NEED SOME "BACON" HELP

[sherlock]

I bought some hickory style bacon brine mix from Butcher & Packer, (4.42 lb.). The bag label says, "For 2 1/2 gallons of brine at 20% pump".

1   Directions on the bag say to mix the 4.42 pound bag with 1 pound D.Q
     cure in 2 1/2 gallons of water and inject the belly at 20% gain.

2   Soak belly in remaining brine for 24 hours.

3   Process & cook until internal temperature reaches 160 deg. F


Makin Bacon from 3guys.com, says they used cure from The Sausagemaker, but they did not follow the directions that came with the cure.

1   They used 10 oz. of cure to 2 gallons of water and soaked two 3 pound
     bellies for 4 days.

2   After drying to form a "pellicle", they cold smoked at 80 to 100 deg F for
     8 hours.


HERE ARE MY QUESTIONS:

1.   Is the brine mix I bought the same as cure that 3men.com
      used?

       A.   If it is the same, can I use the same 10 oz to 2 gallons of water that
             they used?

       B.   If so, must I add the D.Q. Cure as stated in the Butcher & Packer
             directions?

       C.   Is D.Q, Cure the same as Insta-cure # 1 or Insta-cure # 2 ?


2.   Here it gets confusing to me. Butcher & Packer says to soak in cure
      for only 24 hours and 3men.com says to soak for 4 days. I have read that
      some of you cure for 7 days, 14 days or even 21 days. What is right for 
      the product I have?

3.   3 men.com smoked their bellies using "bacon hangers". Can I just lay my
      bellies on my racks?   

4.   Instead of the 8 hours smoking by 3men.com, Mike here on the forum,
     (I believe his forum name is Mr Walleye. Forgive me Mike, for not remembering for
     sure.), preheats his smoker to 150 deg F, puts the bellies in without smoke for 45
     minutes. Then, he raises the temperature to 200 degrees with smoke until the
     internal temperature reaches 140 deg F. Then he turns off the heat and lets the
     bellies set for about 1 hour. After cooling, he wraps them in Saran Wrap
     and refrigerates. This would be better for me as I don't think I could keep
     the temperature down to 80 / 100 deg for 8 hours.
   

THANKS FOR ANY HELP YOU MAY OFFER

[Mr Walleye]

Hi Sherlock

I remember reading that as well but it wasn't me. I have done bacon but only Habs Canadian Bacon recipe. I can't remember who it was....

Mike

[3rensho]

I always dry cure my bacon so can't help you there.  Concerning question 3 I just lay the cured bellies on the racks, skin side down and smoke away.  I have a pair of bacon hangers but have never used them  :). 

Tom

[acords]

C.   Is D.Q, Cure the same as Insta-cure # 1 or Insta-cure # 2 ?

Directions on the bag say to mix the 4.42 pound bag with 1 pound D.Q
     cure in 2 1/2 gallons of water and inject the belly at 20% gain.

I can't say if DQ is the same as pink #1, but if it is, that seems like WAY too much :o

[Habanero Smoker]

The brine mix would not be the same as what 3guys used. Sausage Maker's brine mixes are generally 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of mix makes 2 to 2.5 gallons. After you finish mixing your brine mix you will have 5.42 pounds of mix to make 2.5 gallons.

If there is no #2 after it then DQ is the same as InstaCure#1; Prague Powder #1; pink salt #1.

I would follow the directions that came with the brine mixture, and yes you will need to add DQ, because it sounds like the Butcher Pack mix does not have a nitrite in it. It is possible to cure with just salt, but I don't know what the salt content of the mix is. 3guys is generally a good source for recipes, but personally I don't think I would follow that one recipe you refer to.

I've used different premixed cures from Sausage Maker, and they can be different in how you mix them to make a brine. Do you recall the name of the cure?

When you make a brine cure (pickle); injecting (pumping) the belly with 20% (usually you pump 10%), will accelerate the curing process. I'm not familiar with the mixed cure that you purchase, so again I would have to stress follow the manufacturer's directions, and double check on the amount of DQ that is required.

When I smoke bacon, I will generally air dry in the smoker at 110°F - 120°F, until a pellicle is formed. Then I turn up the heat to 140°F while applying 2 hours of smoke. Then when I am finished with the smoke I turn it up to 180°F until an internal temperature of 152°F is reached, you can also take it out when it reaches 137°F. Vacuum seal, or wrap in plastic and then foil and store in the refrigerator.

[sherlock]

What I have is

hickory style bacon brine mix from Butcher & Packer

I did say 1 pound of DQ. I should have said 0.40 pounds to be added to the 4.42 pounds of brine mix.

I have never "pumped" up anything. What is required there? My thinking is that I set aside an amount of brine equal to 20% by weight of the bellies and then use an injector of some sort to inject the brine uniformly thoughout the belly.

Is this right?

[Tiny Tim]

Injecting and pumping is about the same thing.  When I do it, I weigh the meat, then figure my target weight (120% of what the meat weighed before starting), then weigh occasionally as I'm injecting.

edit to add:  I used the 120% because that's what the writer wanted, the only times I've done it have been 110% (if I was lucky).

[levonen]

I bought some hickory style bacon brine mix from Butcher & Packer, (4.42 lb.). The bag label says, "For 2 1/2 gallons of brine at 20% pump".

Sherlock, 20% pump is strictly for commercial pumping (artery pumping, etc.). I have no idea why these guys are selling it for home curring. I would recommend to ask them to clarify.

In any case, for home pumping the physically is not possible to pump more than 10%. That's because the equipment used for home pumping. I will repeat: you will not be able to pump more than 10% even if you try your best.

[Habanero Smoker]

As TT mentioned injecting and pumping mean the same, that is why I put the pumping in parenthesis after injecting. I would heed levonen comments on the 20%, I generally use a 10% and it is difficult to inject (pump) that amount.

If you don't already know this, one fluid ounce of brine roughly equals one ounce of weight. So you can just measure the brine, instead of weighting it.

[sherlock]

Thank you all for your help.

I called B & P and they insisted that I could achieve the 20% or close to it. However, I am more comfortable going with the advice of you folks who have done it.

Thanks again. I will let you know how it comes out.

Nathan

[Habanero Smoker]

I'm just thinking out loud, so bear with me. If you already have DQ#1 cure (which is the same as pink salt, InstaCure#1; Prague Powder#1); you should search this forum or the internet for bacon cure mixes you can make yourself, and follow their recipes. I know Brian has posted at least one bacon cure, and I posted a Basic Cure that can be used to cure bacon. In the long run, making your own cure mixes will be cost effective in the long run.

Personally I would not want a cure with a smoke flavor if I am going to smoke it, but that is my own individual taste.