Charcuterie is salt and time turning fresh pork into pancetta, guanciale, and dry-cured loin. A precision scale (curing is by weight, not measure), pink curing salt ( Prague #1 for short cures, #2 for dry-aged), kosher salt, a curing chamber with temperature and humidity control, and a slab of good pork belly. Cure by weight, measure the salt, control the climate.
Plans
Choose a plan that fits your needs and budget
Item List
4Cure
2 items
Measure
2 items
Plan Totals$93
FAQ
Common questions about this kit
What is pink curing salt, and is it safe?
It is salt with sodium nitrite (#1, for short cures like bacon) or nitrite+nitrate (#2, for long dry-aged meats like salami). It prevents botulism and gives the pink color and cured flavor. It is toxic in pure form — measure with the gram scale and never substitute table salt.
Why cure by weight?
The salt percentage is safety and flavor — too little and it spoils, too much and it is inedible. A 2.5% salt-by-weight cure is the standard. Measuring spoons are too imprecise; a 0.1g scale on the meat and the salt is non-negotiable.
What is a curing chamber?
A temperature- and humidity-controlled space — about 55F and 75% RH for dry curing. A modified fridge with a controller, a humidifier, and a small fan. The climate is the whole craft: too warm and it spoils, too dry and it case-hardens.
How long until it is ready?
Pancetta, 1 to 2 weeks; bacon, 5 to 7 days then smoked; a whole dry-cured loin or coppa, 4 to 8 weeks. It is ready when it has lost 30% of its weight (for whole-muscle cures). A scale tells you the moment to stop.
User Reviews
5.0 / 5.0
Home curing and my low-and-slow BBQ share the salt-and-time gospel — the 2.5%-by-weight cure is the brisket rub, and the climate chamber is the smoker. Pink curing salt measured by the gram is the same discipline as a probe thermometer, agreed.