Table of Contents
Quick answer
Sodium nitrite cures meat, prevents botulism, and keeps pink color. Use only in dyed curing salts at recipe-specified amounts.
A chemical compound (NaNO2) used in curing salt (Prague Powder) to preserve meat and prevent botulism. Gives cured meats their characteristic pink color. Toxic in large amounts, which is why curing salt is dyed pink to prevent confusion.
Sodium nitrite (NaNO2) preserves cured meat and blocks botulism bacteria in low-oxygen products. It also fixes pink color in ham and bacon. Curing salts are dyed pink and used in tiny amounts because nitrite is toxic at high doses.
In Practice
Prague Powder #1 mixes salt with about 6.25% sodium nitrite for short cures. A teaspoon of curing salt seasons many pounds of meat when recipes are followed exactly.