Since I own a Vacuum Tumbler, I decided to see if I can cut the 7+ day cure time in 1/2, or maybe even make it a 1-2 day cure process. Commercial processors use large vacuum tumblers to speed up the curing process, so I figured why can't I do the same thing....Right? Well, it seems that this is a closely guarded secret, and I could find no information for home processing in a Vacuum Tumbler. A few PM's to Martin and SOB, and a call to a local distributor, and I may just have the basics of the process.
I made a brine, using Country Brown Cure and some extra sugar, salt and spices. The cure and spices were mixed in with 12 ounces of water. All 3 pieces were injected to help cure the pieces from the inside out, as well as from the outside in. After I injected the meat, I realized this mix may create spice pockets in the meat. I don't think injecting was necessary, but after all, this is an experiment...Right? We learn from our mistakes....Right?
I started with a 7# pork butt from SAMS Club, deboned and trimmed the fat. It was then cut into 3 distinct pieces, following the natural separation of the muscles. Net weight was 5#
The meat was placed in the Vacuum Tumbler for the 1st 30 minute cycle of 4 cycles total
When 2 hours total curing time is completed, I'll rinse and allow to rest in the fridge for 24 hours
Commercial processors claim 2 hours of vacuum tumbling is enough time for the cure to completely penetrate a slab of bacon
SAMS Club Pork Butts
Country Brown Cure, Sugar, Salt and Spices
Cure Mix Added to Water and Injected
Injected Meat in Tumbler with Extra Cure Mix
Vac Sealed In The Tumbler
So, how do you keep the meat cool while it tumbling?
Place the tumbler on the deck in 40° temps!
2 Hours in the Vacuum Tumbler
The brine has turned thick and sticky. This is most likely from some of the proteins from the meat that have been exchanged with the cure mix
Starting weight of meat before vacuum tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending weight of meat after vacuum tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Meat absorbed 1# of water and spices during 2 hours in the vacuum tumbler
Very little cure mix left in the bottom of the vacuum tumbler container
Starting Cure Mix = 12 oz.
Ending Cure Mix = < 2 oz.
Out of the Tumbler for weighing
Back into the bin and into the fridge to rest overnight
Out of the fridge and thoroughly rinsed
Back into the fridge for 24 hours to rest and for the pellicle
Pulled the BBB from the fridge, after it rested for 24 hours
8:00 and the BBB is in the smoker using an AMNPS and Pitmaster's Choice Pellets
BBB Cured and Pellicle is Formed
Starting Weight of Meat Before Vacuum Tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending Weight of Meat After Vacuum Tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Weighed Before Smoking = 5 lb. 11 oz.
After rinsing and resting for 24 hours in the fridge, the meat to lost 8 oz.
Starting Pitmaster's Choice Pellets
Ambient temp is 41°, So I Turned on the MES 40 to 100° & set to 12 hours
BBB Hangin' and Waitin' for a Smoke Bath
Hangers are actually BBQ Tool Hangers $.79 On Sale!!
Can you say "TBS"?
Ahhhh The Smoke Bath
Maintained Temps under 100° for 10 hours
Ahhhh Smoke! Nice Color after 10 Hours in the Smoker
Starting Weight of Meat Before Vacuum Tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending Weight of Meat After Vacuum Tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Weighed Before Smoking = 5 lb. 11 oz.
Weight After Smoking = 5 lb. 2.5 oz.
Finished Smoking after 10 Hours
Cross Section of Vacuum Tumbler BBB
Test Fry Fried and Ready to Taste Test
Left = Vacuum Tumbler Cured BBB
Right = 8 Day Dry Cured BBB
So, after the 1st 30 minutes in the Vacuum Tumbler, about 1/2 the liquid was absorbed into the meat
During the the next 30 minutes the liquid did not seem to be absorbed as quickly
I'm now on my 3rd 30 minute cycle of a 2 hour vacuum cure.
I'll weigh the meat after 2 hours in the vacuum tumbler and this will tell me how much of the cure mixture has been absorbed
The meat weighed in at 6 lb. 3 oz. after curing in the vacuum tumbler for 2 hours total. The assumption can be made that 1# of cure, water, spices, sugar and salt were absorbed into the meat. Less than 2 oz. of cure mix was left in the container, after tumbling.
