Nitrite, added to cured meat for its bacteriological and technological properties, is implicated in the formation ofnitroso compounds (NOCs), such as nitrosylheme, nitrosamines and nitrosothiols, suspected to have a potentialimpact on human health. The mechanisms involved in NOC formation are studied in regard with the dose–response relationship of added nitrite and its interaction with ascorbate on NOC formation in a cured andcooked meat model. The impact of a second cooking stage on nitrosation was evaluated. The addition of nitrite inthe cured and cooked model promoted heme iron nitrosylation and S-nitrosation but not N-nitrosation. Nitritereduced lipid oxidation without an additional ascorbate effect. The second cooking sharply increased thenitrosamine content while the presence of ascorbate considerably lowered their levels and protected nitrosothiolsfrom degradation. This study gives new insights on the chemical reactivity of NOCs in a cured meat model.