No liquid coming out with a dry rub?

[jrypka]

So I did a 12 lb belly with 1.5% salt, 1% sugar, and 0.25% curing salt. It’s been in the fridge for 5 days in a ziplock but I’m not getting any liquid out. I thought I was going to get liquid in the bag and I’d flip it every other day. Any idea why I’m not getting any liquid in the bag? My other attempts at bacon were with a brine and they turned out great, but this is my first attempt at dry cure. Thanks!

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I have had it happen with me. Everything came out just fine.

 

[BATMON]

Doesnt the liquid get reabsorbed after a while?

 

[DougE]

I have a buckboard curing right now, and it isn't releasing a lot of liquid either. I been told by someone who knows a lot more about it than I do, not to worry about it, just let it ride. Got about 7 days to go on the cure.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I have a buckboard curing right now, and it isn't releasing a lot of liquid either. I been told by someone who knows a lot more about it than I do, not to worry about it, just let it ride. Got about 7 days to go on the cure.

I got some of Al's going also. With pork butt .87 cents and bacon so high giving it a go.

 

[DougE]

I got some of Al's going also. With pork butt .87 cents and bacon so high giving it a go.

This is my first go at curing, so I chose pork butt because like you said, it's cheap. I figure if I'm gonna ruin something in the learning process, I'd rather it be a cheap piece of meat.

 

[thirdeye]

For my dry cured and bagged products I add a tablespoon or two of distilled water to the bags as a starter for the cure drawing liquid out of the meat. That said, I have seen various amounts of bag liquid and just attributed it to the meat itself.

On a side note.... one year for a charity Eggfest I had injected 3 pork loins with a lite brine of salt and apple juice. The weather turned foul and the organizer was forced to end the day early and I had one loin still in the cooler. That night I used a Buckboard style dry cure on it, then smoked it a week later. It was one of the best and moist loins I've ever made.

 

[chopsaw]

Any idea why I’m not getting any liquid in the bag?

Sometimes you get a lot of liquid sometimes you don't . You're fine just let it do it's thing .
I always go 14 days myself . You're gonna like the dry cure I bet .

 

[pineywoods]

As has been said don't worry about the liquid sometimes I have some and usually by the time it's ready to come out of cure it has reabsorbed. Other times I don't see any liquid in the bag from start to finish

 

[Cabo]

Agree with others. The last belly I cured release a little liquid (couple teaspoons), then re-absorbed by the next day. By day 10 there was no liquid in the bag.

 

[jrypka]

Thanks, I’ll let it ride. Appreciate the insight!

 

[SmokinEdge]

Really comes down to how long the meat has been frozen, at what temp for how long or not at all. Freezing bursts the cells in the meat and they can’t hold moisture at that point. I get the most liquid from the bellies I pull off the hog myself fresh, the least liquid from belly bought at big stores like Sam’s or Costco. Fat content is also a factor. Meat is about 75% water, fat 10-15% water. More fatty the less water available.
Doesn’t effect the cure though. Just carry on and enjoy the results.

 

[jrypka]

One more question...can you guys check the math on my recipe?

12lb belly
2 7/8 oz kosher salt
2 oz white sugar
1/2 oz Cure #1

Should give me about 1.5% salt and 1.0% sugar, right? Total quantity of dry ingredients just didn't seem like a lot when I applied it to the belly. Less of a coating than I normally use for a rib rub, anyway.

Thanks,
Jeff

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

One more question...can you guys check the math on my recipe?

12lb belly
2 7/8 oz kosher salt
2 oz white sugar
1/2 oz Cure #1

Should give me about 1.5% salt and 1.0% sugar, right? Total quantity of dry ingredients just didn't seem like a lot when I applied it to the belly. Less of a coating than I normally use for a rib rub, anyway.

Thanks,
Jeff

This what I show for mine.

 

[SmokinEdge]

One more question...can you guys check the math on my recipe?

12lb belly
2 7/8 oz kosher salt
2 oz white sugar
1/2 oz Cure #1

Should give me about 1.5% salt and 1.0% sugar, right? Total quantity of dry ingredients just didn't seem like a lot when I applied it to the belly. Less of a coating than I normally use for a rib rub, anyway.

Thanks,
Jeff

Your recipe is very close to 1.5% salt, 1.0% sugar and 0.25% cure.
I would encourage you though to convert to grams and leave ounces to bigger projects. Grams are much more precise.

Convert pounds to grams)) weight x 454= grams
12x454= 5448g
1.5% salt, 5448x0.015= 81.72g. (2.88 oz.)
1.0% sugar, 5448x0.01= 54.48g. (1.9 oz.
0.25% cure 1, 5448x0.0025= 13.62g. (0.48 oz.)

This will give more consistency in the end product.

 

[jrypka]

This what I show for mine.

View attachment 518624

Yeah, grams are the way to go. I should put together a quick spreadsheet too, I like that.

For those of you using sodium erythorbate for dry cure, what do you reduce your curing time to? I've used it in my liquid brine with injection on ham and bacon following the recipe from Walton's and just cured overnight and have had really good success with that. Just wasn't sure about using it with the dry cure.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yeah, grams are the way to go. I should put together a quick spreadsheet too, I like that.

For those of you using sodium erythorbate for dry cure, what do you reduce your curing time to? I've used it in my liquid brine with injection on ham and bacon following the recipe from Walton's and just cured overnight and have had really good success with that. Just wasn't sure about using it with the dry cure.

Erythorbate should not be used for dry cure application. It is an accelerator to nitrite and will burn up the nitrite before it can penetrate the meat and do its job, as will acidic liquids like wine and vinegar.
Use erythorbate only in injected brine or in sausage.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Yeah, grams are the way to go. I should put together a quick spreadsheet too, I like that.

For those of you using sodium erythorbate for dry cure, what do you reduce your curing time to? I've used it in my liquid brine with injection on ham and bacon following the recipe from Walton's and just cured overnight and have had really good success with that. Just wasn't sure about using it with the dry cure.

I never really noticed that on that spreadsheet. Need take it off. I download it from someone few years ago.