Any nasty bacteria is only on the surface of an intact, not injected, belly. 30 seconds after you added the rub, any bacteria present died rendering the meat safe. The rest of the cure time is spent letting the cure and seasoning penetrate to the center for the look and flavor. If, for whatever reason, the cure does not get to the center, the bacon is safe. When cooked you will see a gray center, like any cooked pork, surrounded by pink meat that got the cure. Not all bellies will leach a lot of liquid. An ever increasing number of packers automatically enhance, aka, inject salt water, into all their pork products. Smithfield is one producer that enhances. Bellies that are enhanced leach 8oz or more of the injected water. All Natural fresh pork put out a lot less moisture. Previously frozen bellies put out more but nothing close to enhanced pork...JJ
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