Bacon Question

[bacononbacon]

I am interested in making belly and canadian bacon. From all the reading and research I have done, I can only find the maximum ppm limits for nitrite. I have read the USDA handbook and read numerous posts, but I can not find anything that provide a guideline for the recommended minimums.

I want to try wet and dry curing both the belly and loin. Can anyone provide any direction on the minimum ppm nitrate amount I can do that is still safe for a dry and a wet cure for both types of bacon.

I have cure#1 and plan on using DiggingDogFarm's Cure Calculator.

Thanks,

BoB

 

[diggingdogfarm]

120ppm is the recommended maximum nitrite level for bacon cured short term.
I wouldn't go below 100ppm if you plan to cold smoke because I've read in some meat science books that that is the minimum amount required to reliably guard against bolulinum.


~Martin

 

[bacononbacon]

120ppm is the recommended maximum nitrite level for bacon cured short term.
I wouldn't go below 100ppm if you plan to cold smoke because I've read in some meat science books that that is the minimum amount required to reliably guard against bolulinum.
~Martin

Hi Martin,

Thanks for the quick response. Just to confirm, I can use between 100 to 120 for dry and wet brining both belly and loin?

Some of the dry curing recipes I have seen have been considerably higher and I was leery of using to much or to little.

By the way, thanks for building and making available your cure calculator.

BoB

 

[diggingdogfarm]

Yes, those levels are safe for short-term curing, wet or dry.
For true dry-cured bacon, where the curing, equalization and smoking last for several weeks, the maximum safe level of nitrite is 200ppm.


~Martin

 

[bacononbacon]

Thanks Again. Now I can have some peace of mind when I cure the bacon this weekend.

BoB