Yet another bacon cure question

[chooch]

Well I did some ribs for my first smoke the other day, and besides being pretty bland because I did nothing more than hickory smoke them with a bit of SBR sauce, they came out ok. More like smoke butt with little other flavor.

Now I'm onto bacon, I picked up a whole belly and I've got it sliced into thirds in the freezer. So now I'm onto wet brining it.

I've noticed a lot of folks are using cure#1 or pink salt, but I'm checking to see if this can be avoided and replaced with Kosher salt instead? I understand the nitrites or trates are basically there to protect from bacteria but if there's a way around it I'd be obliged if someone could reco a recipe for maple cure. Naturally I can get the kosher salt, maple syrup, etc. just checking if it'll work correctly if I just use kosher salt, brown sugar, maple syrup and a little peppercorn as the brine rather than using the pink salt.

That is unless everyone's warning against NOT using pink salt. I will say this, the place I purchased the belly from is basically a large refrigerator and the meat lies out on stainless tables and you just grab a belly and leave with it, I then threw it in the freezer.

So, if there's a good recipe without the pink salt that does a good maple/little peppercorn bacon I'd be obliged.

Thanks guys.

[FLBentRider]

It's my understanding that you can make bacon without sodium nitrite.

It is also my understanding that you will end up with a saltier product, since you will need to use more kosher salt to compensate for the lack of sodium nitrite.

This is a link to the Alton Brown recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/scrap-iron-chefs-bacon-recipe/index.html

[Habanero Smoker]

As mentioned above, you can cure bacon with just salt. I'm not sure if it will be saltier, but you will lack that traditional bacon like flavor that nitrites give to the meat.

Just a note, the recipe that FLB posted uses non iodized table salt (canning/pickling salt or pure salt). Kosher salt and table salt have different grain sizes, and measure differently. So if you are going to use kosher salt you should weight the salt; it should be 10.3 ounces of salt (10 ounces will be good enough).

[chooch]

Thanks guys... my reasoning is that someone in the house has high blood pressure and nitrites-trates cause an elevation in their BP. For this same reason there's only a few wines they can drink that don't cause the same problem.

For my own satisfaction tho, I did get a buckboard kit for myself and I'm assuming it has nitrites in it, but I just now noticed that it's correct useage is for butt or shoulder.... is it any good on a belly?

[Habanero Smoker]

I always use caution giving advise when I not familiar with the many commercial cure mixes from the various manufactures. You should be able to, but I don't know their application such as wet or dry, and I don't know the rate of application if used dry. If you can provide a link to what you purchased that would be helpful.

[chooch]

I always use caution giving advise when I not familiar with the many commercial cure mixes from the various manufactures. You should be able to, but I don't know their application such as wet or dry, and I don't know the rate of application if used dry. If you can provide a link to what you purchased that would be helpful.

It's just Hi Mountain Buckboard kit....

http://www.basspro.com/Hi-Mountain-Buckboard-Bacon-Cure/product/10216529/-1724692

I can always use it on the proper meat if a belly slab won't work....

[Habanero Smoker]

That will work curing bacon. Apply it at the rate that is in the instructions. I would use the curing, smoking and cooking instructions that are contained in 10.5's recipe.

Maple Cured Bacon

[jiggerjams]

Hi All,

I am using 10.5 Maple Cured Bacon Recipe on 30# of pork belly. Of the 30# I have two slabs that are still soft and have little liquid in the bags after 6 days. What can I do?

Am I able to rinse and re cure the slabs? Any suggestions or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
JJ

[ArnieM]

Hi JJ,

First you can let them go longer.  Keep the liquid, whatever there is of it, in contact with the meat.  You could also add a little more of your cure to the soft ones.

Somehow, I think they'll come out OK in the end.  Just give 'em a nice smoke/cook.

[Habanero Smoker]

At this stage I would not add more cure to the ones that may feel softer then the other. If you measured the cure correctly, then they should be curing properly. I have gotten a few slabs that extrude very little liquid, and didn't feel as firm to the touch but cured all the way through.

