Did you know?
Saltpetre is why cured meat stays pink
Mrs Beeton's Victorian household guide explains that salt alone turns cured meat dull, while a little saltpetre keeps its red colour, at the cost of making it harder. Today's curing salts use measured nitrites for the same effect.
Read the full story: Salt and Preserving
More salt facts
Cite this page
For school projects and reports. Teachers often prefer the original sources too: see the list below.
The Salt Almanac. (2026, November 8). Saltpetre is why cured meat stays pink. https://saltalmanac.com/did-you-know/saltpetre-keeps-meat-red
“Saltpetre is why cured meat stays pink.” The Salt Almanac, 8 Nov. 2026, saltalmanac.com/did-you-know/saltpetre-keeps-meat-red. Accessed [today's date].
“Saltpetre is why cured meat stays pink.” The Salt Almanac. Last modified November 8, 2026. https://saltalmanac.com/did-you-know/saltpetre-keeps-meat-red.
Original sources
- Beeton, I. The Book of Household Management (Wellcome Collection copy). https://archive.org/details/b20392758