The AWS-100 is the scale to buy before you use curing salt. Cure #1 goes in at about 1 oz per 25 lb of meat, so a 2 lb test batch needs about 2.3 g, which a 1-gram kitchen scale can't measure with any precision. This one reads to 0.01 g, costs about $30 and comes with a 10-year warranty.
Key specs
| AWS-100 Pocket Scale | |
|---|---|
| Price | $29.99 MSRP |
| Capacity | 100 g |
| Readability | 0.01 g |
| Units | g, oz, ct, gn |
| Power | 2 AAA (included) |
| Warranty | 10 years (limited) |
| Notable | Backlit display, pre-calibrated |
Using it
100 g capacity, 0.01 g readability, and repeatability and linearity of ±2 digits. It weighs in grams, ounces, carats and grains. The pan is 2.5 × 3 inches, so use a small paper cup and tare it.
Why you need one
The Sausage Maker's maximum rate for Cure #1 in ground meat is 1 oz per 25 lb, about 1.1 g per pound. A kitchen scale that reads in 1 g steps could be off by most of that. See how to use curing salt.
Price and warranty
$29.99 MSRP; $22.49 at one retailer when we checked. Ten-year limited warranty. Runs on 2 AAA batteries (included).
Using it for sausage
Weigh meat and fat on a kitchen scale, then weigh salt, spices and curing salt by percentage of the meat. See how to use curing salt and how to make sausage.
This review is based on American Weigh Scales's published specifications and on independent tests where they exist; we name whose test each finding comes from. We haven't run our own timed tests on this model yet and will add hands-on notes when we do.
Questions
Does it need calibrating?
It ships calibrated. Check it now and then with a calibration weight.
Can I weigh salt on it?
Yes, up to 100 g at a time. For larger amounts, use your kitchen scale.