There may be reasons, or possibilities that they are not curing properly. Are those two slabs significantly thicker? It could be that you may have made an error measuring the cure. Those slabs that are soft could have been stored in a cooler area of the refrigerator -cooler temperatures slow down the curing process; or the slabs contains a lot more fat then the other two and just may require a longer curing time.

What I suggest is removing the two you are confident that are fully cured and rinse the cure off. Tightly wrap in plastic and keep refrigerated. Move the slabs that you will keep curing to the area of the refrigerator the other two slabs were cured, and cure until day eight. At that time rinse off the cure. If they still feel soft and you are still unsure, the only way to see if they are fully cure is the slice the slab(s) in half. The check the color - it should be reddish, and pan fry a slice - it should not turn grayish like fresh meat.

Rinsing the cure off and reapplying a second cure is generally only used for thicker cuts of meat that will be dry cured (air dried/uncooked). I don't know if I would recommend it in this case.

[jiggerjams]

When I measured the cure recipe I matched up slabs that would total 5 lbs. There was a little +/- but not much maybe .7 of an ounce. I then poured the cure out onto the slabs with the larger pieces getting the larger amount of cure.

Of the two that are soft and not producing much liquid one slab is startting to firm up but still not much liquid. The other slab I am having problems with getting a zip lock bag to cling to the slab. I have changed the bag once and I use the same process of removing air as I have with the other slabs (sealing the bag except a small corner that I can stick the casing of a pen into to suck the air out then seal completely) but no luck on this one. There really is hardly any liquid at all.

I was storing the slabs at work and as of last night I have brought the two stubborn slabs home to try a different environment. The slabs do not seem abnormally thicker than the other slabs. I will have to wait till I get home tonight and visually check for higher fat content. Thanks for the tips and advice HS.

Another question I have is Habs suggests that I move the slabs that I am confident are fully cured. This is my first attempt at curing anything.

Is there any advice on determining if the product has been fully cured?

Thanks everyone,
JJ

[Habanero Smoker]

Other than what I already mentioned on how to make absolutely sure. Generally if you follow the recipe, cure using the suggested curing times and temperatures (in this case 5 - 7 days), and testing for firmness (generally works as a sign of stage of curing); your product should be fully cured.

The bag not sticking to the slab would not cause any issues; especially if there is no liquid. Do you know the temperature of the refrigerator at work?

[chooch]

I just started a cure using the Hi mtn buckboard on a 4 lb slab of belly (half the belly) and used a rate of 1Tbs + 1&1/4 tsp per pound which is directly shown in the dirs. I'm wondering tho if the rind being on one side is gonna slow down the cure at all or if it was a waste to apply cure to that side. Either way the belly is of normal thickness so I'm guessing I'll be ok. The dirs state to cure for 10, turn after 5. Using a glass pan I'm holding on to the liquid which I'm thinking should be saturated with cure and when I turn it over the meat side will again contact a fair amount of cure. Gonna start the mape cure method to coincide with the 10 day cure from buckboard so I can get both slabs in the smoker at the same time, hopefully using the same temp system advised for the buckboard.

Interesting tidbit there about the meat not turning gray when fried to show adequate cure. Those are the things one usually only learns thru experience, and I'm glad I found it out beforehand ;)

[jiggerjams]

Thanks again Habs. I do not know the temp of the fridge at work. I do have to go to work and rinse and dry the other 8 slabs so I will do a temp check when I am there and report back.

I am looking forward to getting the smoke rolling soon.

[jiggerjams]

Ok I have been at work a while now with the Maverick probe in the fridge for about an hour as I have been puttering around. The Maverick is holding at 39F. So It appears the temp of the fridge is good. The fridge at home was reading 37F so I have warmed it up a bit and will check the temp when I get home.

I am going to remove and rinse the bellies here at work and then it is time "to bring home the bacon!" for a taste test and a refrigerated air dry. By reading other posts it sounds like I might have the family coming down the stairs thinking it is breakfast time when I start frying the test slices. This would be a good problem to have.

JJ