The Old British Kitchen: A Comprehensive Guide to Curing Salts & Wet Brines

Curing salts are the absolute backbone of traditional meat preservation. Whether you are preparing a classic British salt beef brisket or curing a Wiltshire-style bacon, getting the chemistry right is the difference between a safe, authentic result and a dangerous one.

Both Prague powders are dyed pink to prevent them from being mistaken for standard table salt. The core difference between the two comes down to time and whether the meat will be cooked or air-dried.

Prague Powder #1 (Insta Cure #1)

Composition: 6.25% sodium nitrite, 93.75% table salt.
When to use it: For short cures (under 30 days) that will be cooked before eating.
Classic applications: Bacon, salt beef, pastrami, and fresh sausages.
How it works: The sodium nitrite works immediately to prevent botulism and preserve the reddish-pink color. Because it processes quickly, the nitrite largely dissipates by the time the cooking process is finished.

Prague Powder #2 (Insta Cure #2)

Composition: 6.25% sodium nitrite, 4% sodium nitrate, 89.75% table salt.
When to use it: For meats dry-cured for weeks or months (over 30 days) and eaten raw.
Classic applications: Salami, prosciutto, coppa, and air-dried hams.
How it works: This acts as a time-release capsule. Over weeks of hanging, beneficial bacteria slowly break down the sodium nitrate into fresh nitrite, creating a steady drip of protection for the entire aging process.

The Math for Wet Brining (Equilibrium Curing)

While dry curing only factors in the weight of the meat, wet brining requires you to account for the volume of the water as well. This is because the curing salt will distribute itself evenly between the water and the meat over time. If you only calculate the cure based on the meat’s weight, your brine will be far too weak.

The standard ratio for Prague Powder is always 0.25% of the total weight.

The Formula:

(Weight of Meat in grams + Weight of Water in grams) x 0.0025 = Grams of Prague Powder

Example: You have a 2 kg (2000g) brisket for salt beef and you need 2 liters (2000g) of water to submerge it.

Add the weights: 2000g meat + 2000g water = 4000g total.
Multiply by 0.25%: 4000 x 0.0025 = 10.
You need exactly 10 grams of Prague Powder #1.

Note on Additional Salt

This calculation determines the curing salt only. You will still need to add your standard Kosher or sea salt to the recipe (typically 2% to 3% of the total weight) for flavoring and basic preservation.