If you’re in a hurry and just want to find out what the best salt for curing is, then we recommend the Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No. 1 Curing Salt. However, if you’d like to learn more about why it’s important to choose the right product, we’ve got you covered there as well.
In this article, we’re going to review the following food dehydrator products that are great for beef jerky:
- Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No. 1 Curing Salt
- Morton Tender Quick Home Meat Cure
- Wishful Seasoning Pink Curing Salt
- Gourmet Imports D.Q. Curing Salts
- The Sausage Maker Insta Cure Prague Powder #1
- Boise Salt Co. Prague Powder #1
Benefits of Using Curing Salt
Unlike regular table salt, which is used primarily to add flavor to a variety of foods, curing salt has a more specific purpose: It’s meant to draw the toxins out of raw meat products, thereby making them safe to store at room temperature.
While fast-curing salts are used to season meats that will eventually be smoked or otherwise cooked—such as beef jerky—the second category of slow-curing salts is designed for sausages and cured hams that can be eaten without cooking (salami and prosciutto are two examples). It’s important to purchase the correct type, as the ratio of sodium nitrate to sodium nitrate is markedly different in each. Fortunately, there’s an easy way to remember which type you’re looking for: Fast-curing salts are labeled as premium Prague powder #1, while their slow-curing counterparts are recognized by the #2 on the label.
Using a curing salt on your beef jerky will help to impart that savory flavor that is so desirable in dehydrated or smoked meat products. If you opt for a pink curing salt, your meat snacks will also have an appealing reddish hue.
Curing Salt Review Guide
Now that you know why you should make curing salt a staple in your jerky-making arsenal, it’s time to choose a brand. This section is geared toward helping you select the product that suits your individual needs without breaking the bank. To make your decision easier, we’ve included a handy list of pros and cons for each model.
#1 – Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No. 1 Curing Salt
This offering from Hoosier Hill Farm is a classic pink curing salt, tinted so it can’t be mistaken for table salt, and it works well with other seasonings. Also, while it makes terrific corned beef and pastrami, it can also be used for ham and turkey or even fish.
The re-sealable bag is easy to store and has a price point within expectations. This product is well worth looking into.
Pros:
- Reasonable price point
- Blends well with other seasonings
- Extremely versatile
Cons:
- Must be measured precisely: one level teaspoon cures 5 pounds of meat
#2 – Morton Tender Quick Home Meat Cure
- Premixed cure simplifies projects that specifically call for Tender Quick.
- Helps develop the familiar cured flavor and pink color in meat.
- Two-pound bag provides a supply for repeated small-cut curing projects.
Morton is a big name in the world of salt products, as anyone who’s ever outfitted a simple spice rack can attest. Their entry into the quick-curing game delivers on all the levels you would expect, nothing more and nothing less.
For a generous two-pound package, the price is certainly nothing to argue with. The only real issue lies with the packaging, which is completely opaque—meaning that consumers can’t see the salt’s color from the outside. However, those who are brave enough to make the purchase blindly will be pleased with the results, especially when making pastrami or Canadian bacon.
Finally, as Morton is such a ubiquitous presence, this salt is likely to be one of the easiest to find. Note that with this product (as with most fast-curing salts), refrigeration is still required during the bringing process.
Pros:
- Bargain value
- Easily found in supermarkets
- Good quality from a recognizable name brand
Cons:
- Opaque packaging
- Bag can’t be resealed
- Very large size may take a while to get through
#3 – Wishful Seasoning Pink Curing Salt #1
- Premixed Cure #1 supplies the cure for recipes that specifically require it.
- Pink coloring helps distinguish the blend from ordinary white cooking salt.
- Large pouch keeps a supply available for repeated curing projects.
Folks who regularly turn out large batches of jerky and smoked sausage will be thrilled with this bargain offering, which provides 2.5 pounds of high-quality pink curing salt. At this weight, the ultra-concentrated formula should be enough to season up to one thousand pounds of meat. This may sound daunting to casual jerky fans who only make a few batches per year, but the good news is that the salt will last forever if stored properly.
The re-sealable bag is excellent at keeping out moisture, so proper storage should be easy enough. As for quality, Wishful Seasoning’s headquarters is located in Houston, Texas—smack-dab in cattle country, where they know a thing or two about beef jerky.
