Bacon curing problems

[frankdaz]

So I used 1teaspoon of curing salt # 1 and 1/2 cup of salt for 6 lbs or pork belly ! It's my first time so I got a little worried the cure wasn't going to distribute evenly so I added 1/4 cup of water to my ziplock bags ! Is this ok to do ? And I cut cut the belly in two chunks one piece is really red and the other just looks like regular pork it's only been one day in to the cure any advice would be appreciated thanks

 

[chef jimmyj]

Adding just the salt and cure usually pulls enough liquid from the meat to distribute the cure evenly with daily turning and massage. However, adding that small amount of water hurt nothing and you are fine. Just keep turning, flipping the meat and massaging for 2 weeks...JJ

 

[frankdaz]

Thanks for the reply was up all night worrying about it !! Maybe I can get some peace knowing it will be fine :sausage:

 

[tropics]

Frank Welcome to SMF when you get a chance swing by roll call, so everyone can give you a warm welcome.

If you are going to get into making your own Bacon ( after you taste this you will LOL) here are a few links to make it easier and safer

 http://www.awscales.com/portable-precision-scales-01-gram/229-amw-100-digital-pocket-scale

http://www.diggingdogfarm.com/page2.html

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/110799/pops6927s-wet-curing-brine

Have fun ask question and enjoy your food

Richie

 

[daveomak]

May I suggest an electronic scale to weigh your ingredients...    Salt, in particular, because of it's density will weigh weird...   here is an example..  

SALT varieties weight-volume.png

• daveomak
• Mar 8, 2017

For me, bacon does well with 1.75% salt by weight + the cure #1 at 0.25%...  for a total of 2% salt by weight....

So, looking at the numbers, your 6#'s of belly had between 2.65% salt and 5.85% salt...  depending on the salt variety...

 

[Bearcarver]

So I used 1teaspoon of curing salt # 1 and 1/2 cup of salt for 6 lbs or pork belly ! It's my first time so I got a little worried the cure wasn't going to distribute evenly so I added 1/4 cup of water to my ziplock bags ! Is this ok to do ? And I cut cut the belly in two chunks one piece is really red and the other just looks like regular pork it's only been one day in to the cure any advice would be appreciated thanks

Am I reading this right?

You're basically Dry curing, with a little water added.

I would say that's fine, but if I'm also right in assuming you cut the belly in two pieces, and stacked them both in the same bag.

When Dry curing (Not completely submerged in a curing brine), each piece should be measured & cured separately, with it's own curing ingredients in it's own bag, and not both stacked in a bag together.

Flipping every day is to get both sides of a piece of meat a chance to equally absorb the curing mix, not to allow each piece of meat to get every other day in cure.

Bear

 

[frankdaz]

Yes to dry rub with a little water ..... The entire price of meat was 6# I mixed the cure in one bowl, and then cut the belly in half and and rubbed the meat and put them in two separate bags

 

[frankdaz]

Thank you very helpfull

 

[Bearcarver]

Yes to dry rub with a little water ..... The entire price of meat was 6# I mixed the cure in one bowl, and then cut the belly in half and and rubbed the meat and put them in two separate bags

OK---That's Good!!

I read it as "you put them both in one bag" I didn't like that.

You're good !

Bear