Is Himalayan pink salt the same as the pink salt used for curing

curingsaltsubstitutions

I'm interested in curing meat, and most recipes require pink salt (which contains nitrites to help cure the meat). Is Himalayan pink salt the same thing?

Best Answer

No, these are completely different products.

As you indicate, so called "pink salt" is a mixture of sodium chloride (regular salt) and sodium nitrate (or sodium nitrite) for curing meats, tinted pink to distinguish it from regular table salt. it allows relatively accurate small batch curing, as in home sausage making.

Himalayan pink salt is a naturally mined rock salt, whose impurities can tint it a variety of colors, including pinkish, from iron oxide.

Hawaiian pink salt is another naturally harvested salt whose red clay impurities tint it a pink color.