Where to find Prague #1 - (aka: sodium nitrate)

[dirtsquirter 88]

I am hoping somebody out there is making their own Hams, sausages and the like, and can tell me where to get the "cure", or sodium nitrate used in this process. I am preparing to make my own ham, so I have something nice to put into my antipasto at Christmas dinner. Also, if your familiar with this process, maybe you could tell me if the regular rock salt they have here in the Philippines is ok to use as the pickling salt called for in these recipes. Thank you in advance!

[Director 11]

• I've found it in the markets, Grocey stores. Around the spices at S.M. I think they use a lot of it here. I make my own hams, sausage. Also I make Sauer Kraut, Butter milk. All that stuff is fairly easy to do and there are tutors on the Web.

[CardiacKid 2,298]

I've seen it n several grocery stores. Gaisano's, SM, etc. It's in the bagged, repackaged spice section. As for the salt, my understanding is it has to be plain salt, not iodized.

[TheMatrix 2,013]

Check isle 14 in the chemicals section under rat poison where all the other carcinogens/toxins are located.

 

 

[KennyF 3,855]

As has been said, it's in almost all supermarkets in small cello bags (very pink).

I believe it's against the law to sell salt in RP that is not iodized and a friend ended up buying some imported salt (Mortons??) from Ayala supermarket.

They had both Non Iodized and Kosher.

As far as I know it's only important when you are smoking but I'm not really sure on that.

 

KinP (when you tire of Cebu,,,,Oh Phuket)

[broden 57,113]

As has been said, it's in almost all supermarkets in small cello bags (very pink).

I believe it's against the law to sell salt in RP that is not iodized and a friend ended up buying some imported salt (Mortons??) from Ayala supermarket.

They had both Non Iodized and Kosher.

As far as I know it's only important when you are smoking but I'm not really sure on that.

 

KinP (when you tire of Cebu,,,,Oh Phuket)

you want non iodized for any kind of brining

[spritsail 604]

Rock salt and sea salts are not that difficult to find, most large sari sari stores will stock it.. Getting prague powder or curing salts (the piink stuff) is slightly more difficult . i got some from a meat processing store in Cebu last year, they ell a whole range of meat processing equipment - grinders, sausage stuffers, smoke liquid and curing salts. It is just off Robinsons Sqaure in Cebu, but I must ask my pal who took me there, Check in the cebu yellow pages in the meat processing section. You can still cure a ham without the prage except the meat will be white as opposed to a nice pink colour - you need a pharmacy licence to get salt petre which is normally used.

 

For all other meat processing products - sausages skins etc I get from a company in Manila.

[mikejwoodnz 515]

I bought both Prague powder and liquid smoke off the shelf in the Supermarket at Ayala Mall.

[MrSuave 167]

My wife found prague powder in a store near the Ormoc market. I'll try to get the name and location for you. I've been using the local sea salt for curing hams and bacon, it seems to work well.

[sandwindstars 50]

Ask for "SALITRE" (pronounce every syllable). Same word in Spanish for curing salt or Prague #1. I think you might find that even in the markets.

Edited December 22, 2010 by sandwindstars

[Tikayem 10]

I shipped mine here in my boxes from the US, i bought it from Sausage Maker. com, i also brought my grinder and stuffer to make my own sausage and hot dogs. I get my casing from the city, i have not made any so far this year, but i think in the near future i will. I tried hot dogs 2 years ago with the seasoning i brought here, didn't turn out to good, and i have kind of got the taste for the tender juicy, LOL.

[Filbert 47]

Health concerns

Like sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate forms nitrosamines, a human carcinogen, known to cause DNA damage and increased cellular degeneration. Studies have shown a link between increased levels of nitrates and increased deaths from certain diseases including Alzheimer's, diabetes mellitus and Parkinson's, possibly through the damaging effect of nitrosamines on DNA.[5] Nitrosamines, formed in cured meats, containing sodium nitrate and nitrite, have been linked to gastric cancer and oesophageal cancer[6] Sodium nitrate and nitrite are associated with a higher risk of colorectal cancer.[7] World Cancer Research Fund UK,[8] states that one of the reasons that processed meat increases the risk of colon cancer is its content of nitrate. A small amount of the nitrate added to meat as a preservative breaks down into nitrite, in addition to any nitrite that may also be added. The nitrite then reacts with protein-rich foods (such as meat) to produce N-nitroso compounds (NOCs). Some types of NOCs are known to cause cancer. NOCs can be formed either when meat is cured or in the body as meat is digested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_nitrate#Health_concerns

Edited December 22, 2010 by Filbert

[goggleye 1,519]

if you have a 1 out of a million chance of colon cancer and eat cured meats - it might double your chances - now its 2 out of a million - there are lies - damned lies and statistics lol the us government considered taking nitrates and nitrites off the market - but studies found more people would die of food poisoning than ever die of colon cancer because of the bacteria inhibiting ability of the nitrates and nitrites.

if you cant find it prepared you can make your own prague powder by the recipe below

 

 

 

Prague powder #1 or pink salt contains 93.75%table salt and 6.25% sodium nitrite. Prague powder #2 contains sodium nitrate in addition to sodium nitrite. Both kinds are used in the preserving and curing of meats, and in sausage making.^[1] As an additive, the sodium nitrite or nitrate serves to inhibit the growth of bacteria, specifically Clostridium botulinum in an effort to prevent botulism, and helps preserve the color of cured meat

[KennyF 3,855]

So a flat teaspoon of Prague to a pound of meat gives quite a low concentration.

Let me add that as an avid sausage maker in the recent past (mostly salami types) I stopped production completely, not because of the nitrates but because I found myself coming home from the pub every night and munching up to a pound of the stuff.

I was knocking off 5 or 6 pounds of 30% fat type salami EVERY WEEK, after consuming 6 or 8 SMB.

 

And when you weigh 100kg to start with, that's a dead mans diet.

 

KinP

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[dirtsquirter 88]

Thanks for the help guys, I did find the prague powder in ayala, and the iodine free salt in another market in SM. I will try making the canadian style bacon/ham using a pork loin and a brine solution after the holidays. If it works out, I want to try making my own corned beef - I don't have room for a smoker yet, or I would do my own pastrami here. I just can't get used to this canned stuff they call corned beef here - when my wife finally gets a taste of "real" corned beef, I have a feeling there will be no turning back! Now I just need a good recipe for making my own rye bread....but for now, my homemade italian bread will just have to do.