Bacon Curing Calculator — Equilibrium Cure Recipe
Enter the weight of your pork belly, your preferred salt and sugar percentages, and the cut thickness to get exact cure amounts and the minimum refrigerator curing time using the equilibrium method.
g
%
%
Curing salt type
mm
Days in the refrigerator for the cure to fully penetrate the meat
Weigh out the curing salts and sugar
Mix together and coat the meat evenly on all sides
Seal in a zip-lock bag, refrigerate and flip daily
Rinse, dry, and cook or smoke as desired
- 1
Days from thickness
ceil(40 ÷ 5) + 2 = 10 - 2
Minimum curing time
max(7, 10) = 101 day per 5 mm of thickness plus 2 safety days, with a hard minimum of 7 days.
How does this calculator work?
Weigh out salt at 2–2.5% of meat weight, Prague powder #1 at 0.25% of meat weight, and optional sugar at 0.5–2%. Rub evenly, bag, and refrigerate for at least 1 day per 5 mm of thickness plus 2 safety days (minimum 7 days). The meat absorbs only what the percentage allows, so no rinsing excess salt is needed with the equilibrium method.
Formula
How this is calculated
The equilibrium method applies a precisely weighed cure mix that the meat absorbs completely — there is no over-salting because the meat takes up only what the percentage allows. Salt is typically 2–2.5% of meat weight for bacon; higher percentages produce a saltier cure, lower percentages a milder one. Brown sugar is optional flavour and texture and is set to 0–2%.
Prague powder #1 (6.25% sodium nitrite) is applied at 0.25% of meat weight, a rate established by food-safety guidelines to deliver approximately 150–156 ppm nitrite — the recognised safe range for fresh cured products cured under 30 days. Prague powder #2 adds sodium nitrate for long dry-cures over 30 days; use it only for extended dry-aged projects. Omit curing salt entirely only for short fresh-cooked preparations — the resulting product will not be shelf-stable and must be cooked promptly.
Curing time uses the rule of 1 day per 5 mm of thickness plus 2 safety days, minimum 7 days, all in a refrigerator at 3–5 °C. After curing, rinse and pat dry, then smoke or roast as desired. These figures follow established home-curing guidance; always use an accurate digital scale for curing salt, as small errors matter for safety.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, when done correctly. The critical step is using the right amount of curing salt (Prague powder) — too little provides no protection, too much produces excess nitrite. Equilibrium curing with the 0.25% rule for Prague powder #1 is the accepted safe method. Always use a certified digital kitchen scale (0.1 g precision) and cure in a refrigerator at ≤ 5 °C.
Prague powder #1 contains 6.25% sodium nitrite only, for cures completed within about 30 days. Prague powder #2 also contains sodium nitrate (which converts slowly to nitrite), making it suitable for long dry-aged cures over 30 days such as prosciutto or salami. For standard home bacon cured 7–14 days, always use #1.
You can make "fresh" or "uncured" bacon without nitrite, but the product will not have the distinctive cured colour or flavour and must be cooked to safe internal temperature immediately after the fridge-rest period — it cannot be cold-smoked or stored like traditional cured bacon. Omit curing salt only if you understand and accept these limitations.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Bacon Curing Calculator — Equilibrium Cure Recipe [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/bacon-curing-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Bacon Curing Calculator — Equilibrium Cure Recipe." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/bacon-curing-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Bacon Curing Calculator — Equilibrium Cure Recipe," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/bacon-curing-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_bacon_curing_calculator, title = {Bacon Curing Calculator — Equilibrium Cure Recipe}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/bacon-curing-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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