Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

[advanceguard]

Hello,

Well, I'm going to attempt to make a large quantity of salt pork, thus in need of a serious amount of salt. Looking at period recipes, it mentions solar salt. Now here's my question...modern solar salt is used in water softener and pool salt, and all my internet research says that this is not recommended for food products ( due to the process of making it is not regulated)..Now, i'm gonna assume some here have used it. Have you had positive results? Is there a more economical substitute? Please be frank on this issue, I want to supply my Co. and do not want to poison them.

[Jeremy Bevard]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Made it a couple times using the boxes of kosher salt sold in grocery stores. This is the type of salt Charles Heath used in the salt port directions published in the CW Historian magazine. Those directions are on this forum as well somewhere.

[advanceguard]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Thank you Jeremy....indeed kosher salt is always a great option as indicated by the late Mr. Heath, due to the large quantity of salt that I will need to make it rather cost prohibitive, hence the search for Solar Salt as the period receipts indicates.

As Always,

[J.H.Berger]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

You ought to use a little of salpeter too. If you only use NaCl the meat will become grey.
I guess that "solar salt" is nothing other than sea salt which is achieved by letting sea water vaporize under the burning sun.
Here is a receipe from the old emmigration time from Germany: 2kg pork, 4liter( a little more than a gallon) Water 800gram sea salt( NaCl) 20gram Salpeter, 70gram sugar. This is if you use a brine.
I make salt pork without much further fluid by simply mixing cooking salt with salpeter and sugar in the same ratio as stated above and rubbing the meat with it, putting it in a large earthen pot and stack layers of salted meat in it. I cover the meat with salt, put a saucer on top and a heavy stone or the like( cleaned thoroughly). After one day the water is pulled out of the meat and you will have a salt brine, add a little water so everything is coverd and put a towel over it and store it in a cool place. Check it daily at the beginning to take off the scum which appears and qhich could mold.
This works pretty well and gives you a great salt pork!

[faabala]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

One of my hobbies is curing meat. You can find saltpeter for sale as Pink Salt (not Himalayan salt) or Cure #1. It is premixed to the USDA ratio per pound of meat.
One source http://www.sausagemaker.com/11200ins...53no15lbs.aspx
You can also get large 25 lb bags of non-iodized salt at Sams Club for less than $4.00. Just make sure it is not iodized.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/morton-plain-table-salt-25-lb-bag/160341.ip?sprodId=160341&_requestid=115043

You can find a lot of info on meat curing at this site.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/

Look for "Pops brine recipe" it is super easy and the results are great.

PM me and I'd be happy to walk you though my method.

[3alabama]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

If you have a restaraunt depot or costco near you try getting salt(not solar salt) there. I just picked up 50 lbs at rest depot for $5.50

[ColdSteele]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

For using "Solar Salt" for brine and salt pork:

When thinking of the same idea, I did some investigation. The website for the variety I use in my home water softener(Duracube) specifically says it is not intended for use in food preservation. Its claim is that it is not "food grade" salt. Granted the salt is claimed to be 99% pure salt, Jeremy and I made a batch using relatively inexpensive Morton 3 lb. boxes from a grocery store. They were roughly $1.50/box.

I am curious of your outcome should you use the solar salt. This certainly would cut the expense down a bit at $5-$6 for a 50 lb bag of salt!

Regards,

Tom Steele

[GrumpyDave]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Use Kosher salt or de-iodized salt, if you can find it.

[Becky Morgan]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Gentlemen, if I may:
Some large Wal-Marts have large-sized food products. For instance, ours has 25-pound buckets of lard, 50-lb. bags of salt (several types), large quantities of rice, several types of flour and so forth. If you are not opposed to shopping there, a look through the flour and sugar aisle might be of some help.

Also, if your area, like ours, has a number of large Amish families who prefer to make as few trips to town as possible, there may be a bulk food store at hand. The one near me is the only place I can get reasonably priced, usable quantities of some spices and the like. They carry,among other things, curing salt (with saltpeter added), canning salt (no iodine), various hickory and other flavors for smoking meat, and sundry other items.

The third possibility, while a bit more pricey and geared to modern use, is Cabela's. Their stores don't stock very large containers of most items, and I'm not sure whether they have quantity ordering for curing mix or salts.

[hellbilly]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Hello All, can you use any cut of pork to make salt pork? I mean like pork chops or uncured bacon? I'm sure original salt pork was not cut in any uniform shape. I figured if using chops or bellies that you could cut it in manageable /meal sized portions.
Eric Armour
At Bullitts Lick
On the Salt River
Kentucky

[J.H.Berger]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Sure you can but belly and shoulder works best in my opinion.

[teufelhund]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

Solar salt isn't for use in food products. It is used in water softner systems for regenerating the resin beads in the softners. It essentially removes the calcuim and magnesium that collects on the beads in the softner when you run the system through it's regeneration cycle. It is not "clean" salt. I have to rinse the brine tanks on a regular basis due to the amount of dirt and crud that is in the solar salt.

[faabala]

Re: Using Modern Solar Salt to make salt pork

I would use bone in pork butts and cut into two pieces removing the bone before curing. Butts are less than $2.00 a pound and have a good ratio of fat to meat.