curing question

[brownie31]

Hi fellow smoker's,I got a new BOS for Xmas, this is my first post so here it goes.Have been reading different curing methods(recipies) for bacon, my question is can you use SALT ONLY(with no meat cure). The reason being my wife gets migrane headaches and the doctor's suggest cutting back on nitrates/nitrites(bacon,ham etc..).Problem is she loves bacon,If I use just salt will it be too salty? How much salt? Can I just rinse and soak in cold water a bunch of times?I have one 2lb side pork in the fridge right now,used 2Tbsp Brown sugar, 2Tbsp morton tender quick, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, does this sound like appropriate quantities.Thanks for any help or suggestions.

[Father Tom]

Hi Brownie; welcome to the forum.

If Mrs has problem with synthetic nitrites one might try "Celery Juice"  this is a natural source of nitrites with the same beneficial effects.  Some of today's artisanal bacon manulfacturers use this.

There are many bacon recipes in the Bradley recipe files.

I would suggest the Books.... 1. The Great Sausage Recipes and Meat Curing, by Rytek Kutas,,, and 2.  Charcuterie, by Michael Ruhlman & Brian Polcyn...

Good Luck

Tom

[Father Tom]

Just found a site for you.  Chick this out

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/scrap-iron-chefs-bacon-recipe/index.html

No nitrates!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tom

[squirtthecat]

ArnieM did a nitrite-free bacon a while back..  

(actually, he got the details from his butcher)

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=18682.0

[Father Tom]

Just found in my new Sausagemaker catalog a page labled "Natural & Organic Inagredients".   first item listed is "Celery Juice Powder".  This is what they say about it (...........a natural cure substiatute to Sodium or Potassium Nitrite, that has the same capabilities and curing properties.  Celery Juice Powder is specially processed to be used as a natural Nitrate, which breaks down ato Nitriate, curing the sausage from botulism.  Without effecting the final taste of a particular recipe, this ingredient does the job of a basic salt/nitrite cure and is fast-becoming a meat processing phenomenal!  Makes 25 lbs.)

Net Wt.  1.25 Ounces.   $9.99

Again, Hopes this helps.

Tom

[ExpatCanadian]

Hey...  I've been curious for some time about the whole Nitrate/Nitrite in foods controversy....  especially since I've been curing my own meats... smoked, unsmoked...  whatever.  I came across a really well written article on the topic which I thought might be worth sharing in this case.

Just as an aside...  I'm not saying this is appropriate for YOUR circumstances...  your wife may very well have a medical reason to cut back...  but this article certainly gives some good perspective on the situation, and I must say I was pretty surprised (and relieved) overall.

http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/2008/07/does-banning-hotdogs-and-bacon-make.html

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Well, a week late to the game - not sure how I missed this.  We've had several good discussions on this recently.

First was this thread started by TassieSmoker.  I suggest you read the entire thread to see differing viewpoints.  Yes, it can be done quite easily so long as you treat the meat as uncured when it cones to smoking and cooking.
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=19432.0

There is a companion thread in which results were shared here:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=20206.msg246554#msg246554

We also had a discussion on celery juice powder as a curing agent in this thread:
http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=20896.msg255307#msg255307

The issue I have with using celery juice powder in the home curing environment is the lack of control over the amount of nitrate added and amount converted to nitrite.  That means you have no idea how much you are starting with or how much nitire is created during curing.  The commercial processors who make a natural or organic bacon using celery-based products (and there are a number of these) try do so in a very controlled fashion, but even then they struggle with variability. They begin with nitrate assays of the celery product initially, they add a specific amount based on nitrate content, and they add a culture to assure conversion in a known way.  For anyone who is interested in pursuing the natural or organic approach to curing using celery juice derivatives, I highly encourage reading and studying this paper.

A recent survey of natural and organic cured bacon found that residual nitrite levels were bout the same as the traditionally cured product.