Why are you soaking and rinsing the belly slabs ??????
Why don't you add the "correct" amount of stuff when you first make it ?????
Get a $10-15 grams scale (0-100 grams) and weigh stuff out....
1.1 grams cure#1 per pound of meat..... (0.25%)
7 grams of Kosher salt per pound of meat...... (1.5%) (May have to go up to 2%, depends how salty you want it to taste)
4.5 grams of white sugar per pound of meat...... (1%)
Use the above as a starting point and adjust from there....
Add the above to the meat and refrigerate for 12-14 days.... lightly rinse and dry..... smoke...
Thank you for the replies. I honestly had some food after fry test thinking maybe I had COVID and lost taste. Seriously. The things that go through my mind these days.
I soak based off starting with Bearcarver's Step by Steps which have always worked well for me and a lot of others.
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On day 9, I removed them from the fridge, rinsed them off in cold water, and soaked them in ice water for 1 hour, to remove surface salt. Then I patted them dry, cut a couple slices, and did a fry test for salt flavor---Just right!" I believe in future I will try fry test before soak.
Could you please elaborate more on what was incorrect? Directions say 1 tsp cure per 5#. I used a level tsp and the belly is cured through based on slice. Was my salt level appropriate?
I assumed I did add the "correct" items first and that is why this was a fix the prob question.
I do have a scale and measuring instruments, not sure how that applies. I think it is possible to make bacon without a digital scale. A scale may be slightly more accurate than a teaspoon, but I don't think that would have changed my recipe.
I prefer the brown sugar and love sweet bacon. I have done around 50-60#'s this year and haven't had any issues. No prob with this ever burning either. This taste test was not overly sweet.
As far as cure time, I went 10 days. Sometimes I go a little longer. Would 12-14 days change much?Based again on Bearcarver's,
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Calculating curing time:
The thickest place on any of these belly pieces was just under 2".
I calculate there being 4 "half inches" in 2 inches, so that gives me the "4".
Then to that 4 (days), I add 2 more days for safety, the way I was taught.
So that would be 6 days.
I then usually add another 3 days on my own, unless I have scheduling problems that make me want to smoke a day or 2 in either direction."
Worst case...throw out or grind in with future sausage, brats, etc.
I am just trying to prob solve to see if this could be saved or if it happens in future. Also trying to figure where I went wrong. Obviously something did go wrong here.
Thanks for the guidance and replies!