Hi there,
I'm new to the entire smoker world so I'm currently a bit confused over some concepts etc. Thankfully I'm not too proud to ask, silly at times I'm sure, questions. ;D
One of the projects on my list is the maple cured bacon recipe I found here: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?542-Maple-Cured-Bacon
What I'm wondering over is the curing time. Since I work full time I would normally only be able to do the actual smoking on weekends.
I would start the curing process on say Saturday week one and hope that the curing process would take the seven days it states as the upper limit in the recipe. That way I could smoke on Saturday week two.
However - what if it takes just 5 days - would it harm the process to cure it for another two days?
Sorry if this is a weird question and I hope I've made my question fairly clear.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Cheers, Mike
Hi Mike and welcome to the forum.
The only stupid questions are the ones that don't get asked. ;)
I'm in a similar situation working all week. I mainly make Canadian Bacon or as we Canadians call it Back Bacon. I usually get it started curing on a Friday night and let it go until the following Friday before rinsing and allowing it to dry in the fridge over night. I've even let them go 10 days in the cure before with no problems. When I pull them from the cure, I rinse them, then soak them in cold water for 30 minutes, change the water and soak for another 30 minutes. The reason for the double soak time is it removes some of the saltiness and for my taste buds this is the way I prefer it.
A few days here or there during curing will not hurt it. It may add a little saltiness to the finished product and is why you will probably want to rinse. Give it a shot and you will get it dialed into the taste your looking for.
Mike
Mike,
Many thanks for the welcome and your thorough answer. It sounds like my plan will work then - start curing week one and then rinse it well before smoking it on week two.
Once again - thanks for your reply.
// Mike
+1 with Mike, Mike. After the rinse'n'soak, slice off a thin piece and give it a quick fry to taste test. It it's too salty, give it another soak or two.
Arnie,
Excellent tip - many thanks!
// Mike
Mike,
My older daughter married a Brit. His parents are in Keston, Kent, a bit SE of London. They're coming over here for Thanksgiving. Seems that you people don't have that holiday over there ;D ;D But, then, we don't have Boxing day >:(
Warning....Warning....Warning.....Once you start makin Bacon there is not turning back. ;D
I think I've caught the bug already - I guess it will just get worse from here on? ;)
Another question regarding this recipe actually - the recipe states the following: "Rub cure mixture on belly making sure to cover the entire surface."
Would that be to cover just the 'meaty' bits or should it be applied to the skin as well?
Cheers, Mike
Quote from: SwedishMike on November 16, 2011, 01:05:57 PM
I think I've caught the bug already - I guess it will just get worse from here on? ;)
Another question regarding this recipe actually - the recipe states the following: "Rub cure mixture on belly making sure to cover the entire surface."
Would that be to cover just the 'meaty' bits or should it be applied to the skin as well?
Cheers, Mike
Mike, the skin as well, and do not forget to turn it over every day.
as for the time in cure I've let it cure for 14 days before with out any problem.
Thanks for clarifying that - that could have been bad/embarrassing. :o
I'm sure it will be like torture even if it just takes 5 - 7 days to cure. I'm already eager to get it smoked and to get a taste of my first homemade bacon.
// Mike
Quote from: SwedishMike on November 16, 2011, 02:02:23 PM
Thanks for clarifying that - that could have been bad/embarrassing. :o
I'm sure it will be like torture even if it just takes 5 - 7 days to cure. I'm already eager to get it smoked and to get a taste of my first homemade bacon.
// Mike
You will never like any other bacon one you make your own!
Quote from: MidKnightRider on November 16, 2011, 08:47:03 PM
Quote from: SwedishMike on November 16, 2011, 02:02:23 PM
Thanks for clarifying that - that could have been bad/embarrassing. :o
I'm sure it will be like torture even if it just takes 5 - 7 days to cure. I'm already eager to get it smoked and to get a taste of my first homemade bacon.
// Mike
You will never like any other bacon one you make your own!
You shall have no other bacon before me? ;)
// Mike
Yes...but keep an eye on slicing...
Another alternative than over curing, is to remove the meat from the cure; if it is going to be less then 3 days before you get around to smoking/cooking it. Wrap it or place it in a sealable bag, and refrigerate. About 12 the 24 hours before you place it in the smoker, uncover it and let it air dry in the refrigerator.