After the cured meat was weighed, it was placed in the fridge overnight to rest.
I took the slabs out of the fridge this morning, rinsed them well with cold water, dried them off, and back into the fridge for 24 hours to rest and form the pellicle.
Tonight, I pulled the BBB and decided to weigh it before smoking The idea is to get back the the green weight of the meat, before it was cured in the vacuum tumbler. Surprisingly, the meat lost 8 ounces. I can only assume some of the residual cure mix was washed off during the rinse, and some moisture evaporated while resting in the fridge for 24 hours.
The BBB was hung in the smoker for a 10 hour smoke. I usually cold smoke, but because the ambient temp is supposed to drop below freezing tonight, I set my MES to 100°.
Note To Self: Move to warmer climate, in-order to avoid freezing temps!
I removed the BBB from the smoker at 6:00am this morning, after 10 hours of smoking.
The smell and color were FANTASTIC!!
Sliced a few pieces from the middle of one of the slabs. These pieces were fried and compared to my last batch of BBB that was dry cured for 8 days, and them smoked. The exact same cure and spices were used. The only difference in the process was using a vacuum tumbler during the curing process vs. dry curing for 8 days in the fridge.
CONCLUSION:
This is my first attempt at vacuum tumbling BBB, and not my last. Since the process is new to me, I'll make some changes and attempt it again. I can't expect perfection on the first try!!
Color:
The color is pink and not as deep red as my 8 day cured BBB. The color was similar to ham.
Texture:
The texture is more like ham than my previous batches of BBB
Taste:
The taste is also more like ham than my previous batches of BBB. The intensity of flavors is just not there. The sugar and spices are almost non existent.
Was the Vacuum Tumbler BBB Experiment a Success?
The answer is both "Yes" and "No"
I believe the curing process was safely fast tracked into 2 days, so I consider this part a success.
The color, texture and flavors were more like ham than bacon, so I consider this part a failure
There is a common theme I've found in a few articles about Vacuum Tumbled Bacon. The color, texture and flavors are not the same as bacon made with other processes. It seems commercial processors "Enhance" their Vacuum Tumbled Bacon to attain a better color, texture and flavor. I'll try to do this without adding any extra chemicals.
Thanks For Lookin'!!
Todd
I made a brine, using Country Brown Cure and some extra sugar, salt and spices. The cure and spices were mixed in with 12 ounces of water. All 3 pieces were injected to help cure the pieces from the inside out, as well as from the outside in. After I injected the meat, I realized this mix may create spice pockets in the meat. I don't think injecting was necessary, but after all, this is an experiment...Right? We learn from our mistakes....Right?
I started with a 7# pork butt from SAMS Club, deboned and trimmed the fat. It was then cut into 3 distinct pieces, following the natural separation of the muscles. Net weight was 5#
The meat was placed in the Vacuum Tumbler for the 1st 30 minute cycle of 4 cycles total
When 2 hours total curing time is completed, I'll rinse and allow to rest in the fridge for 24 hours
Commercial processors claim 2 hours of vacuum tumbling is enough time for the cure to completely penetrate a slab of bacon
SAMS Club Pork Butts
Country Brown Cure, Sugar, Salt and Spices
Cure Mix Added to Water and Injected
Injected Meat in Tumbler with Extra Cure Mix
Vac Sealed In The Tumbler
So, how do you keep the meat cool while it tumbling?
Place the tumbler on the deck in 40° temps!
2 Hours in the Vacuum Tumbler
The brine has turned thick and sticky. This is most likely from some of the proteins from the meat that have been exchanged with the cure mix
Starting weight of meat before vacuum tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending weight of meat after vacuum tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Meat absorbed 1# of water and spices during 2 hours in the vacuum tumbler
Very little cure mix left in the bottom of the vacuum tumbler container
Starting Cure Mix = 12 oz.
Ending Cure Mix = < 2 oz.
Out of the Tumbler for weighing
Back into the bin and into the fridge to rest overnight
Out of the fridge and thoroughly rinsed
Back into the fridge for 24 hours to rest and for the pellicle
Pulled the BBB from the fridge, after it rested for 24 hours
8:00 and the BBB is in the smoker using an AMNPS and Pitmaster's Choice Pellets
BBB Cured and Pellicle is Formed
Starting Weight of Meat Before Vacuum Tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending Weight of Meat After Vacuum Tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Weighed Before Smoking = 5 lb. 11 oz.
