Cure- Vacuum sealing?

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Fire Starter
Original poster
Jun 5, 2012
40
14
Chicago area
I know some just wrap the bellies after putting the cure on...others leave the bellies in an air-tight container.

I vacuum sealed my first bacon cure...is this ok?

The reason I ask is some like to drain the liquid that results daily and re-cure daily (or add salt anyway). When I vacuum sealed I left it alone the entire time...besides a daily flipping/massaging. The excreted liquid remained in contact with the belly, in the vacuum seal, the entire curing process for 7 days.

There was a good amount of liquid squishing around. It almost made me think of a brine, but this was a dry curing process.

Is what I did ok...leaving it in the fax seal w/ the liquid...and never re-applying cure/salt?
 
There's nothing wrong with vacuum sealing and not reapplying cure/salt. (Assuming the appropriate amount of cure/salt was applied to begin with,)

~Martin.
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I was planning on vac-sealing my bellies, but the size of the pork bellies (too big) made me opt for large ziplocs instead.

I'm picking up my belly to begin curing today. It's going to be at least a 10lb slab (hopefully bigger).

I will cut the belly in sections. This will allow the proper size for vac sealing...and it will also allow me to experiment with different flavors in the cure. So if it's too big...just cut it down to the size pieces you feel comfortable to work with.
 
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Thanks for the replies...I thought vac sealing was ok, but it's good to hear it confirmed.
 
I know vac sealing can speed up marinades on various meats.

Can the same be said for vac sealed pork belly cures?
 
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I was wondering the same thing in regard to vacuum sealing.

From what I have read, there are some folks that drain off the liquid, and others

that dont. 

I would think that by draining off some of the liquid, you would also be removing some of the curing

agent. So I have opted to leave mine alone and let it work its magic till its time.

I did store two bellies (about 4 lbs each) in vacuum bags, but mainly because the ziplock bags 

would not stay sealed.
 
...... 

I would think that by draining off some of the liquid, you would also be removing some of the curing

agent. So I have opted to leave mine alone and let it work its magic till its time.

.....
You are right there, draining liquid will decrease level of nitrites. After a bad leak from ziplock bag, I always cure in vacuum, although I do not remove all the air, just keep the meat a little loose in the bag. Turning the bag a giving it a gentle massage once a day and results are always good.
 
As said above, if you are using a cure do not drain off the liquid from the ziploc bag or vac pac as you will be significantly reducing the amount of cure in contact with the meat. It is natural for the salt/cure to draw water out of the meat and form a brine around it. It is also important to turn the bags quite regularly while curing (especially when using loose ziploc bags) to ensure the brine that is formed is in contact with all surfaces of the meat.
 
This refers to Curing with Dry ingredients as apposed to curing in a Brine...JJ
As JJ says the curing with dry ingredients is "Dry Curing", however I suppose technically once the brine has started to form around the belly (and a lot of liquid is drawn out quite quickly) I guess it starts to become "Wet Curing/Brining". Maybe it should be called "Damp Curing" 
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Thanks for all the responses. I have ordered some #1 cure and found a few wet cure recipes. Could anyone share a dry brine recipe? I am looking to do some natural sugar bacon? Thanks.

Pops has a good brining recipe... Search "Pops brine recipe"....


What I do for a dry rub/brine...
Weigh the belly.... add cure at 1.3 grams per pound (~
 
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Thanks for all the responses. I have ordered some #1 cure and found a few wet cure recipes. Could anyone share a dry brine recipe? I am looking to do some natural sugar bacon? Thanks.
A word of warning when using recipes that include Bay Leaves - as quite a few do. I used a couple of fresh Bay leaves in my latest cure (as per the recipe) and it left a distinctly bitter (chlorophyll) aftertaste throughout the bacon. I would not have thought so little Bay would have had such a dramatic effect. I have not tried it again since, however I have now read that if you are using Bay then the leaves should be dried - not fresh. Maybe others here have had better experiences with Bay than me.. 
 
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