How much curing salt (Cure #1) per pound or kg
Cure #1 by weight (USA, 156 ppm maximum)
| Meat block | Cure #1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 lb | 1.1 g | |
| 2 lb | 2.3 g | |
| 5 lb | 5.7 g | |
| 10 lb | 11.3 g | |
| 1 kg | 2.5 g | |
| 5 kg | 12.5 g |
The meat block is the lean plus the fat, before salt, spices and water. A teaspoon of Cure #1 weighs roughly 5–6 g but varies, so weigh it on a gram scale.
Ireland and the EU
EU rules (Regulation 2023/2108, from 9 October 2025) allow at most 80 mg/kg of nitrite added, as nitrite ion, in heat-treated meat products such as smoked cooked sausage. That is about 119 ppm sodium nitrite, so:
- Cure #1: at most about 1.91 g per kg. Linkulator aims a little under, at 115 ppm.
- European curing salt (0.5–0.6% sodium nitrite, e.g. Polish peklosól, German Nitritpökelsalz): at most about 19.9 g per kg. It is mostly salt, so it replaces most or all of your plain salt.
The UK
Great Britain kept the old EU limit of 150 mg/kg sodium nitrite, but Linkulator couldn't confirm the current GB figure, so treat it as unverified. Northern Ireland follows the EU limit.
Cure #1 or Cure #2?
Use Cure #1 for sausage that is smoked and then cooked. Cure #2 also contains nitrate and is for long dry-cured products such as salami; it isn't a swap for Cure #1.
FAQ
How much Cure #1 per pound of sausage?
About 1.1 g per pound of meat (2.5 g per kg), which is 156 ppm, the USA maximum for ground meat. That is roughly one level teaspoon per 5 lb, but weigh it on a gram scale.
How much Cure #1 per kg in Ireland or the EU?
At most about 1.9 g per kg, because EU rules allow up to 80 mg/kg of nitrite (as nitrite ion) in heat-treated meat products.
Can I use Cure #2 for sausage?
Not for smoked and cooked sausage. Cure #2 contains nitrate and is meant for long dry-cured products.
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Updated: 2026-10-18