Where do you buy pink salt?

I'm trying to corn beef. I can't find the pink salt with the sodium nitrate. Where to get it? Do I need it?

monkeymom
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15 Comments

Selmelier March 9, 2011
We carry pink salt. But be careful to use the same type called for in your recipe. My corned beef recipe does not call for sodium NITRATE (Prague Powder #2) but sodium NITRITE (Prague Powder #1). There's a big difference. We carry both at our shops in the West Village and in Portland, plus about 100 others.
 
Anitalectric March 1, 2011
Indian grocery stores have the widest variety of salts: I have seen pink, yellow, black and gray at Kalustyan's and Patel Brothers here in NYC.
 
latoscana March 1, 2011
Lots of salts here: http://www.atthemeadow.com/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_93.
 
louie734 March 1, 2011
Oops, got excited and forgot about the curing bit. TJ's is the un-nitrite kind. Pretty, though!
 
louie734 March 1, 2011
Trader Joe's also carries it, in a grinder. But you can unscrew the top of it and use it unground, too.
 
Jennifer A. March 1, 2011
The Spice House, or Penzeys, has a wonderful sea salts (pink, red, black . . .) and just about any other spice or dried herb you can possible imagine - available online (or at a great little store in Milwaukee, if you happen to be around)
 
puresugar March 1, 2011
Got mine (avail in 1/2 & 1 lb) at butcherpacker.com--other curing supplies there, too. Heard about it from Ruhlman, I think.
 
monkeymom March 1, 2011
Thanks guys! My beef and brine are ready to go so I'm going to leave it out this time. I'll try the mail order for next time and see what the difference in taste will be. And yes, nitrite! Thanks for the correction.
 
mtrelaun March 1, 2011
Pink curing salt (aka sel rose) can be found at Le Sanctuaire online: http://bit.ly/fhU6w9
 
TiggyBee March 1, 2011
Oops, curing salt. Misunderstood the question. I have a box of Morton's quick cure salt, but have yet to cure something!! : )
 
foongfest March 1, 2011
Oh yeah, by nitrite and nitrate, I mean sodium nitrite and sodium nitrate. :)
(The alternative is potassium nitrate and nitrite. I don't have very much experience with that)

Hope this helps.
 
TiggyBee March 1, 2011
You can get it in the food section of Sur La Table, but it'll be more expensive than if you buy it in bulk. Do you have a co-op store nearby? Not sure about the corned beef part either, but I know that pink salt is supposed to be a very pure salt, if not the purest.
 
SKK March 1, 2011
Mrs. Wheelbarrow has some great recipes and ideas on brining corned beef today at the site http://www.mrswheelbarrow.com/2011/02/charcutepalooza-march-challenge-brining/ I found it very informative.
 
foongfest March 1, 2011
Himalayan pink salt is different from the 'pink salt' used for curing (also called Prague Powder No. 1). Himalayan pink salt doesn't contain nitrites that are required for curing.

Also, you are looking for nitrite, not nitrAte when making corned beef. (salts that contain a mix of nitrite and nitrates, Prague Powder No. 2 are used for slower cures such as dry cured sausage. Generally, it shouldn't be cooked at high temperatures.)

I don't usually shop at whole foods so I can't say if they have them. I would think a butcher supply store would have them. I get mine online. You can do a search for prague powder no. 1 to find an online retailer.
 
beyondcelery March 1, 2011
I know you can buy Himalayan pink salt at Whole Foods and I believe this works for a corned beef brine. I've never corned beef myself, though.
 
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