1st time smoking bacon w qview and recipes

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coolew01

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 24, 2013
24
14
Waconia, MN
Please note I messed the original recipes below up. Make sure to follow the recommendations from the cure manufacturer and use the correct amount of cure. Generally 1/4 teaspoon of #1 cure to a lb of meat

Recipe 1 Pepper Bacon
8tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp coarse pepper
1tsp cure
8tsp turbinado sugar
2 1/2 lbs pork belly

Recipe 2 Diablo in the raw
8tsp salt
2tsp coarse pepper
1 tsp cure
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp cayenne
5 tsp sugar in the raw aka as turbinado
2 1/2 lbs pork shoulder

Recipe 3 Chicago Bacon
1/3 cup chicago steak seasoning
1tsp cure
2 tsp turbinado sugar

Recipe 4 Maple Bacon
1tbs maple syrup
1 1/2 tbs turbinado sugar
1tbs salt
1tsp cure
1/2tsp coarse pepper
2 1/2 lbs pork belly

Wish me luck
 
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Dry cure? Looking good

Dry cured 7 days then I put on a cookie sheet in fridge for 32 hours I would have done 48 hours but it is supposed to be real cold tomorrow. It was 18 out when I started it will be -6 when it is done smoking
 

Is there going to be anything wrong with the scorched ones or can i just trim it off? Apparently microwaving the pellets for 3 minutes when it is drier than a popcorn fart in Minnesota was a bad idea. Pellets combusted in the amazen at t 2 1/2 hour mark. The ones that got charred were the ones not shielded by covered water pan. Pics are 5 hours in.
 
I would keep all the burned slices or chunks together. Use in beans or other dishes.
 
If I read this right you used 1 tsp cure for 2 1/2 lbs of meat. That's twice the allowed amount. Not good.

Al

Thanks for pointing that out Al. You are correct . 1/4 tsp per pound. Does anyone know how many ppm of sodium nitrate is in a tsp?
 
If I read this right you used 1 tsp cure for 2 1/2 lbs of meat. That's twice the allowed amount. Not good.

Al

I think I am doing the math right I used the calculator linked on one of the forums. See if this makes sense.
1 lbs of belly would use 1/4 tsp of cure which would be 156ppm. 156 x 2.5(1/4+1/4+1/8 tsp) = 390ppm
I used 156X4(four 1/4's) = 624 ppm or 250ppm per lb.

I know for the future to use way less but shouldn't it be safe to eat?

Thanks in advance
 
Hopefully Chef Jimmy will chime in, if not I would PM him. I know it's too much cure, but not sure if it's enough to hurt you.

Al
 
Hopefully Chef Jimmy will chime in, if not I would PM him. I know it's too much cure, but not sure if it's enough to hurt you.

Al

I did some research it takes a concentration of around 3,200 milligrams of sodium nitrate in kilogram of meat to be a lethal dose for an average size person. All ten lbs I did had 975mg in total of it on it. It should be fine in moderation. I realy appreciate you pointing it out so i don't do it in the future.
 

Above are pictures of the montreal cured bacon.

I've tried two of the four recipes I made.

The maple bacon one was ok.

The Chicago one smelled amazing before I even cooked it. I think it would be great on a burger with cheddar cheese. I would definitely make it again.

I would add on the Chicago one it didn't have much salt flavor if you like salty bacon.
 
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Pepper bacon recipe it is good, aside from getting the cure right would cut a little more salt out.
Excellent job for your first attempt....    Well, now you know where to make corrections.....   

First, I would get a grams scale...   about $8 at Amazon...   0-100 grams range....  


For the curing part of the bacon, try starting with a 2% salt addition...   10 grams per pound......

For the sugar part....  try starting with 1.5% sugar...   7-8 grams per pound.... 

For the cure part....   about 1.1 grams per pound is the middle of the road and good for most curing projects...

Mix the salt, sugar and cure together....   If you mix up a big batch of those three items, using those weights and keep the ratio the same, then you have a mix for the ages....  All you have to do is measure out 10 + 7 + 1 = 18 grams grams of your mix and it's ready to go on 1 (one ) pound of meat...  add what ever spices you like and you are golden...    apply uniformly over the meat and rub it in a bit...   Zip bag in the refer at 38 deg. F for approx. 7 days per inch thickness and do what ever your recipe calls for...   The meat is cured, salted and the small amount of sugar masks the salt flavor...    7 days per inch is important...  salt penetrates quickly into meat...   sugar penetrates very slowly...  so to keep the meat from tasting salty, wait the longer time for the sugar to do it's job and you will be a hero...  promise....  

If you have any questions, I'm here with all the other very knowledgeable members...

Dave
 
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Ordered a gram scale as well as a oz scale, hope I don't make it on the DEA's list[emoji]9786[/emoji]️
 
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....  They will come in handy....   Dave
 
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