to its flavor and usage. Pink curing salt is usually mixed with other curing salt combinations in different proportions depending on its intended purpose. The most common mixes are Prague Powder 1 and Prague Powder 2. There are some other variations of these salts that include common salt as well.
Quality
In many cases, curing salts come in different sizes to meet your curing needs. If you are curing a big batch of meats, you would need salt in larger quantities. Although it is easy to ruin the salt by exposing it to the air for long periods, buying the needed quantity in reliable packaging can prevent this.
Package
Curing salt comes in many different packages. People who tend to use the salt in smaller quantities prefer jars as they are easier to use. Resealable pouches, however, are also very trendy since they help preserve the salt in an air-tight environment. Make sure to get pink curing salt in a package that suits your way of cooking and storing spices.
Safety
There are some concerns about the safety of using pink salt. Some people believe that it may contain harmful impurities, such as lead. There is no evidence that pink salt is unsafe for human consumption, however. To be on the safe side, make sure you buy salt that is made with quality ingredients and FDA-approved methods to avoid excessive exposure to nitrites and impurities.
Uses
The type of pink salt you buy may be highly impacted by your intended use. Check whether your recipe requires Prague Powder 1 or 2. In many cases, you shouldn’t substitute between the two, so it is always better to know which one you need.
People Also Asked
Is pink curing salt bad for your health?
Pink salt is toxic in high doses. It is safe to consume when you cure meat with it, however, since the salt isn’t present in high enough quantities to make a difference. Like with any high sodium product, people with high blood pressure should still refrain from using it often.
Can I use pink curing salt as seasoning?
Although pink curing salt helps give a unique flavor to food, it shouldn’t be used as a seasoning. This is because this will directly introduce it to our bodies and making a habit of this can cause health benefits in the long term. Instead, it should be kept for proper uses like curing meats only.
How long does it take for pink curing salt to penetrate food?
Pink curing salt takes between three and 24 hours to penetrate foods properly and cure meat. The amount of time taken also depends on the type of meat and cut you are curing. Thinner slices of lean meat tend to cure faster than big chunks of pork leg, for example.
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