What You Need to Know
Dry curing relies on the osmotic pressure of NaCl to draw moisture out, lowering water activity below 0.85 and inhibiting bacterial growth. Wet curing uses a 5–10 % NaCl brine, often with 0.3–0.5 % sodium nitrite, allowing rapid curing while maintaining moisture. Sodium nitrite reacts with myoglobin to form nitrosomyoglobin, imparting a stable pink color and preventing Clostridium botulinum growth.
The Science
Primary Reaction
NaCl osmotic dehydration and nitrite–myoglobin reaction forming nitrosomyoglobin