hog bellys

[newfie bullet]

just butchered a couple hogs and was going to make some belly  bacon . got a Bradley digital smoker. looking through recipes on here can't seem to find one that uses Morton tender quick , that's the only cure I have , and the only way to get it here is mail order. anyone care to share a good recipe with tender quick , and would like it sweet as well .
regards
alan

[Habanero Smoker]

Welcome to the forum.

When using Morton Tender Quick (MTQ); use it at a rate of 1 tablespoon per pound, do not use any additional salt. The easiest way to do so, is to make separate batches for each slab of bacon. For example if you have a 3 pound slab, use 3 tablespoons of MTQ. That that you can add more sugar, herbs, spices etc. After coating the bellies, place in a sealable bag, and turn it over daily. Your cure time will be 5 - 7 days.

The link below is a one of recipe I use, without the smoke paperika. To convert for use with MTQ, you will need to eliminate the kosher salt and the pink curing salt. Replace that with 5 tablespoons of MTQ.

Homemade Bacon

I forgot to add, if you have to mail order MTQ, you may want to think about mail ordering Cure #1. You will find it is more versatile, less expensive and most curing recipes use it.

[Edward176]

Welcome to the Forum newfie bullet.

[cherrybergher]

Welcome to the forum

[BC Smoker]

I pretty much make my belly bacon the same way as Mr. Habanero Smoker described above. Although I prefer MTQ, I believe it's a premix of both nitrate and nitrite.... to each their own I suppose. Pink salt seems to be used a lot more in recipes. But I'm just a junior smoker myself. Here's a link to MTQ website.
http://www.mortonsalt.com/