Cured pork belly question

highlife4me

Fire Starter

Original poster

Dec 23, 2014

46

16

Southern Mn

• Jan 20, 2017

• #1

  I have aquired a pork belly that has been cured but not smoked yet.  (I was expecting a whole pork belly uncured)  I do not have time to smoke it until next weekend.  Can I keep it refrigerated for a week then smoke it?  Or freeze it then thaw and smoke?  The hog was butchered at a meat market and the belly was cured in a brine for 12 days so it should be cured through.

 

daveomak

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Nov 12, 2010

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Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Jan 21, 2017

• #2

Did the market use a nitrite cure like cure #1 or their "bacon cure" with nitrite.....

If so, after curing my pork bellies, I place them on a wire rack, uncovered, in the refer for a week to age and dry, forming a pellicle, then cold smoke below 70 deg. F for however many hours I like....

Then I do the same again...  on a wire rack for a week, uncovered in the refer.... after smoking...

 

dirtsailor2003

Epic Pitmaster

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Oct 4, 2012

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Bend Oregon

• Jan 21, 2017

• #3

I do the same as Dave.

Ask the market to make sure they used cure in their brine. If so you're good to go.

 

highlife4me

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Dec 23, 2014

46

16

Southern Mn

• Jan 21, 2017

• #4

Yes they used cure. I have the bellies drying in the fridge now. A BIG THANK YOU for the feedback, much appreciated!