Bacon cure

[vince m]

Hey I have a question I cured bacon using the eq method and I found my meat scale to be off by about 1 pound. I cured 15 days and smoked about 4 hrs at between 180⁰ and 200⁰ to about 140⁰ Internal temp. Is this even safe to eat now I found out after all this the scale was off. Seems like the cure salt is about 1 gram less. Thanks.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Hey I have a question I cured bacon using the eq method and I found my meat scale to be off by about 1 pound. I cured 15 days and smoked about 4 hrs at between 180⁰ and 200⁰ to about 140⁰ Internal temp. Is this even safe to eat now I found out after all this the scale was off. Seems like the cure salt is about 1 gram less. Thanks.

Tell me what the percentage of salt and cure #1 was that you initially thought you applied? Also the weight of the bacon.

There really should not be an issue but I’ll know more when you give me those numbers.

 

[vince m]

Bacon was 5 pounds I thought I was 4 pounds used EQ calculator

 

[SmokinEdge]

You are perfectly fine.
salt is just north of 1.5%
cure #1 is at 120ppm. Which is perfectly fine,

 

[vince m]

Ok thank you so much thought I was going to have to toss it because of this mess thanks again!

 

[SmokinEdge]

I bet it’s delicious.

 

[DougE]

Hey I have a question I cured bacon using the eq method and I found my meat scale to be off by about 1 pound.

Might I recommend a set of check weights? I have check weights to make sure my scales are accurate. This comes with many years of reloading ammo since inaccurate scales can have catastrophic results.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Might I recommend a set of check weights? I have check weights to make sure my scales are accurate. This comes with many years of reloading ammo since inaccurate scales can have catastrophic results.

That brings up a bigger question. How did vince m discover the scale was off and by 1 pound. Eh Vince?

 

[vince m]

Might I recommend a set of check weights? I have check weights to make sure my scales are accurate. This comes with many years of reloading ammo since inaccurate scales can have catastrophic results.

Great idea thank you for the tipm

 

[vince m]

That brings up a bigger question. How did vince m discover the scale was off and by 1 pound. Eh Vince?

I bought 10 pounds of ground meat from a farmer and threw it on a scale and it read 11 and I thought that was suspicious so I grabbed a neighbors scale and his read 10 pounds so I went and bought a new scale and it also read 10 pounds. Then didn't think much of it till after I was smoking the bacon and it hit me figured I screwed up the belly with all the stuff I read on botulism.

 

[SmokinEdge]

I bought 10 pounds of ground meat from a farmer and threw it on a scale and it read 11 and I thought that was suspicious so I grabbed a neighbors scale and his read 10 pounds so I went and bought a new scale and it also read 10 pounds. Then didn't think much of it till after I was smoking the bacon and it hit me figured I screwed up the belly with all the stuff I read on botulism.

Ok, but that’s completely backwards of what you originally posted:

Bacon was 5 pounds I thought I was 4 pounds used EQ calculator

Bacon was 5 but thought is was 4 pounds.
However when you checked your scale, 10 pounds weighed 11 pounds. This is backwards and not adding up.

So with the bacon, the scale was weighing light? Then when you discovered the problem with the scale, it was weighing heavy?

Which is it?

 

[vince m]

Ok, but that’s completely backwards of what you originally posted:


Bacon was 5 but thought is was 4 pounds.
However when you checked your scale, 10 pounds weighed 11 pounds. This is backwards and not adding up.

So with the bacon, the scale was weighing light? Then when you discovered the problem with the scale, it was weighing heavy?

Which is it?

Yes the bacon weighed more then the scale said by 1 pound I'm confusing myself that's why I was worried I put the cure about in for 4 pounds and it was really 5. The meat was reading 9 pounds from farmer and it was really the 10 it was supposed to be that's what made me get another scale though the famers jipped me over a pound

 

[SmokinEdge]

Yes the bacon weighed more then the scale said by 1 pound I'm confusing myself that's why I was worried I put the cure about in for 4 pounds and it was really 5. The meat was reading 9 pounds from farmer and it was really the 10 it was supposed to be that's what made me get another scale though the famers jipped me over a pound

Actually, either way you are clear. I would suggest going in the future to have a good scale that is adjustable to ”tare“ it. Then just weigh your meats and roll on.

 

[rexster314]

Tare it
But once you cook the bacon fully, it's all good

 

[thirdeye]

Hey I have a question I cured bacon using the eq method and I found my meat scale to be off by about 1 pound

Might I recommend a set of check weights? I

Actually, either way you are clear. I would suggest going in the future to have a good scale that is adjustable to ”tare“ it. Then just weigh your meats and roll on.

I prefer to check my scales with two reference points, it just takes a few seconds. A 500 gram weight is very common and usually less than $10. And Uncle Sam provides some excellent calibration weights.... A nickel weighs 5 grams, and a cent weighs 2.5 grams, so this gives you a check on the lower end of the scales range. My biggest capacity scale is 25 pounds and is 76 years old. I check with a 25# weight, and the 500g weight. It still works great

 

[DougE]

A nickel weighs 5 grams, and a cent weighs 2.5 grams

Depending on how much pocket wear lol