Bacon belly already sliced

[umbrellalady]

My daughter raised a pig on her boyfriend's parent's farm.  We shared the cost of the butchering, etc.  She told them I would cure my own bacon and probably smoke it.  Here is the problem - they sliced it into slices about 4 inches long and the thickness of a thick cut bacon.  How do I smoke this/cure this?  Not sure if it I should just cure it and forget about smoking it...? It seems like it will be pretty piddly work.

[Caribou]

I'd be really PO'd at the meat processor first off. >:(
I'm not sure how this would be cured and smoked.
I wonder if some how the slices could be bundled together with meat string so you could smoke it as one chunk?
Habs or 10.5 might know what the curing time would be now that it is sliced.
Carolyn

[umbrellalady]

Yep, definitely PO'd but I still have to do something with it.  Good suggestion bundling it together - could work.  I haven't figured out anything better.

[Caribou]

I don't see why you couldn't cure it, jerky is cured sliced.
But would definitely have to be modifications from the bacon recipes since it's sliced.
PM Habanero Smoker, he is very up on curing and food safety.
Hope this helps,
Carolyn

[Habanero Smoker]

I have never tried this, and any advise would be just guessing. A wet brine curing method seems to be the best way to go, then bundle to smoke. Curing could be done safely, but it's the out come that would concern me. I would be concerned that it would taste too salty.

I'll do some research to see if I can find out any information on curing thin strips. How much bacon do you have, that is cut up in this manner?

[Tenpoint5]

As Habs said I have never tried curing and smoking sliced side pork. I would think that the locker plant that did the processing should be able to replace the sliced with a full belly. I would ask them if they would, since it was their error. Give them the chance to make it right.

[umbrellalady]

The problem with returning it is that my daughter made the arrangements and I don't know what she told the plant, so going back to them is probably not fair especially me not knowing what was arranged.  Also - and this is the biggie - this was the first pig she raised...

I have about 12 kg or 26.5 lbs of sliced side pork - not a small amount.

[devo]

Well here is my thoughts on this. Not that you should follow them but this is what I would do. Bundle them and butcher twin it all together. You might have to do this twice. A lot of people don't get around to pulling the bellys well after the 1 week cure so I'm thinking if you do the 1 week cure all bundled you will bel good to go. You can always do a fast fry of one of the piece's to check for salt content. If it is to much than soak in cold water till you get where you want it. Other than that i don't see many other options. Good luck to you but i'm sure it will turn out good.

[Habanero Smoker]

10.5's plan sounds like the best way to go. If you can't return it, then the best way to cure slices it to use the wet brine cure method. That way you will not have to worry about adding too much nitrites as you could with a dry cure (or paste). The wet brine cure will keep the nitrites as a steady ppm (parts per million) and safe amount. Even if you cure too long, it will not increase the ppm in the meat. Bundling and trying to dry cure you create pressure points where the cure may not penetrate,

Wet (brine) curing is faster then dry curing on small pieces of meat such as bellies, loins etc. Being that your bellies are already sliced, it may only take 1 hour or up to 4 hours to cure the slices.

Wet Cure:
1 gal. (3.79 liter; you can round off to 4 liters to make it easier)
10 oz (284g) pickling or canning salt
3 oz (85g) pink salt
1 cup (237mil) sugar

I would only start with a small test batch of maybe 1 pound of bacon, and make a small batch of the wet cure. Instead of making a gallon, divide all the ingredients by 4. That way you will not waste too many materials for this test batch. After making the wet cure; making sure all ingredients are fully dissolve, place in a container that will loosely hold bacon. You don't want to pack it, you want the wet cure to contact as much surface as possible. Place the slices in the cure, and stir to make sure all pieces are exposed to the brine and let sit for 15 minute, then stir every fifteen minutes or so.

At the end of one hour take one slice out, rinse well, pat dry and fry it. If there are no grayish areas it is fully cure. If parts or all look grayish give it an additional hour, and repeat the test procedure. Continue in this manner until you get the results you are looking for. Stirring every fifteen minutes may only be necessary for the first hour, but after that I would at least stir every 30 minutes. If the finished product too salty, you can soak it.

For smoking it would be alright to bundle and tie. Maybe you can make a maple glaze to coat the bundle or individual slices; but coating individual slices may make it too sweet. You could also make a savory rub, and apply that to some bundles. I would only take the internal temperature up to 140°F (60°C)

[GusRobin]

or make a lot of ABT's and other bacon wrapped dishes

[umbrellalady]

Thank you Haberno Smoker and everyone else so much for all the suggestions.  I think I will follow Haberno Smoker's suggestions and then I'll let you know how it all turns out.  I will cure it - a small batch first to make sure it works and then all of it when it does.  Then I am going to bundle it, give it a rub, maybe a little maple syrup on some and smoke it.  Keep you fingers crossed!   :D

[Habanero Smoker]

Let us know how it works. My only concern is the saltiness, but if you test the batch frequently it should be alright.

With the strips being so thin, you may be able to cut the salt amount in half to 5 ounces (≈1/2 cup) per gallon of water, but keep the amount of cure the same for 1 gallon of water (3 ounces).

[Caribou]

Thank you Haberno Smoker and everyone else so much for all the suggestions.  I think I will follow Haberno Smoker's suggestions and then I'll let you know how it all turns out.  I will cure it - a small batch first to make sure it works and then all of it when it does.  Then I am going to bundle it, give it a rub, maybe a little maple syrup on some and smoke it.  Keep you fingers crossed!   :D

Got my fingers crossed!
Bet it turns out great :)
Carolyn