Curing salt’s role is to prevent food-borne illness and spoilage by killing microbes in the food it is used to preserve. The sodium nitrate it contains breaks down into sodium nitrite, which draws out the moisture that the bacteria need to survive. While the different types of curing salt are very effective for preservation, there are times when you may need a substitute. You may unable to find curing salt in stores near you or maybe you prefer to cure your meat without the use of nitrates. In either case, consider the alternatives below.
Spice Substitutes
What’s A Good Nutritional Yeast Substitute?
Nutritional yeast is a great way to add cheesy, nutty notes to a variety of dishes. It is a dairy free seasoning that also happens to be highly nutritious. You can use it as a vegan substitute for Parmesan cheese and as a nutritional supplement; however, it may not be available on your local grocery store’s shelves. If you are having a hard time finding it and need some in a hurry, try one of these nutritional yeast alternatives.
What’s A Good Potato Starch Substitute?
Potato starch is essential if you are on a gluten-free diet or if you want a resistant starch that can help you to lose weight. Use it to thicken everything from gravies to pie filling. Can’t find potato starch or need an immediate alternative? Let’s review your best potato starch substitute, as well as a few in a pinch solutions.
What’s A Good Corn Starch Substitute?
You will need an effective thickener if you are making a pie filling, a gravy or a sauce. Corn starch is the go-to thickening agent for many cooks and is both affordable and easy to find. If you need a thickener and find that your corn starch canister is empty, there is no need to panic. Try one of the corn starch substitutes below.
What’s A Good Palm Sugar Substitute?
Palm sugar is used in a variety of Indian, Thai, and African dishes. It has a deeper and richer flavor than refined white sugar, which allows it to give dishes a distinctive taste. Unfortunately, palm sugar can be difficult to find unless you live near an Indian market. It can also be expensive. For a palm sugar substitute that can provide the right flavor notes, consider any of the options below.
What’s A Good Sesame Seeds Substitute?
You can find sesame seeds in everything from Japanese dishes to American bagels and hamburger buns. It is sprinkled over salads to enhance their crunch and used to make Middle Eastern tahini paste. The versatile sesame seed is useful because of its texture and its nutty flavor. If your recipe requires it and you don’t have any on hand, try a sesame seeds substitute from the list below.
What’s A Good Cream Of Tartar Substitute?
Cream of tartar is a product of wine fermentation that has many applications in baking. It is useful both for leavening and as a source of acidity. Cream of tartar is also easy to find and relatively affordable, so you should try to keep it on hand if you bake meringue pies and make simple syrups regularly. Cream of tartar has an indefinite shelf life as long as you store it away from heat. If you find yourself out of it unexpectedly, try some of these cream of tartar substitutes.
What’s A Good Onion Powder Substitute?
Onion powder is a great alternative to fresh onions. It has a much longer shelf life and offers a similar flavor with very little bulk. Because the onion flavor is important to so many recipes, you should definitely try to keep some onion powder on hand. If you find yourself out of it and need some right away, there are quite a few options when it comes to onion powder substitutes.