Need help. restarting my bacon!!

mustangmary

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Apr 2, 2013

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #1

this forum seems to be more active so I am going to repost. I have 5 lbs of pork belly and wanted to just use salt and sugar to "cure" it, but it seems that I should use cure, I don't like to put extra additives in my food, but also don't want to get sick!!! SOOOO, that being said, I found some cure in a jerky packet that I had on hand. I mixed 1 tsp, 15 tsp salt, and 10 tsp brown sugar together. I rinsed off my pork bellies that I had in fridge with just salt and sugar since Monday and put this new mixture on. It didn't seem to cover really well, so can I add brown sugar in the upcoming days??? I also want to put cracked pepper on one. Do that later, or now?? Now that I put a cure on, do I have to let it sit for another 5-7 days or can I add in the 2 it has already been sitting? One last question, do I turn them over every day?? Sorry for so many questions, but this is all totally new and I don't want to waste the money I spent nor get me or anyone else sick. Thanks in advance for your answers.  I am thinking of using maple wood to smoke. How high should I smoke it at and for how long...(sorry, more questions!)

 

dirtsailor2003

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #2

You really should follow a tried and true recipe. Not knowing what type of "cure" that you borrowed from the jerky seasoning I and probably no one else here can give you a good answer to any of your questions. There are plenty of tried and true recipes on this forum to get you pointed in the right direction. From reading what you have done, I'd put those bellies in the trash.

 

daveomak

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #3

Mary, without knowing what salt you used, and every grind of salt weighs differenly using volume measurements, it is difficult to know what the salt content would be....  Usually bacon is salted at about 2% by weight...  If the cure was cure #1 then the 1 tsp per 5#'s is OK....  For future reference, obtaining a grams scale for accurate measuring would be a good idea...  they can be had for about $20 or so and worth the investment....  a grams scale of 0-450 grams is a good one.... 454 grams = 1#.....    

Below is a very good calculator for curing meats.... One of our members put it together....  The Ppm portion of the calculator can be changed for any concentration of nitrite for different products you choose to cure...     Dave

http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

 

mustangmary

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Apr 2, 2013

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #4

The cure I used was from Mountain seasonings snakin sticks.  It says on box that it contains .85% nitrates??? Whatever that means. And I used Mortons Kosher salt. Do you think these bellies are savable?? I have looked at lots of recipes, unfortunately found this site yesterday, AFTER I bought the bellies and living in a small town, cure is not readily available out here. Have to go to the big town!! But some of the recipes I had looked at didn't even use cure. That is how I wanted to do it in the first place, no extra additives or anything. Can you tell me the difference in cures? If I were to buy just one, which would it be. I think this might be my last attempt at bacon. Will go back to chicken and cheese!! Those I can do!!
 

 

geerock

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #5

I will tell you one thing mary....be sure to rinse well and test fry some bacon before you smoke it as I think you are going to have so much salt flavor as to be inedible. Hate to see you put this time in to get a product you can't eat. BTW. ........ Nitrates are the cure but you should using nitrites and they should be applied in very accurate amounts.

 

Last edited: Apr 3, 2013

daveomak

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #6

Read the link below..... With that percentage 0.85% nitrates I'm not familiar with the cure...  What is the nitrite %....   And using that package, it has plenty of salt in it.....  Dave

http://www.susanminor.org/forums/showthread.php?736-Curing-Salts

EDIT:

What I copied was confusing at best...... I deleted it to avoid further confusion..   Sorry for the stupid mistake I made.....   Dave

 

Last edited: Apr 3, 2013

diggingdogfarm

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #7

Salt, sugar, sodium [COLOR=#red]nitrite[/COLOR] (.85%), caramel color.

Source: http://www.himtnjerky.com/jerky-ingr.html and http://www.himtnjerky.com/snack-inst.html


~Martin

 

Last edited: Apr 3, 2013

daveomak

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #8

Thank you Martin.....   Rinse the meat and start over....  With 5#'s of belly, which is whole muscle, use the 5#'s measurements....  Cure for 7-9 days, under refrigeration, in a plastic zip bag, turning the bag daily... Rinse, dry and rest in the refer for another day or longer to allow the cure, seasoning, spices, sugars to equilibrate throughout the meat.....  Do a fry test for saltiness.... Ice water soak to remove salt if you think it is needed.....  Smoke cold or hot depending on your preference...

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]SPICE AND CURE MIXING CHART FOR WHOLE MUSCLE MEAT  
(Always use standard measuring spoons level full.)[/font]​

[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]POUNDS OF MEAT[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HM SPICES[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]HM CURE[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 ½ teaspoon[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 teaspoons[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 tablespoon[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]1 tablespoon + 1 & 1/2 teaspoon[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 tablespoon[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]4[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 tablespoons[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons[/font]
[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]5[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoon[/font]	[font=Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif]3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon[/font]

 

Last edited: Apr 3, 2013

mustangmary

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Apr 2, 2013

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #9

Ok, so I want to add 3 tbs plus!!! I will rewash and reput back on. Can I ask you what the difference is, taste wise, between brining it and a dry rub?? From what I have read, it is just a dryer bacon, less spatter when you cook it?? Is that all. Hopefully this works. Thanks for all your help and advice. I am upset, confused, disgusted, etc, but strangely, I am still optimistic that my bacon will turn out!!! I will let you all know next week how it tastes and I guess if you don't hear from me for a couple of weeks, the hospital doesn't allow internet....haha  Thanks again.

 

daveomak

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #10

When you do the fry test for salt, you will know the difference between store bought and home cured...  Then the smoke will improve it...

Dave

 

diggingdogfarm

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• Apr 3, 2013

• #11

Next time, buy some cure #1, you'll have much better control over the curing process.



~Martin

 

mustangmary

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Apr 2, 2013

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• Apr 4, 2013

• #12

Ok, I will be near farm and fleet tonite, maybe I will make a small deter and see if they care it. I decided that I am going to smoke it tomorrow because now I am worried about it going bad, etc. I figure if nothing else, I will have a lot of salty pork to make pork and beans, ham soup or refried beans! Still hoping that I haven't wrecked it, but who knows. Need to find a day when I can just browse this website and get more ideas and recipes from all of you...Doing a brisket Saturday so at least I know THAT will turn out.Will let you know how good/bad th bacon is!!! Thanks again Dave and DDF for your help and advice....

 

mustangmary

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Apr 2, 2013

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• Apr 6, 2013

• #13

Well, I smoked my bacon today and it turned out great. Not too salty! Yeah. So, I guess it was a sucess unless of course, the curing went bad, and we get sick tomorrow!! Keeping my fingers crossed on that one. Just glad that it all turned out and tasted great. Next time I am using Pops brine. Try a wet instead of dry.