Bacon Cure Help

[lowcountrygamecock]

OK I want to make some bacon.  I'm in the process of running down some fresh pork belly.  Planned to cure then cold smoke.  I looking for a good cure recipe and have some questions about that whole process.  What's a good cure to use that's readily available?  I see some recipes calling for so many grams per pound.  How do you measure out the correct amount of cure?  And then how do I know how long to cure it?

 

[Bearcarver]

Here's my method, with all the details covered:

Bacon (Extra Smoky)

Bear

 

[pc farmer]

And heres one using cure#1 in a brine.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

Either one works.

 

[chilefarmer]

This is the way it happens at my house. CF

Bill’s Homemade Bacon​

 

Ingredients:

 

One 5# pork belly

¼ cup of salt

1 teaspoon pink salt, (cure #1) “the curing salt containing sodium nitrite, not pink-colored salt”

Flavor:  ¾ cup of Honey, Real sugar Cane Syrup or brown sugar. (I use dark brown sugar)

Mix all flavor ingredients together.

 Rub pork belly with your cure. Be sure and cover completely and rub in good.

Place pork in a large zip lock bag and place in refrigerator. Turn over every day for at least a week. Some liquid will form in the bag, this is good, do not pour off liquid. (I cure for 10 days)

At the end of the week, remove from bag, and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels. Place back in refrigerator in an open container so that it dries well. It should be tacky to touch. Coat with course ground black pepper.

Smoking Bacon:

 

Heat smoker to 150° Place bacon in smoker hang or place on grates. Add your smoking wood, your choice, I like pecan or hickory. Fruit woods are nice also. Smoke for color and flavor. When the color you like is reached, increase pit temp to 200°. When the internal temp of your bacon is 156° remove from smoker. We are not trying to cook the bacon, just trying to kill off any bugs.

Cool before slicing, I put mine back in the refrigerator over night and slice the next day. Package in vacuum bags and freeze.

 

 

[lowcountrygamecock]

I read through that step by step this morning which is great by the way.  I guess the part that's still throwing me is this line...

"Then I weighed out the right amount of Tender Quick (on paper plates) for each piece, and set them aside."

How do you know what that right amount is?  Does it tell you how much per lb of meat on the package of tenderquick?

 

[daveomak]

Measuring small quantities like Cure #1, when curing meats.... I use an electronic scale... 0 - 600 grams... they cost about $15 and well worth the price when you can also weigh spices and herbs to make recipes repeatable....

Below is the scale I and a few others use.....

http://www.ebay.com/itm/600-x-0-1-G...972?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f48859654

 

[Bearcarver]

 
I read through that step by step this morning which is great by the way.  I guess the part that's still throwing me is this line...

"Then I weighed out the right amount of Tender Quick (on paper plates) for each piece, and set them aside."

How do you know what that right amount is?  Does it tell you how much per lb of meat on the package of tenderquick?

Yes, I explain that in my Step by Step.

Morton says 1 TBS (1/2 ounce) per pound of whole meat.

I use the 1/2 ounce, because I use a scale. 1/2 ounce is actually more than 1 TBS, but it's close enough.

I have never had any too salty, which shows you didn't use too much TQ & didn't cure too long, and I never had any under-cured which shows you used enough TQ & cured it for a long enough time.

Bear

 

[lowcountrygamecock]

Wow I missed that part.  Thanks for the clarification. 

I think I have a scale that will work.  I'll double check tonight.

Thanks guys

 

[zzrguy]

Dam now I want to make some bacon.