Pros:
- Affordable price point
- Generous amount
- High-quality product
Cons:
- Container may be too large if you only make jerky occasionally
#4 – Gourmet Imports D.Q. Curing Salts
- Start with a ready-blended curing salt when your recipe calls for D.Q. cure.
- Pink coloring makes it easier to distinguish from ordinary white table salt.
- The 1 lb bag suits cooks who make cured meats regularly.
Gourmet Imports is a company with a solid reputation in the food service industry, offering delicacies like foie gras and truffles in addition to their spices and baking products. Even professional chefs give high marks to this curing salt, which is especially effective when it comes to transforming a humble pork belly into mouthwatering bacon.
The packaging is durable enough, but the company must assume that everyone who’s purchasing the salt already knows what they’re doing because the labeling doesn’t offer much in the way of instruction. As a rule of thumb, be aware that one ounce of curing salt is enough to season 25 pounds of meat (for five pounds, use a single tablespoon).
Pros:
- Prized by industry professionals
- Durable packaging
Cons:
- Relatively high price point
- Inadequate instructions provided on the label
#5 – The Sausage Maker Insta Cure Prague Powder #1
- Premixed Prague Powder #1 supports recipes that specifically call for this cure.
- Helps develop the characteristic flavor and color of cured meats.
- Compact container is convenient for keeping a dedicated curing ingredient on hand.
This option is extremely light in color—enough so that you might not recognize it as a curing salt at first glance. The package contains four ounces, which is enough to season a hundred pounds of meat. That’s a small amount by industry standards, but it may be sufficient if you don’t make jerky or other cured meats that often.
If you grew up on a farm or otherwise consumed a lot of homemade corned beef and pastrami as a child, this curing salt will make you feel right at home. The major downside is the price, which is expensive and contains just 4 ounces of salt. It’s difficult to justify spending this much on such a small amount when there are plenty of more cost-effective options out there.
With the smaller packaging and the lighter color, it’s easy to confuse this salt with other seasonings or to mistake it for table salt. Be sure everyone in the household understands that it’s to be used for curing purposes only. Fortunately, the package also includes clear, easy-to-read instructions.
Pros:
- Convenient size
- High quality
Cons:
- Extremely high price point
- Bag can’t be resealed
- Light color may cause some home cooks to confuse this with regular salt
#6 – Boise Salt Co. Prague Powder #1
- Premixed Cure #1 supplies the curing ingredient for recipes that specify it.
- Fine-textured grains are convenient to measure into a curing recipe.
- Small resealable pouch fits occasional projects and closes between uses.
Each package weighs in at 113 grams, this is one of the best values on our list. The rosy color makes this an excellent choice for pastrami, but it will also season your jerky like a pro. Beware of keeping it too close to the Himalayan pink salt on your spice shelf—the colors are similar enough to make you easily confuse the two.
The instructions on the conveniently re-sealable package are somewhat vague, but if you order through an online big-box retailer (such as Amazon), they’ll provide you with all the information you need. Boise Salt Co isn’t widely available for home cooks, but it’s a high-quality product that turns out professional-grade smoked and cured meats.
Pros:
- Good price point
- Lovely color imparts a nice hue to pastrami and corned beef
- Re-sealable package
Cons:
- Insufficient instructions on the package
- It is harder to find
Conclusion
You may notice that high-quality curing salts have many things in common, which can make it difficult to narrow down your choices. However, when used properly, all of the products listed above will keep your homemade meat products from spoiling and will ultimately deliver the savory results that you crave.
While we personally feel that the Hoosier Hill Farm Prague Powder No. 1 Curing Salt delivers on more levels than the rest, it’s not necessary to rule out the others if your options are limited. As long as you read the instructions carefully, you’re well on your way to becoming a fast-curing expert. Bon appetit!
QUOTE:
"You might be a redneck if you think that beef jerky and moon pies are two of the major food groups."
How to Make Curing Salt for Jerky
Safety First! How to Make Beef Jerky Safely
About the Author
Charles Joseph
In 2017, a good friend introduced me to the most amazing beef jerky I had ever tasted. And his source was from the most unexpected of places--a random guy in Thailand whom he had met while living there. Although I had been eating jerky since as far back as I could remember, I was genuinely blown away by the flavor. I realized the best beef jerky doesn't come from a store. This experience inspired me to create Beef Jerky Hub and put into writing all the things I've since learned about this amazing food. If you're interested, you can read more about my story here.