Call me paranoid but I am a first timer when it comes to curing anything. I wanted to try bacon so I got a 5.6 # pork belly. Of course I don't want anyone getting sick so I have some questions here.
1. Bought the pork belly Friday morning frozen solid. Kept it in the refrigerator until Monday evening when I could get to curing it. Is this too long in the fridge after frozen.
2. Using Tenpoint5's recipe in the recipes for maple cured bacon. Recipe is for five lb. belly. Followed it with a 5.6 lb. belly. Just want to make sure this extra .6 lbs is ok with the recipe.
3. I kind of expected a cure to be something I would submerge the meat into. Just a little nervous that I didn't get it all over the meat and I had applied enough. I would have felt better with more cure where I could apply it more liberally.
4. Is there any way to tell that the meat is cured and I am safe and did everything right before smoking.
It now sits in a 2 gallon ziplock bag in the refrigerator. Like I said, paranoid rookie here.
After the 5-7 days of curing (Flipping over every day) the meat should start to stiffen up. That is how you can tell the cure is working. The juices that form in the bag will help distribute the cure. Also there is just a bit extra cure in that recipe to compensate for the cure that would be suspended in the maple syrup. You should be good to go to smoke some bacon next weekend.
I would put that bag in a big casserole dish or other kind of container.. Those ziplock seals can leak. Don't ask me how I know this. ::)
jimmyb, if you followed 10.5's recipe your bacon will turn out fine. We all have had the "first time curing jitters" so don't feel bad. Trust me when I say you will be SO proud of that bacon.
jimmyb, you'll be good to go. I'd go for the 7 days and as 10.5 said, keep flipping it. Also as squirt said, never trust a zip top bag :-[
and again, this is why I love this forum! I am at ease now and anxious to make some bacon!
How did the Bacon turn out?
Getting ready to smoke her up today. I went the full seven days to be safe. I did just post another question about storing the bacon when finished.
Have you sliced off a tester piece and fried it up yet?
Just to see if the bacon isnt to salty.
If it is you can soak in fresh water for an hr to cut down on the saltiness.
Test and repeat till its the way you like.
Try to get the saltiness down (if its to high for you) to were its almost to salty then after the smoke the saltiness will be more balanced as the outer edges will be more salty then the center right now.
I have not tested a piece. From what I have been reading, the smoking will cut down on the saltiness and then the rest overnight will cut it down even further. I think I'll just let it ride and see how it turns out. Then next time I can adjust
Partner...be sure to let us know the final result, and a few pictures would be good... :D
Got the pics started late but will be sure to post when it's all done.
One last question - After it comes out of the smoker and I cut off the skin, do I wrap in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator before slicing? I guess overnight is ok?
That will work perfectly
Save that skin and cut it into thin strips and deep fry it. Make you some smoked cracklins!!
how long we talking about here for a 5.5 lb belly? This IT temp doesn't seem to want to get off of 73*. Two hours smoke finished and now one hour into cook time at 150*.
well, my first bacon was almost a disaster due to a faulty IT reading. As you can see from my previous post in this thread, I was concerned that the IT would not budge from 75 *. After almost four hours I decided to try a different probe. Sure enough I inserted it and it read 116*. I unplugged the Auber probe and plugged it back in and it read correctly. Damn that was a close one.
jimmy, you got this. Relax. It will turn out fine. You can take the IT all the way up to 150 and it will turn out awesome. Now, there are going to be some bacon purists that will tell you an IT of 150 is too high but my recipe is from a respected member of this forum who I wish was stilling posting and it turns out awesome and his IT target is 150.
When you finally take it out of the smoker, let the belly cool down and then tightly wrap in plastic wrap and let it overnight in the frig. If you take it straight out of the smoker and wrap and straight into the frig, your bacon is going to develop condensation and sweat. Not something I would recommend.
Jimmy...what Ky said...don't worry...you gotta cook the bacon anyway...don't freak that you're gonna kill somebody...first time I did it I felt the same way...guess what...hubby is still alive!!! ;D
well, after all the anxiety the belly finally reached an IT of 140*. It took about eight hours for a 5.5 lb pork belly. Does that sound right? Stayed up through the night to babysit it and it finally reached the target temp at about 3:15 AM. I'll slice it up and see today.
Way to go jimmy! Now you get to reap the reward of your labor and anxiety.
You will be fine with a 140ยบ IT Jimmy. Sorry I wasn't clear on the plastic wrap thing but Kynola is correct. let the Bacon cool before wrapping in plastic wrap and placing in the fridge overnight.
You all have been fantastic in helping me with this. Fired up a piece this morning and it was great. At 3:00 AM I didn't have too much time to let it cool much but i did a little. Seems to be ok.
My outstanding question is, should it have taken 8 hrs to get to 140* IT? I had three probes in there to be as accurate as possible. Coult I just have been int he fat in all three? What is the best way to get a accurate temp reading?
OR
Am I over thinking this whole thing a bit? This is most likely the case.
My bacon generally takes 4-5 hours. But there is too many variables to factor in there. The ambient temps, how long did you let the meat warm up before you put it in the smoker. Is the unit on an extension cord, How many times did you peek, what was the vent setting, what temp did you smoke cook at. That is why we always say you cook by IT and not by Time.
8 hours does seem a little excessive but with the variables that 10.5 listed it is not beyond the realm of possibility.
What were you using to take the cabnet temp?
The ambient temps were around 80 degrees F. I smoked at about 140 *. Then bumped it to 150 after 2 hrs of smoke. After a few hours I even bumped it to 155*. Yes, I peeked a bit but the recovery time was very quick. Maybe that was the issue. I was taking the cabinet temp with both the Auber PID and another probe thermometer. Both were in synch.
I know having the probe in the fat can give a false reading so like I said, maybe i had all three probes in the fat. But, all's well that ends well. I would like to figure this out though for better planning next time. My but is dragging a bit today from staying up until 3:00 AM.
jimmy,
I smoke/cook my bacon at 200 degrees with no problems. The fat on the pork belly won't begin to render until you hit the 152 IT mark. As long as the IT stays under 152, no worries. As for the probes being in the fat, it's pretty much impossible to not have the probe in the fat on a good pork belly. I don't view that as a problem as long as you maintain the IT under 152. Your 8 hours was due to the low smoking/cooking temps you used.
You did good buddy. Bump your temps up and you should finish quicker than you did this time.
Sounds like some pretty good advice there. I was following the 10.5 recipe that says to cook at 150* and go to IT of 140*. Which is fine with me if I know how to plan.
I think i can put this to rest, slice up my bacon, and get ready for the next batch. You are all the best!