After rinsing and resting for 24 hours in the fridge, the meat to lost 8 oz.
Starting Pitmaster's Choice Pellets
Ambient temp is 41°, So I Turned on the MES 40 to 100° & set to 12 hours
BBB Hangin' and Waitin' for a Smoke Bath
Hangers are actually BBQ Tool Hangers $.79 On Sale!!
Can you say "TBS"?
Ahhhh The Smoke Bath
Maintained Temps under 100° for 10 hours
Ahhhh Smoke! Nice Color after 10 Hours in the Smoker
Starting Weight of Meat Before Vacuum Tumbling = 5 lb. 3oz.
Ending Weight of Meat After Vacuum Tumbling = 6 lb. 3 oz.
Weighed Before Smoking = 5 lb. 11 oz.
Weight After Smoking = 5 lb. 2.5 oz.
Finished Smoking after 10 Hours
Cross Section of Vacuum Tumbler BBB
Test Fry Fried and Ready to Taste Test
Left = Vacuum Tumbler Cured BBB
Right = 8 Day Dry Cured BBB
So, after the 1st 30 minutes in the Vacuum Tumbler, about 1/2 the liquid was absorbed into the meat
During the the next 30 minutes the liquid did not seem to be absorbed as quickly
I'm now on my 3rd 30 minute cycle of a 2 hour vacuum cure.
I'll weigh the meat after 2 hours in the vacuum tumbler and this will tell me how much of the cure mixture has been absorbed
The meat weighed in at 6 lb. 3 oz. after curing in the vacuum tumbler for 2 hours total. The assumption can be made that 1# of cure, water, spices, sugar and salt were absorbed into the meat. Less than 2 oz. of cure mix was left in the container, after tumbling.
After the cured meat was weighed, it was placed in the fridge overnight to rest.
I took the slabs out of the fridge this morning, rinsed them well with cold water, dried them off, and back into the fridge for 24 hours to rest and form the pellicle.
Tonight, I pulled the BBB and decided to weigh it before smoking The idea is to get back the the green weight of the meat, before it was cured in the vacuum tumbler. Surprisingly, the meat lost 8 ounces. I can only assume some of the residual cure mix was washed off during the rinse, and some moisture evaporated while resting in the fridge for 24 hours.
The BBB was hung in the smoker for a 10 hour smoke. I usually cold smoke, but because the ambient temp is supposed to drop below freezing tonight, I set my MES to 100°.
Note To Self: Move to warmer climate, in-order to avoid freezing temps!
I removed the BBB from the smoker at 6:00am this morning, after 10 hours of smoking.
The smell and color were FANTASTIC!!
Sliced a few pieces from the middle of one of the slabs. These pieces were fried and compared to my last batch of BBB that was dry cured for 8 days, and them smoked. The exact same cure and spices were used. The only difference in the process was using a vacuum tumbler during the curing process vs. dry curing for 8 days in the fridge.
CONCLUSION:
This is my first attempt at vacuum tumbling BBB, and not my last. Since the process is new to me, I'll make some changes and attempt it again. I can't expect perfection on the first try!!
Color:
The color is pink and not as deep red as my 8 day cured BBB. The color was similar to ham.
Texture:
The texture is more like ham than my previous batches of BBB
Taste:
The taste is also more like ham than my previous batches of BBB. The intensity of flavors is just not there. The sugar and spices are almost non existent.
Was the Vacuum Tumbler BBB Experiment a Success?
The answer is both "Yes" and "No"
I believe the curing process was safely fast tracked into 2 days, so I consider this part a success.
The color, texture and flavors were more like ham than bacon, so I consider this part a failure
There is a common theme I've found in a few articles about Vacuum Tumbled Bacon. The color, texture and flavors are not the same as bacon made with other processes. It seems commercial processors "Enhance" their Vacuum Tumbled Bacon to attain a better color, texture and flavor. I'll try to do this without adding any extra chemicals.
Thanks For Lookin'!!
Todd
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