Bacon curing time question

[RedJada]

 I will be picking up some pork bellies this weekend and will start the cure proses. I will be following Tenpoint5's Maple Cured Bacon recipe.

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?542-Maple-Cured-Bacon

It calls for 5-7 days cure time. But I will be heading out of town right after that time frame and wont be able to get it in the smoker for another 4-5 days after.

1. After the 5-7 day cure time, will it be safe in the fridge for another week before smoking?
2. Would a 12 day cure time hurt?
3. Should I just wait?
4. Anything else I should know about?

Thanks for the help.

[CoreyMac]

You don't want to let in go more than the 7 days, you will end up with really salty bacon, the cure will keep penetrating the meat. Just pull the slabs out and wash them, pat them dry, then freeze them, you can smoke them when you have the time. Just pull them out and put them in the fridge to thaw, then let the form the pelicle. Hit them with smoke after that.

Corey

[devo]

Once your meat is cured it stays cured. I would put it in the fridge till your ready for it. I have never gone past 8 days myself but I would think 12 days would not be to long. You just might have to soak it longer so it is not salty.

[Piker]

Just finished 2 12.5lb. bellies and I knew they were going to be curing longer than the recipe called for so I cut the salt amt in half. When done I cut off a slice and fried it. Turned out to be the best I have made yet. Was curing for 11 days. Thks Piker

[Tenpoint5]

I would leave it in the cure. Once the salt levels even out the meat won't take on any more salt whether it is 7 days or 12

[beefmann]

agrees with 7-8 days... have  done Canadian bacon, pork belly bacon,,, and pastrami all at  7 - 8 days and  cooked always came out  good 

[Piker]

I have a medical condition that should restrict my salt intake. Its no doctors order but I do what I can. In all the recipes that I  have done including fresh sausage smoked sausage snack sticks luncheon meat or what ever I cut back on the salt as much as 2/3 and have not noticed any different in taste what so ever. I even did a small pork belly with no salt at all and it was different but still very good. Like what was said before we should look outside the box. Piker

[rexster]

I typically leave my bellies dry curing for 12-14 days. I soak them for about an hour and half then put them in fridge to dry out and I smoke them the next day. We like the slight saltiness of the bacon.

[Habanero Smoker]

 Looking at your time frames, I would wait until you returned from your trip, then start curing. That particular recipe doesn't have a great deal of salt, so the extra time may not make it too salty, but again "saltiness" is an individual preference. If it is too salty you can soak. The salt is important, because it facilitates the rate of osmosis to help the cure penetrate the meat.

[RedJada]

 After reading all the advice here and since its my first try. I will wait until I have more time and able to follow the recipe as written. Thanks for the help everyone.