I have 54 lbs of pork belly that I am curing. The bellies I got fresh in Chicago from a meat packing house including one that was a Berkshire belly and they are generating more liquid than any bellies I have had in the past. Should I drain the liquid or should I continue to flip the bellies in the liquid ?
Would 12 days in the cure be too long ? I don't think I am going to be able to smoke much sooner than that.
One belly I am doing pancetta style since it was so thin and thought may as well try that. I only had cure #1, not the long term cure #2. will I need to bring this up to temp because of the #1 cure ? I know it is not normally smoked, but I am going to toss some pecan and give it a little smoke.
Would 12 days in the cure be too long ? I don't think I am going to be able to smoke much sooner than that.
One belly I am doing pancetta style since it was so thin and thought may as well try that. I only had cure #1, not the long term cure #2. will I need to bring this up to temp because of the #1 cure ? I know it is not normally smoked, but I am going to toss some pecan and give it a little smoke.