Also it is always a good idea to let the meat rest at least 12 hours after removing the cure. The curing action is still going on. At that point, the concentration of salt and nitrites will be heavier towards the surface of the meat, than at the center. This extra time gives the cure time to distribute equally throughout the meat.
H S,
Many thanks for the further ideas. I must say that I'm mightily impressed by the knowledge and willingness to share said knowledge on this forum.
// Mike
Hi Mike,
I'm an expat as well (france) living in oxfordshire too. Where about are you?
My first bacon is curing in the fridge, I'm planning on smoking it this saturday. I am using a cure from weschenfelder.co.uk (supracure).
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb452/aerostef/IMG_2629.jpg)
(http://i1206.photobucket.com/albums/bb452/aerostef/IMG_2628.jpg)
That's looking really good! Mine's in the fridge now too. Some pictures here: http://www.freestylecookery.com/2011/11/making-bacon-part-i.html
I'm living on Cholsey but work in Abingdon. Whereabouts are you based?
// Mike
Wantage, 10 min from Abingdon!
Cool. Maybe we should form the Oxfordshire Sub-Forum? ;)
The pork belly have now been in the fridge for 8 days and I have religiously turned it every day. It is starting to firm up in some spots, but are still soft to the touch on at least 80 - 85 per cent of the surface area.
I've been using the normal fridge in our kitchen so I'm not sure if I got it cold enough? Would that slow down the process?
How long should I give it before it starts getting dangerous to cook and eat?
Cheers, Mike
I lost track of this thread. Did you use the supracure as directed by the manufacturer. Supracure is very similar to what is sold in the States by the name of Morton's Tender Quick; which is used at a rate of 1 tablespoon per pound.
If used at the correct rate, sometimes meat just doesn't firm up like you would expect. I recall reading in the U.K. your hogs have much more fat. If your cure was good, and you applied the proper amount your bacon should be ready. If you still want to leave it in the cure, I personally would not go more then two more days.
If it is not fully cured it will still be safe to eat, but you need to treat it as uncured belly. If not fully cured, you may see a band of grey or lighter color in the center of the meat. After removing the bacon from the cure, I would slice a piece off the end, pan fry and test for saltiness. If too salty soak it in cold water. I also let the meat rest 12 - 24 hours after removing it from the cure.
When curing you should try to keep the temperature as close to 40°F as possible. I keep my refrigerator at 38°F. The warmer it is the faster it will cure, the colder it is the slower it will cure. That is just the nature of chemical reactions.
Many thanks for your reply.
I used the cure from here: http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?542-Maple-Cured-Bacon
I feel a bit unsure about how well this one went, I might go for a second go and treat this as a learning experience worst case scenario. :(
My mistake, it was aerostef that used the supracure.
It may be fully cured, the firmness test is a general rule of thumb. I have had several pieces of meat that did not firm up as expected but still were fully cured.
If you followed that recipe, there is very little chance of failure.
Sorry if I hijacked this thread Mike!
FYI: The supracure worked well for me. After smoking on Friday I let the meat dry naturally and it firms up everyday.
I will have to rinse the meat for longer next time, the salt level is on the high side. Still, I won't go back to shoip bought bacon, ever! ;D
Habenero Smoker: Thanks for your reply and no worries at all. I'll give it a go now, feel a bit more confident. Will let you know how it turns out.
Aerostef: No problems at all, these threads are open. ;) How long are you planning on letting it firm up before slicing it all up? Or are you going to keep it as one big 'unit' and slice as you go?
Once you get your first batch completed, you will see how easy it is.
Aerostef;
I wouldn't call that hijacking a thread. I look at it as me making an error in reference. The salt level is high in supracure for the amount you have to use. My calculation is that it is around 98.8% salt, while Morton TQ is about 70% salt.
Mike: It has been drying since saturday and getting nicer by the day. The belly bacon I am used to from the part of France I come from is very dry. It is mainly used for lardons (bacon bits).
I'll take a picture tonight.
Habanero: I went the lazy way and bought the already prepared supracure... But I will definitely use less or rinse it more next time. Despite the high saltiness, I am very happy with the results...
So swedish Mike, how did it turn out?