3 Week Wet Brine, Too long?

[Benjamin Joslin]

I’m taking delivery of a whole fresh cut ham in two 1/2s and a whole pork belly. I’m planning a wet cure. Due to travel etc, I am planning 3 weeks in wet brine. Will this be too long? Ordinarily if the brine required 2 weeks, what will this extra week in the brine do? Any recommendations on keeping in brine for extra week, or remove and refrigerate for a week? I cannot smoke until week 3!

 

[foamheart]

Curing Times **********************

“Curing times vary with meat, but generally overnight to 2-3 days for chickens and turkeys, 8-10 days buckboard bacon, 10-14 days belly bacon, pork shoulder, whole butts, 3-4 weeks whole hams, 10-20 days corned beef (fresh beef roasts, briskets, rolled rib roasts, etc.) If whole muscle is more than 2" thick, then inject so it can cure i/o as well as o/i, and/or in and around bone structures, etc.”

I don't believe you can cure it too long because, it will only reach a state of equilibrium.

BTW I just took my cured Butt (making my Easter ham with it) out that had been curing for a month. I cold smoked it yearterday after a day of drying. So its now its deboned, netted, brine cured, cold smoked and raw. If it is cured completely I don't believe I'll have any trouble now till Easter with it.

 

[Norwester55]

The 1st pork loin I cured using Pops Cure went 22 days due to stuff happening. Since I've done one that I cured for 2 weeks and have decided that in the future I'll let 'em soak for at least 3. The longer soak seemed to impart a much better texture and flavor. Sugars infuse the meat slower than salt so IMO you get a better balance between the two with a longer cure time.

 

[indaswamp]

Pops recommends no more than a 30 day wet brine on meats that are not injected/pumped.